Solar EnergyPub Date : 2025-09-09DOI: 10.1016/j.solener.2025.113943
Lei Xu, Jiale Xiao, Xiaoyu Ji, Yibo Zhang, Changyun Li, Yasong Wang
{"title":"A PV defect intelligent diagnosis framework integrating multimodal diffusion generation and lightweight segmentation","authors":"Lei Xu, Jiale Xiao, Xiaoyu Ji, Yibo Zhang, Changyun Li, Yasong Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.solener.2025.113943","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.solener.2025.113943","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Ensuring the long-term reliability and efficiency of photovoltaic(PV) systems requires accurate and intelligent defect monitoring strategies. To address these issues, this study proposes an innovative defect image generation method called CAM-Diffuse, which combines binary mask constraints with text-vision-based multimodal feature fusion. This method enables the generation of high-fidelity and controllable defect images, effectively expanding the training dataset and enhancing the model’s generalization ability.Furthermore, this study introduces LightSegDETR, a lightweight instance segmentation network. The network integrates the DGBlock module, which combines DWConv and GhostConv to optimize computational efficiency. In the neck of the network, DynamicGhost (dynamic adaptive adjustment of ghost convolution) and AdaptiveWT (adaptive wavelet high and low-frequency feature fusion) techniques are used for feature fusion. In the head, the self-attention mechanism is combined with SEBAttention (a multi-scale dual-attention strategy) to achieve joint adaptive weighting.Compared to the Enhanced Baseline, LightSegDETR reduces parameters (Params) and memory (RAM) by 50%, and computational load (GFLOPs) by 34.4%, while achieving improvements in accuracy: mAP50detect, mAP50-95detect, mAP50seg, and mAP50-95seg increase by 1.1%, 1.3%, 1.0%, and 0.8%, respectively. LightSegDETR achieves 28 FPS on Jetson Nano with state-of-the-art accuracy-efficiency, enabling robust real-time edge deployment, demonstrating strong potential for edge deployment and cost-effective PV performance monitoring in practical applications.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":428,"journal":{"name":"Solar Energy","volume":"301 ","pages":"Article 113943"},"PeriodicalIF":6.0,"publicationDate":"2025-09-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145019475","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Effect of weight factor and structural parameter on performance of topology optimization liquid-cooled plates","authors":"Xiangqiang Kong, Yijian Zhang, Wanke Hou, Xichun Miao, Ying Li, Jianbo Li","doi":"10.1016/j.solener.2025.113951","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.solener.2025.113951","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>A liquid-cooled plate can be used to decrease the Photovoltaic (PV) panel temperature and improve its photoelectric conversion efficiency effectively. A computer simulation with a topology optimization model is performed to examine the thermal and hydraulic performances of the liquid-cooled plates, which is centered on maximizing heat transfer efficiency and minimizing power dissipation. Then a variety of liquid-cooled plate structures have been designed with different outlet configurations. The simulation results agree well with the experiments within a maximum error of 5 %. On the basis of the model, a weight factor is employed to achieve optimal trade-offs between heat transfer efficiency and hydraulic performance in the topology-optimized (TO) liquid-cooled plate. It is found that the overall thermal and hydraulic performance of the TO liquid-cooled plates are optimal at the weight factor of 0.6. The TO liquid-cooled plate exhibits superior thermal and hydraulic performance relative to the straight channel type. The maximum temperature of the heat source is reduced by 23.11 K and the pressure drop is reduced by 58.47 Pa, respectively. Furthermore, at the weight factor of 0.6, a comparative study is conducted on the thermal and hydraulic performance of TO liquid-cooled plates with four outlet configurations. The outlet configuration with fluid entering and exiting from the same side in parallel exhibits the best heat transfer performance. Finally, the influence of structural parameters on the performance is investigated. It is found that the thermal and hydraulic performance of the TO liquid-cooled plate increases significantly with increasing flow channel height.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":428,"journal":{"name":"Solar Energy","volume":"301 ","pages":"Article 113951"},"PeriodicalIF":6.0,"publicationDate":"2025-09-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145019479","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Solar EnergyPub Date : 2025-09-09DOI: 10.1016/j.solener.2025.113925
