Title: Optimisation of a small solar organic Rankine cycle based on the exergetic analysis

Authors: Alexandru Dobrovicescu; Lavinia Grosu; Diogo Queiros-Condé

Addresses: Department of Applied Thermodynamics, University Politehnica of Bucharest, Bucharest, CP 060042, Romania ' Laboratory of Energetics, Mechanics and Electromagnetism, University Paris Ouest Nanterre La Défense, 92410 Ville d'Avray, France ' Laboratory of Energetics, Mechanics and Electromagnetism, University Paris Ouest Nanterre La Défense, 92410 Ville d'Avray, France

Abstract: A mathematical model is written for a solar organic Rankine cycle (ORC) taking into account the Pinch temperature differences in the system heat exchangers. The (exergetic factor)-(variation in enthalpy) diagram of the hot and cold composite curves of the heater-evaporator and the superheater of the ORC gives information about the strategy to be followed in order to improve the structure of the system. The introduction of an internal recuperative heat exchanger to preheat the ORC fluid and the splitting of the solar fluid to balance the heat capacities in the heater and the superheater are also considered. An exergetic analysis reveals the magnitude of the exergy destruction in the key pieces of the system. A comparative simulation of the way, the ORC operates with different organic fluids points out that R245fa gives the highest exergetic efficiency.

Keywords: solar organic Rankine cycle; ORC; exergy destruction; pinch temperature; optimum design; optimisation; exergy analysis; solar energy; solar power; mathematical modelling; exergy destruction; fluid splitting; simulation.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEX.2017.081203

International Journal of Exergy, 2017 Vol.22 No.1, pp.1 - 28

Received: 22 Sep 2015
Accepted: 28 Jul 2016

Published online: 26 Dec 2016 *

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