Performance evaluation of a PVT/ORC (photovoltaic thermal/organic Rankine cycle) system with optimization of the ORC and evaluation of several PV (photovoltaic) materials

Konstantin Tourkov and Laura Schaefer

Energy, 2015, vol. 82, issue C, 839-849

Abstract: This paper presents a study of a combined PV (photovoltaic) and thermal system that utilizes waste heat at a high temperature to drive an ORC (organic Rankine cycle). Several configurations of the ORC are evaluated for performance with the use of twenty-seven working fluids, with the goal of identifying a combination that both provides the highest operating efficiency and meets design criteria for expanders. A design utilizing an internal heat exchanger and a closed feed fluid heater is found to have the highest performance when operated using alkanes. An analysis based on volumetric flow rate and volume ratio showed n-Butane to be the optimal choice for the proposed application. The optimized ORC is then examined in combination with several PV materials for improvements in efficiency.

Keywords: Organic Rankine cycle; Photovoltaic; Combined cycle (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2015
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (17)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:energy:v:82:y:2015:i:c:p:839-849

DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2015.01.094

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