Entropy, Vol. 21, Pages 428: Thermodynamic Investigation of an Integrated Solar Combined Cycle with an ORC System (Entropy)

An integrated solar combined cycle (ISCC) with a low temperature waste heat recovery system is proposed in this paper. The combined system consists of a conventional natural gas combined cycle, organic Rankine cycle and solar fields. The performance of an organic Rankine cycle subsystem as well as the overall proposed ISCC system are analyzed using organic working fluids. Besides, parameters including the pump discharge pressure, exhaust gas temperature, thermal and exergy efficiencies, unit cost of exergy for product and annual CO2-savings were considered. Results indicate that Rc318 contributes the highest exhaust gas temperature of 71.2°C, while R113 showed the lowest exhaust gas temperature of 65.89 at 800 W/m2, in the proposed ISCC system. The overall plant thermal efficiency increases rapidly with solar radiation, while the exergy efficiency appears to have a downward trend. R227ea had both the largest thermal efficiency of 58.33% and exergy efficiency of 48.09% at 800W/m2. In addition, for the organic Rankine cycle, the exergy destructions of the evaporator, turbine and condenser decreased with increasing solar radiation. The evaporator contributed the largest exergy destruction followed by the turbine, condenser and pump. Besides, according to the economic analysis, R227ea had the lowest production cost of 19.3 $/GJ.