Thermodynamic analysis and optimization of a solar-driven regenerative organic Rankine cycle (ORC) based on flat-plate solar collectors

This paper presents a regenerative organic Rankine cycle (ORC) to utilize the solar energy over a low temperature range. Flat-plate solar collectors are used to collect the solar radiation for their low costs. A thermal storage system is employed to store the collected solar energy and provide continuous power output when solar radiation is insufficient. A daily average efficiency is defined to evaluate the system performance exactly instead of instantaneous efficiency. By establishing mathematical models to simulate the system under steady-state conditions, parametric analysis is conducted to examine the effects of some thermodynamic parameters on the system performance using different working fluids. The system is also optimized with the daily average efficiency as its objective function by means of genetic algorithm under the given conditions. The results indicate that under the actual constraints, increasing turbine inlet pressure and temperature or lowering the turbine back pressure could improve the system performance. The parametric optimization also implies that a higher turbine inlet temperature with saturated vapor state could obtain the better system performance. Compared with other working fluids, R245fa and R123 are the most suitable working fluids for the system due to their high system performance and low operation pressure.

► A solar-driven regenerative ORC using flat-plate solar collectors is simulated.
► Sensitivity analysis of parameters and parameter optimization are conducted.
► The daily average efficiency is defined to evaluate the system performance.