Performance Assessment of a Biomass-Fired Regenerative ORC System Through Energy and Exergy Analyses

Heat generated from the combustion of biomass can be used as an energy source in an Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC). In this chapter, the performance of an integrated biomass-fired regenerative ORC system was evaluated using energy and exergy analyses. For this purpose, several control volumes enclosing the components of the system were formed. Applying exergy analysis, exergy destructions in each control volumes were determined. Various parameters including the turbine inlet temperature, mass flow rate of the dry biomass, fuel-air ratio, and type of biomass were investigated and the extent to which the parameters affected the electrical and exergetic efficiencies was determined. Some suggestions are given for increasing the electrical and exergetic efficiencies.