Fatih Selimefendigil , Damla Okulu , Hakan F. Öztop
{"title":"Performance analysis of double CPV/TEG units in different arrangements coupled with water/air cooling channels","authors":"Fatih Selimefendigil , Damla Okulu , Hakan F. Öztop","doi":"10.1016/j.solener.2025.113925","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.solener.2025.113925","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The extremely high temperatures reached by concentrated photovoltaic (CPV) panels have undesirable consequences on the performance of these systems. Different approaches are offered for thermal management of those systems. Concentrated photovoltaic/thermal (CPV/T) systems are utilized with thermoelectric generators (TEGs) in many studies. Thus, both a more advanced cooling performance and higher electrical power are achieved. In this study, the effects of different channel arrangements on CPV/T-TEG system are investigated by using two identical CPV-TEG units which are assembled on three different channel designs. Energy and exergy analysis of two CPV-TEG units which are combined in different arrangements are studied with appropriate single cooling channel design. Vertical arrangement (Model 1), inclined arrangement (Model 2) and horizontal arrangement (Model 3) of CPV/TEG units are taken into consideration while either air or water is used in the channels as the cooling medium. Different CPV/ TEG arrangements (Models 1,2 and 3) and cooling fluid inlet temperatures (between 15 °C to 35 °C) are considered for both air and water as the cooling fluid for a fixed value of Reynolds number of 1000. Galerkin weighted residual finite element method (FEM) is utilized as the solver while temperature distributions, PV and TEG electrical powers, energy and exergy efficiencies of water and air-based systems are analyzed for different arrangements and operating parameters of CPV/TEG units. Water-CPV/T-TEGs has lower cell temperature and higher PV and TEG power than air-CPV/T-TEGs in each of the arrangements for both units. When highest PV powers are compared, water-Model 2 of B unit is 4.23 % higher as compared to air-Model 1 of unit A. The highest TEG power is achieved with Model 2A in both air- and water-based dual CPV-TEG. TEG electrical power of water-Model 2A is 18.5 % higher than that of air-Model 2A. TEG efficiency for the water and air-based models are 1.664 % and 15.9 %, respectively. The water-Model 2B’s PV cell temperature increases by 33.74 % and the air-Model 1A’s increases by 25.7 % when the input temperature is increased from 15 °C to 35 °C. The highest total exergy efficiency is obtained with water in Model 2 and air in Model 3. The total exergy efficiency of the water-based Model 2 at the lowest inlet temperature is 2.8 % higher than that of air-based Model 3. Different channel arrangements and applied cooling fluids had an impact on the dual CPV-TEG. For future studies, the efficiency of both PV and TEG can be improved with optimum channel design by using shaped optimized algorithms and utilization of baffles in channels. In addition, the application of an innovative fluid instead of the conventional fluid in the channel system may enable the enhancement of these cooling system performances.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":428,"journal":{"name":"Solar Energy","volume":"301 ","pages":"Article 113925"},"PeriodicalIF":6.0,"publicationDate":"2025-09-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145019476","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Solar EnergyPub Date : 2025-09-08DOI: 10.1016/j.solener.2025.113918
Sajjad Jahangiri, Pouya Esfanjani, Mohammad Sadegh Valipour
{"title":"Thermal and optical efficiencies improvement of the linear Fresnel collector with a modified absorber","authors":"Sajjad Jahangiri, Pouya Esfanjani, Mohammad Sadegh Valipour","doi":"10.1016/j.solener.2025.113918","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.solener.2025.113918","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Solar thermal collectors are promising options for harvesting solar thermal energy for various thermal applications such as cooling, heating, desalination, and hydrogen production. Among all the solar collectors, linear Fresnel collectors showed acceptable performance with respect to their low capital cost and not-complicated structures. Heat loss is one of these collectors’ drawbacks that challenge their further development due to the reduction in thermal performance. The application of a glass cover at the aperture of their cavity receiver can be a solution for heat loss reduction while noting the decrease in optical efficiency. In the current study, the simultaneous application of a glass cover and surface modifications to the absorber tubes was investigated as a combined strategy through experimental and simulation approaches for achieving both thermal and optical improvements. Glass cover has resulted in 10.884% thermal efficiency enhancement with a maximum efficiency of 63.7215% compared to the scenario without glass cover. Helical rectangular surface modifications were the best modifications with a maximum optical efficiency of 93.40%, which showed a 18.98% improvement in optical efficiency compared to the no-modification scenario.