Abstract
In this study, the effect of deep ocean condenser inlet temperature ($T_{DOI}$), condenser inlet pressure ($P_{cond,in}$), and thermal diffusivity on system efficiency of some selected refrigerants was analyzed using HYSYS. The proposed DOTEC cycle is similar to the reheat Rankine cycle but eliminates irreversibilities by bleeding a fraction of the steam between certain stages of the turbine. The evaporator inlet mass flow rate, inlet temperature of turbine 1, turbine efficiency and inlet and outlet temperature of heat source were imposed. The working fluids considered are sorted in ascending order of their molecular weights as R717, R600a and R152a. Results indicated that a fluid with a lower boiling point temperature like R717 needs a corresponding high heat source and/or evaporator inlet pressure. Also, the response of thermal diffusivity closely follows the change in TDOI as an increase in $T_{DOI}$ increases $P_{cond,in}$ which reduces thermal diffusivity and system efficiency. Furthermore, the fluid with the nominal boiling point temperature has the highest efficiency with efficiency decreasing with an increase in TDOI.
