Isothermal and Adiabatic Expansion Based Trilateral Cycles
Ramon Ferreiro Garcia *
Department of Industrial Engineering, University of A Coruna, ETSNM, Paseo de Ronda 51, 15011, Spain
Beatriz Ferreiro Sanz
Department of Industrial Engineering, University of A Coruna, ETSNM, Paseo de Ronda 51, 15011, Spain.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
This research work deals with non condensing mode trilateral thermal cycles characterised by the conversion of heat into mechanical work undergoing optionally isothermal and adiabatic closed process based path functions. The proposed trilateral cycles are also characterised by its ability to operate at high efficiency at relative low temperatures when compared with the Carnot factor.
An analysis of the proposed cycles is carried out and results were compared with that of a Carnot cycle operating under the same ratio of temperatures. It is determined that into a range of relative low operating temperatures high thermal efficiency is achieved, reaching 41.1% for helium when Carnot Factor is 9.1% under a ratio of temperatures of 300/330 K.
Keywords: Carnot factor, adiabatic expansion, isothermal expansion, load-dependent path functions, thermal efficiency, trilateral cycle