Experimental Study of the Influence of Light Intensity on Solar ORC Power Generation System

Abstract

A low temperature (<393K) solar Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) power generation experimental facility was designed and built. The heat pipe evacuated tubular collector was selected as the solar collector. A scroll expander was used as the expander and the working fluid was R600a. The influence of light intensity variation on system performance has been studied. The results indicate that the system efficiency and thermoelectric efficiency of the experimental facility can reach to 2.2% and 4.4%, respectively. The thermoelectric efficiency and power decrease with the decrease of the heat transfer fluid temperature. There is a turn point in the variation of these performance parameters at high flow rate. The heat transfer fluid temperature at the turn point is about 75°C at the working fluid flow rate of 200L/h. The system efficiency decreases with the decrease of light intensity. There is a turn point light intensity Itpi. The system efficiency varies slowly when the light intensity is higher than Itpi. The experimental results are of great significance for the new design of low temperature solar ORC power generation system.