Feasibility Study of the Development of a Solar Micro Thermal Power Plant Operating with Organic Coolants
Development of distributed generation is one of the modern trends in power supply, and the use of renewable energy sources (RES) has finally got real prospects in this trend. Despite the obvious progress in the development of photovoltaic solar energy conversion methods, the thermoelectric method still remains a less expensive and more accessible one for individual consumers (such as individual garden plots and peasant farms) with a sufficiently small power demands (4...6 kW). The article discusses the technical and economic matters concerned with designing thermoelectric installations using the low-temperature thermal component of solar radiation in the Rankin cycle with the use of organic coolants (OCs). These include the choice of working fluid optimal for the given thermal converter temperature level, the specific features and methods for design analysis of the thermal circuits and turbo machines operating with an OC, and assessment of the results. It is shown that micro thermal power plants of this capacity level can find their place in the distributed energy systems of Russia and around the world.