11/11/2020 Prototype of a thermally driven heat pump based on integrated Organic Rankine Cycles (ORC) - ScienceDirect

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Energy
Volume 41, Issue 1, May 2012, Pages 10-17

Prototype of a thermally driven heat pump based on

integrated Organic Rankine Cycles (ORC)
J. Demierre , S. Henchoz, D. Favrat

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https://doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2011.08.049 Get rights and content

Abstract
The concept studied in this work is a low power ORC–ORC heat pump system (providing
about 20 kW heat at the condenser) and that is composed of an ORC power cycle driving a
reversed ORC heat pump cycle, both cycles using the same fluid. The centrifugal compressor
and the radial in-flow turbine are directly coupled on the same shaft rotating on self-acting
refrigerant vapor bearings. The system has the advantage of being oil-free, fully hermetic and
with low maintenance costs. The paper presents the development of an ORC–ORC prototype,
with HFC-134a as working fluid. The main critical parts of the system are the compressor-
turbine unit, the supercritical evaporator and the pump. The selected type of heat exchanger
for the supercritical evaporation is the double tube coil (DTC). A first experimental setup has
been built to test the pump and the supercritical evaporator. A comparison between the
results obtained with an in-house supercritical evaporator simulation program and
measurements made on the DTC is presented. The design steps of the compressor-turbine
are briefly presented. The compressor-turbine unit has been balanced and tested, with air, at
speeds up to 140,000 rpm.

Highlights
► Development of a Rankine cycle driven heat pump for residential applications. ► A high
speed oil-free compressor-turbine unit rotating on gas bearings is used. ► The evaporation of
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0360544211005895 1/2
11/11/2020 Prototype of a thermally driven heat pump based on integrated Organic Rankine Cycles (ORC) - ScienceDirect

the ORC power cycle is supercritical. ► Measurements of R134a supercritical evaporation have
been carried out. ► Validation of an in-house supercritical evaporator simulation tool.

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Keywords
Thermally driven heat pump; ORC; Supercritical evaporator; Gas bearings;
Residential heating; Oil-free

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