SOLAR ORC: How it works
IN THIS SCHEME, YOU CAN SEE THE MAIN COMPONENTS OF THE SYSTEM AND HOW THEY WORK TOGETHER.
  • SUNLIGHT
    falls on the trackin collector an is concentrated 40-fold
  • Solar Thermal Energy
    from the concentrated sunlight is absorbed in a heat transfer fluid (HTF) circulating inside of a heat collection element (HCE - a selectively coated pipe with glass insulation) in the focus of the parabolic through collectors. The temperature of the HTF reaches up to 160ºC
  • ELECTRICITY
    is produced in the power block by thermodynamic processes known as the organic Rankine Cycle (ORC). Usin refrigerant 245 fa, the ORC absorbs heat from the HTF in the vaporizer at high pressure, while the pressure is lowered in the condenser using air fans. Between the two, an expander-generator extracts work from the hot vapor while a pump repressurizes the cold condensate.
  • Storage
    A quartzite pebble bed tank is used in the HTF loop between the collectors and ORC, both as a thermal battery and to moderate temperature changes, providing a stable thermal source for the power block.
  • Cool air
    is circulated through a heat exchanger in the ORC called the condenser. Because water is often too precious for cooling, our system uses the ambient air to provide the necessary heat sink and temperature potential for the ORC.