Exergy Analysis of Solar Photovoltaic/Thermal Organic Rankine Cycle

Abstract

A solar thermal organic Rankine cycle (ORC) power generation system model established using R245fa as the working fluid and coupled with a solar photovoltaic generator is introduced. Thermal efficiency and exergy efficiency of the model both with and without a heat regenerator are calculated and compared. Results show the solar organic Rankine cycle system with a heat regenerator has higher thermal and exergy efficiency than the system without a heat regenerator, providing better performance in practice. This result provides a basis for further application and improvement of solar photovoltaic and the solar thermal organic Rankine cycle.