Analysis of organic rankine cycle powered by N-number of solar collectors in series

ABSTRACT

Thermodynamic model of the solar power organic Rankine cycle (ORC) has been proposed in the present study. Model is developed in MATLAB 2018a for Cyclohexane/R123 mixture-based ORC system driven by series of N-collectors. Four different collector models namely: Case-I, “N series connection of photovoltaic thermal conventional compound parabolic (NPVTCCPC) collector system”; “Case-II: N series connection of photovoltaic thermal (NPVT) collector system”; “Case-III: N series connection of conventional compound parabolic collector (NCCPC) system”; Case-IV N series connection of flat plate collector (NFPC) system” have been integrated with ORC system. Overall thermal performance has been evaluated for each case and compared individually. Case-III (NCCPC) emerged as the best combination in the view of highest collector exit temperature 110°C, heat gain 255 kW, thermal efficiency 14.14%, exergetic efficiency 54.77%. Further, highest percentage of total exergy destruction was observed in evaporator (37–45%) followed by condenser (28–31%), expander (24–30%) and lowest in pump (1–2%). The present developed system could be a promising solution to power crises in remote and off-grid-connected areas.

KEYWORDS:

• N-series of collector
• organic Rankine cycle
• Cyclohexane/R123
• energy
• exergy

Acknowledgments

Authors express our heartfelt thanks to Vivekananda School of Engineering and Technology (VSE&T), Delhi, India for accommodating data processing facility to accomplish this research article.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

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