Performance Evaluation of Solar Energy-driven Binary Rankine Cycle under Egyptian Climatic Conditions

Abstract

The importance of the Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) comes from dealing with low-quality energy sources resulting from many thermodynamic processes. This type of low-level energy source permanently causes heat emissions, global warming, as well as climatic changes in which our world lives today. Re-exploitation of this type of energy contributes to the production of the required energy for various industrial purposes, as well as the production of electrical power. In this paper, the ORC is integrated with the Steam Rankine Cycle (SRC) as a bottoming cycle which can be called, the Binary Rankine Cycle (BRC) to generate 5MW net power. As there are two fluids used in the system, water in the topping cycle and organic fluid in the bottoming cycle. The BRC may utilize solar energy as a heating source. With the increasing need for efficient and low-cost energy solutions, it is essential to understand the thermal performance of a system built in different climates. The performance of the system is carried out and compared with different organic fluids R134a, R245fa, and R1234yf at different steam turbine inlet temperatures, pressures, and back pressures. The study reveals that the R245fa BRC has the best performance followed by the R134af BRC and then the R1234yf BRC. Also, the study aimed to determine the best solar collector area in Aswan