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Session: Poster Session and Sponsors Exhibition
Session starts: Thursday 22 September, 14:00

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Tri Handayani (university of Newcastle)
Adam Harvey (university of Newcastle)
David Reay (David Reay & Associates)

Abstract:
Recent developments in ORCs have heightened the need for choosing the optimum working fluids which are critical to the successful performance of Organic Rankine cycles (ORC). Currently, the working fluid is defined as optimum if it is fulfils some specific requirements relating to its thermodynamic, economic, safety and environmental characteristics. However, research has consistently shown that no working fluids are able to achieve all those requirements. Therefore, studies continue searching for the best strategies for selecting the working fluids. So far, selection methods are based on traditional approaches, which are firstly select several working fluid candidates, secondly, set the objective of the design (net power output, thermal efficiency, irreversibility), lastly, select the working fluid based on maximum or minimum objective. This paper seeks to remedy this trial and error method by a fuzzy logic approach which enables the user to filter out the near optimum working fluids at the first level. This approach begins with the selection of a number of working fluids commonly tested in previous studies. Secondly, setting up some optimum working fluid rules such as low molecular weight, high latent heat, low cost, high critical temperature, high flow rate, low volumetric flow rate, high availability, low boiling point, low global warming potential, low ozone depletion potential, low toxicity, low flammability etc.. Next, the working fluids' variables related to the defined rules are simulated using the fuzzy Matlab toolbox. Finally, the results of this simulation are sorted and the highest value is chosen as the highly recommended working fluid. The highly recommended working fluid is expected to achieve maximum net power output, high thermal efficiency, low cost, low irreversibility, high safety and low environmental effect.