A holistic thermoeconomic assessment of small-scale, distributed solar organic Rankine cycle (?RC) systems: Comprehensive comparison of configurations, component and working fluid selection

In this paper, results from comprehensive thermoeconomic assessments of small-scale solar organic Rankine cycle (ORC) systems are presented based on weather data in London, UK, which is taken as representative a temperate climate with modest temperature changes, mild winters and moderate summers. The consider range of: (i) collector types (flat-plate, evacuated-tube, evacuated flat-plate collectors); (ii) power configurations (basic/recuperative, partial/full evaporating, subcritical/transcritical cycles); (iii) expander (scroll, screw, piston) designs; (iv) set suitable working fluids. All possible solar-ORC system designs optimised by considering simultaneously key parameters the field order to obtain highest electricity generation, best-performing identified. Selected then subjected detailed, annual simulations systems’ operation, explicitly off-design performance under actual varying conditions. indicate that, among all investigated designs, subcritical recuperative ORC (SRORC), collectors (EFPCs), piston expander, isobutane fluid outperforms other thermodynamic performance, whilst having generation 1,100 kW·h/year (73 kW·h/year/m2) an overall thermal efficiency 5.5%. This also leads best economic levelised cost energy (LCOE) ~1 $/kW·h. Apart specific used for these detailed simulations, study proceeds wider climates associated global regions resource available system. Interestingly, it found that optimal design remains unchanged different conditions, however, LCOE can drop below 0.35 $/kW·h payback times be shorter than 16 years high solar-resource regions, even absence incentives would otherwise lead better performance. work complements previous efforts literature full operational features systems, thereby providing valuable guidance selecting appropriate configurations, components, fluids characteristics and, first time, presents comparison such applications.