Development and Evaluation of a Small-Scale Organic Rankine Cycle for CSP Integration

Abstract

The paper details the development, manufacturing, and evaluation of a compact Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) system fueled by Concentrated Solar Power (CSP). The initial selection of the starting point of the cycle is described, considering the operational conditions of the ORC (such as the properties of the ambient temperature and solar field) and operational limitations. The study outlines the construction of a radial turbine generating 3 kW of power and conducts numerical simulations of fluid flow within the turbine components such as the nozzle and wheel. The course includes system engineering, focusing on the computation and selection of critical components including pumps, exchangers, and sensors. The findings of the laboratory tests are presented in the second part. The experiment utilized a thermal oil boiler for heating. The results show an isentropic efficiency of around 42% and a cycle efficiency of 6% under the initial test conditions, indicating promising performance over a wide range of pressure drops.