Potential of a Solar Organic Rankine Cycle with Evacuated-Tube Solar Collectors as Heat Source for Power Generation in Thailand

Abstract

This paper presents a potential of a solar organic Rankine cycle (ORC) with evacuated-tube solar collectors with F R ( τα ) of 0.81, F R U L of 2.551 W/m 2 K as heat source for generating electricity under the climate of Thailand. The power output of the ORC power plant was 280 kW and the ORC working fluid was R245fa. The weather conditions of Chiang Mai (18.783 o N, 98.983 o E ) , Ubon Ratchathani (15.233 o N, 104.783 o E), Hat Yai (6.91 o N, 100.43 o E ) and Bangkok ( 13.66 o N, 100.56 o E ) represented the northern, northeastern, southern and central part of Thailand, respectively were taken as the input data of the calculations. It could be found that at Chiang Mai, the levelized electricity cost was lowest which was 0.37 USD/kWh and the annual solar-to-electricity efficiency was 4.44%. At Bangkok and Ubon Ratchathani, the levelized electricity costs were slightly higher than that of Chiang Mai. At Hat Yai, the levelized electricity cost was found to be highest which was 0.43 USD/kWh. Key words : Solar organic rankine cycle; Solar collector; Electrical power generation; Performance analysis; Levelized electricity cost