Analyses and Thermoeconomic Optimisation of Energy-Conversion Systems Using Excel

Thermoeconomic Optimisation of Energy-Conversion Systems Using Excel

Abstract

Although the commercial computer applications that are widely used for industrial and research analyses can also be used for educational purposes, they are not the ideal method either because of their cost and complexity or because they don’t allow white-box modelling of the systems to be analysed. This book shows how a general-purpose spreadsheet application, which is Microsoft Excel, can be used as an alternative educational platform for thermodynamic analyses of energy-conversion systems. Compared to the commercial software that is dedicated to such analyses, the main advantage of Excel is its wide availability on computers and mobile phones. From an educational point of view, the Excel-based modelling platform used in the book allows the students to build white-box models from the basic principles. As a modelling platform for engineering analyses, Excel provides a rich library of mathematical functions and powerful graphic tools for data visualisation. Since Excel itself does not provide functions for determining fluid properties which are necessary for thermodynamic analyse, such functions had to be developed as custom functions with the Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) programming language that comes with Microsoft Applications. The VBA functions are grouped as an Excel add-in called Thermax that provides property functions for 29 ideal gases, water and superheated steam, 28 synthetic and natural refrigerants, two aqua solutions for vapour-absorption refrigeration, humid air for psychrometric analyses, and atmospheric air at various temperatures.