Factors influencing the economics of the Kalina power cycle and situations of superior performance

Abstract

The Kalina technology has its advantages and disadvantages. Those in favor phrase it like new godsend while the opponents see in it only difficulties and additional complexity. The Kalina cycle is a power cycle and does as such compete with Rankine, Brayton, Diesel and Otto cycles. All theses cycles have their advantages and disadvantages and they are all a theoretical description of real-world machinery. Since the Kalina cycle is fully described in its physical values and material properties then we
are able to compare it theoretically with other processes for different boundary conditions (in real life, energy situations). Accumulated cost-knowledge and operational experience, enables us to compare the real life performance of these cycles for a typical geothermal condition, that is source inlet and outlet temperatures and cooling fluid temperatures. The areas of superiority for the Kalina cycle are then presented.