PASSIVE ORGANIC RANKINE CYCLE (ORC)

Various devices create heat during operation. This includes both mechanical and electrical devices. Excess heat may be harmful to the devices as well as the environment. Accordingly, cooling of the devices is often required. Various means have been developed to cool the devices including blowing air over the devices and/or running water over the devices. Furthermore, heat sinks are often used to extract heat away from the device. The heat sinks may be capable of dissipating the heat or may provide the heat to a better location for cooling to be provided. The operation of the device may also result in a byproduct (e.g., fluid, steam) having a high temperature that requires cooling. The various cooling systems require energy to be expended to cool the device and/or the byproduct (e.g., energy to operate fans blowing cool air, energy to operate liquid pumps).

The amount of cooling capable of being provided by air or water is limited by the parameters associated therewith. Some cooling systems utilize other working liquids that have a lower temperature at which they convert to vapor. This enables the working liquid to absorb additional heat from the devices or the byproduct produced from the device and convert the heat to steam. Such systems may be known as thermodynamic cycle systems and include organic Rankine cycle (ORC) systems. The systems may use the heat extracted from the device to generate mechanical or electrical energy.