The low-grade heat source recovery is usually constrained by the physical characteristics of the hot fluid medium. The present work focuses on the importance of energy recovery from low-temperature waste energy sources and its conversion to useful electrical power. The thermal performance analysis is based on the utilization of R-123, R-134a, R-290, R-245fa, R-1234ze-E, and R-1233zd-E fluids in a simple organic Rankine cycle (SORC). A waste energy source from an industrial sector is suggested to be available at a temperature greater than 110 °C. A hypothetical organic Rankine cycle of 10 kW nominal heat recovery was implemented to evaluate the cycle performance. It operates at evaporation and condensation temperatures of 90 °C and 45 °C, respectively. The selected vapor superheat degree at the expander entrance was 5 °C - 15 °C, and the liquid was subcooled by 5 °C at the discharge port of condenser. The estimated first law cycle thermal efficiency fell in the range of 6.4% - 7.7%. The results showed that the thermal efficiencies of R-134a, R-123, R-245fa, R-1233zd-E, and R-1234ze-E were higher than that of R-290 by 10% - 14%, 11% - 12%, 9% - 12%, 4% - 7% and 1% - 3%, respectively. R-1233zd-E, R-1234ze-E, and R-290 showed close thermal efficiency values, and it fell in the range of 6.7% - 7% for the (SORC) at a superheat degree of 15 °C. At the same superheat degree, the corresponding range of thermal efficiency for R-134a, R-123 and R-245fa fell within 7.5% - 7.7%. R-134a possessed the highest net power output of the (SORC);it reached a value of 0.91 kW as predicted at 15 °C superheat degree. Increasing the expander volumetric efficiency value by 10% improved the cycle thermal efficiency by 10% - 12%.
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