A Simulation Model for Hot Spring Thermal Energy Conversion Plant With Working Fluid of Binary Mixtures

Abstract

Hot spring thermal energy conversion (STEC) is a system that converts heat energy into electricity using the temperature difference between hot spring water and sea/river water. This paper describes dynamic model construction for the transient performance of STEC plant, which uses a recently developed power cycle with binary mixtures as working fluid. The mathematical models were constructed based on thermodynamics and structural features of the power cycle for representing the timely dependent state variables of the working fluid. Confidence in the accuracy of the developed models has been established by comparison of the simulation results with those obtained experimentally in a pilot STEC plant.