An Experimental Investigation of Organic Rankine Cycle with Scroll Expander  for Low-Temperature Heat Sources

Suppachai  Chumnumwat; Sorawit  Sonsaree; Chontida  Thongdonsa; Supansa  Plangklang; Kwanchai Kraitong

doi:10.69650/rast.2026.266195

Authors

Suppachai Chumnumwat Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok 65000, Thailand
Sorawit Sonsaree Faculty of Industrial Technology, Pibulsongkram Rajabhat University, Phitsanulok 65000, Thailand
Chontida Thongdonsa Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok 65000, Thailand
Supansa Plangklang Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok 65000, Thailand
Kwanchai Kraitong Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok 65000, Thailand

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.69650/rast.2026.266195

Keywords:

Organic Rankine Cycle, Scroll Expander, Low-Grade Heat Recovery, Thermal Efficiency, Power Generation

Abstract

Effective utilization of low-grade waste heat remains a significant challenge in sustainable energy recovery. This study presents an experimental investigation of an organic Rankine cycle (ORC) system utilizing R134a as the working fluid, integrated with a scroll expander modified from an electric automotive compressor. The primary objective was to evaluate the system's thermodynamic performance under varying low-temperature heat source conditions (50°C to 90°C) and heat sink temperatures (8°C to 16°C). The experimental results demonstrated that the system performance is heavily dependent on the thermal gradient, which governs the pressure ratio and enthalpy drop. Under the operating condition (evaporating temperature of 90°C and condensing temperature of 8°C), the ORC system generated a maximum electrical power output of 488.55 W. At this peak point, the ORC system achieved a thermal efficiency of 2.61%, with the scroll expander exhibiting a maximum isentropic efficiency of 21.14%. Detailed analysis reveals that the efficiency limitations are primarily attributed to under-expansion losses caused by the mismatch between the system pressure ratio and the expander's fixed built-in volume ratio, compounded by internal leakage. Despite the lower efficiency compared to specifically built expanders, this study confirms the techno-economic feasibility of using low-cost, off-the-shelf automotive components for small-scale decentralized power generation, offering a robust and cost-effective solution for low-grade heat recovery.

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