Wind effect on the performance of a solar organic Rankine cycle

•We measure the thermal response of a small-scale solar ORC system using R365mfc.•We measure and calculate the system response to a sudden wind.•We calculate the optimum working temperature according to weather.•We calculate the daily mechanical and thermal energy produced by the solar Rankine cycle.

The effects of wind, ambient temperature and solar radiation on the simultaneous productions of mechanical work and heat by a solar Rankine cycle are studied. The on site experimental study uses the pentafluorobutane R365mfc as working fluid in a system consisting of a small-scale single glazed flat plate collector, a micro turbine, a condenser and a pump. The theoretical study focuses on the prediction of the optimum operating temperature of the collector according to the solar radiation, the temperature of air and the wind speed. Then, the total production of mechanical and thermal energy is calculated during a sunny day for which various wind speeds are simulated. The results highlight the effect of wind on the corresponding production and they also establish the value of the recommended evaporating temperature according to weather conditions.