Development of innovative thermodynamic cycles is important for the efficient utilization of low-temperature heat sources such as solar, geothermal, and waste heat sources. Binary mixtures exhibit variable boiling temperatures during the boiling process, which leads to a good thermal match between the heating fluid and working fluid for efficient heat source utilization. This study presents a theoretical and an experimental analysis of a combined power/cooling cycle, which combines the Rankine and absorption refrigeration cycles, uses ammonia-water mixture as the working fluid and produces power and refrigeration, while power is the primary goal. This cycle, also known as the Goswami Cycle, can be used as a bottoming cycle using waste heat from a conventional power cycle or as an independent cycle using low to mid-temperature sources such as geothermal and solar energy. A thermodynamic analysis of power and cooling cogeneration was presented. The performance of the cycle for a range of boiler pressures, ammonia concentrations, and isentropic turbine efficiencies were studied to find out the sensitivities of net work, amount of cooling and effective efficiencies. The thermodynamic analysis covered a broad range of boiler temperatures, from 85 °C to 350 °C. The first law efficiencies of 25-31% are achievable with the boiler temperatures of 250-350 °C. The cycle can operate at an effective exergy efficiency of 60-68% with the boiler temperature range of 200-350 °C. An experimental study was conducted to verify the predicted trends and to test the performance of a scroll type expander. The experimental results of vapor production were verified by the expected trends to some degree, due to heat transfer losses in the separator vessel. The scroll expander isentropic efficiency was between 30-50%, the expander performed better when the vapor was superheated. The small scale of the experimental cycle affected the testing conditions and cycle outputs. This cycle can be designed and scaled from a kilowatt to megawatt systems. Utilization of low temperature sources and heat recovery is definitely an active step in improving the overall energy conversion efficiency and decreasing the capital cost of energy per unit.

The world demand for electrical power increasescontinuously, requiring efficient and low-cost methods forpower generation. This thesis investigates two advanced powercycles with mixtures as the working fluid: the Kalina cycle,alternatively called the ammonia-water cycle, and theevaporative gas turbine cycle. These cycles have the potentialof improved performance regarding electrical efficiency,specific power output, specific investment cost and cost ofelectricity compared with the conventional technology, sincethe mixture working fluids enable efficient energyrecovery. This thesis shows that the ammonia-water cycle has a betterthermodynamic performance than the steam Rankine cycle as abottoming process for natural gas-fired gas and gas-dieselengines, since the majority of the ammonia-water cycleconfigurations investigated generated more power than steamcycles. The best ammonia-water cycle produced approximately40-50 % more power than a single-pressure steam cycle and 20-24% more power than a dual-pressure steam cycle. The investmentcost for an ammonia-water bottoming cycle is probably higherthan for a steam cycle; however, the specific investment costmay be lower due to the higher power output. A comparison between combined cycles with ammonia-waterbottoming processes and evaporative gas turbine cycles showedthat the ammonia-water cycle could recover the exhaust gasenergy of a high pressure ratio gas turbine more efficientlythan a part-flow evaporative gas turbine cycle. For a mediumpressure ratio gas turbine, the situation was the opposite,except when a complex ammonia-water cycle configuration withreheat was used. An exergy analysis showed that evaporativecycles with part-flow humidification could recover energy asefficiently as, or more efficiently than, full-flow cycles. Aneconomic analysis confirmed that the specific investment costfor part-flow cycles was lower than for full-flow cycles, sincepart-flow humidification reduces the heat exchanger area andhumidification tower volume. In addition, the part-flow cycleshad lower or similar costs of electricity compared with thefull-flow cycles. Compared with combined cycles, the part-flowevaporative cycles had significantly lower total and specificinvestment costs and lower or almost equal costs ofelectricity; thus, part-flow evaporative cycles could competewith the combined cycle for mid-size power generation. <b>Keywords:</b>power cycle, mixture working fluid, Kalinacycle, ammonia-water mixture, reciprocating internal combustionengine, bottoming cycle, gas turbine, evaporative gas turbine,air-water mixture, exergy

<p>The world demand for electrical power increasescontinuously, requiring efficient and low-cost methods forpower generation. This thesis investigates two advanced powercycles with mixtures as the working fluid: the Kalina cycle,alternatively called the ammonia-water cycle, and theevaporative gas turbine cycle. These cycles have the potentialof improved performance regarding electrical efficiency,specific power output, specific investment cost and cost ofelectricity compared with the conventional technology, sincethe mixture working fluids enable efficient energyrecovery.</p><p>This thesis shows that the ammonia-water cycle has a betterthermodynamic performance than the steam Rankine cycle as abottoming process for natural gas-fired gas and gas-dieselengines, since the majority of the ammonia-water cycleconfigurations investigated generated more power than steamcycles. The best ammonia-water cycle produced approximately40-50 % more power than a single-pressure steam cycle and 20-24% more power than a dual-pressure steam cycle. The investmentcost for an ammonia-water bottoming cycle is probably higherthan for a steam cycle; however, the specific investment costmay be lower due to the higher power output.</p><p>A comparison between combined cycles with ammonia-waterbottoming processes and evaporative gas turbine cycles showedthat the ammonia-water cycle could recover the exhaust gasenergy of a high pressure ratio gas turbine more efficientlythan a part-flow evaporative gas turbine cycle. For a mediumpressure ratio gas turbine, the situation was the opposite,except when a complex ammonia-water cycle configuration withreheat was used. An exergy analysis showed that evaporativecycles with part-flow humidification could recover energy asefficiently as, or more efficiently than, full-flow cycles. Aneconomic analysis confirmed that the specific investment costfor part-flow cycles was lower than for full-flow cycles, sincepart-flow humidification reduces the heat exchanger area andhumidification tower volume. In addition, the part-flow cycleshad lower or similar costs of electricity compared with thefull-flow cycles. Compared with combined cycles, the part-flowevaporative cycles had significantly lower total and specificinvestment costs and lower or almost equal costs ofelectricity; thus, part-flow evaporative cycles could competewith the combined cycle for mid-size power generation.</p><p><b>Keywords:</b>power cycle, mixture working fluid, Kalinacycle, ammonia-water mixture, reciprocating internal combustionengine, bottoming cycle, gas turbine, evaporative gas turbine,air-water mixture, exergy</p>