Evaluation of the energy and exergy of a trans‐critical CO2 cycle driven by a double flash geothermal power plant

Abstract

AbstractFacing the dual challenges of environmental impact and the finite nature of fossil fuels, the shift toward sustainable energy sources is imperative. Geothermal energy, a renewable and underutilized resource, offers a promising alternative. This study ventures into a novel domain, exploring the integration of trans‐critical CO2 (tCO2) cycle with a double‐flash geothermal (DFG) cycle, an area not extensively covered in existing research. This study aims to develop a recovery system that utilizes a tCO2 cycle powered by a DFG cycle. A crucial part of this study involves conducting a sensitivity analysis to evaluate the system's energy and exergy performance. This analysis focuses on understanding the impact of changes in key system design parameters, such as energy efficiency, exergy efficiency, net power output, and total exergy destruction rate, to determine the optimal values for these parameters. The results indicate that the recovery system shows a significant improvement of 22% in energy efficiency over the basic cycle. However, there is a decrease in exergy efficiency in the recovery system, which represents a 5.26% decline. As a result, this study paves the way for innovative approaches in geothermal energy use, suggesting potential breakthroughs in renewable technologies.