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":428,"journal":{"name":"Solar Energy","volume":"301 ","pages":"Article 113918"},"PeriodicalIF":6.0,"publicationDate":"2025-09-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145010254","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Solar EnergyPub Date : 2025-09-08DOI: 10.1016/j.solener.2025.113960
Zhiwei Li , Meichen Shi , Wentao Lyu , Haoping Peng , Zhaobin Liu , Qinqin Wang
{"title":"Research on electrical properties and mechanism of n-TOPCon solar cells with different rear surface morphologies","authors":"Zhiwei Li , Meichen Shi , Wentao Lyu , Haoping Peng , Zhaobin Liu , Qinqin Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.solener.2025.113960","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.solener.2025.113960","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In this study, four rear treatment techniques, acid etching (E), acid etching + micro-texturing (EM), alkali polishing (P), and alkali polishing + micro-texturing (PM), were used to investigate the effects of different rear morphologies on the passivation performance, contact performance, and electrical performance of n-TOPCon solar cells. EM improves contact (<em>FF</em> = 84.82 %) but lowers <em>V<sub>oc</sub></em> to 701.5 mV, yielding only 24.57 % efficiency. P2 raises <em>V<sub>oc</sub></em> to 710.2 mV and achieves <em>E<sub>ff</sub></em> 24.73 %, 0.18 % higher than E. PM2 further increases FF to 84.24 % while maintaining high <em>V<sub>oc</sub></em>, reaching <em>E<sub>ff</sub></em> 24.78 %. This work quantitatively elucidates how micro/nano-rear morphology co-modulates tunnel-oxide uniformity, contact resistivity, and carrier recombination, offering a direct guideline for n-TOPCon rear design.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":428,"journal":{"name":"Solar Energy","volume":"301 ","pages":"Article 113960"},"PeriodicalIF":6.0,"publicationDate":"2025-09-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145010253","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Solar EnergyPub Date : 2025-09-08DOI: 10.1016/j.solener.2025.113955
Mohana Alanazi , Abdulaziz Alanazi , Yassir A. Alamri , Elimam Abdallah Ali , Sultan Alqahtani , Ali E. Anqi
{"title":"Thermal optimization of salinity gradient solar ponds in natural salt lakes for simultaneous renewable heat storage and Artemia cultivation","authors":"Mohana Alanazi , Abdulaziz Alanazi , Yassir A. Alamri , Elimam Abdallah Ali , Sultan Alqahtani , Ali E. Anqi","doi":"10.1016/j.solener.2025.113955","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.solener.2025.113955","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Natural salt lakes such as the Great Salt Lake, Lake Eyre, and Lake Urmia offer strong potential for salinity gradient solar ponds (SGSPs) as renewable energy storage systems. Notably, Lake Urmia hosts Artemia, which thrive in hypersaline conditions, feed on algae, and improve water clarity, thereby enhancing thermal efficiency and offering ecological and economic benefits. This study evaluates the feasibility and thermal optimization of SGSPs in such naturally suitable environments. A numerical model based on the Crank–Nicolson finite difference method was developed to simulate SGSP thermal behavior using real month to month meteorological data from a natural Salt Lake. The model investigates the effects of varying layer thicknesses (upper convective zone UCZ, non convective zone NCZ, and lower convective zone LCZ) as well as environmental variables such as solar radiation, wind speed, and relative humidity. The study also explores environmental co benefits including salt storm mitigation, reduced lake salinity, and sustainable Artemia aquaculture. Thermally, with baseline layer thickness (UCZ 0.2 m, NCZ 0.8 m, LCZ 0.6 m), the LCZ reached a peak temperature of 115 °C in August. Increasing the UCZ thickness to 0.6 m reduced LCZ temperatures by about 4 °C per 0.2 m increment, while an NCZ thickness of 0.8 m maximized heat retention. Humidity significantly enhanced thermal performance (5.89 °C gain from 10 % to 81 % RH), whereas wind speed had a smaller cooling effect (about 2 °C reduction).</div></div>","PeriodicalId":428,"journal":{"name":"Solar Energy","volume":"301 ","pages":"Article 113955"},"PeriodicalIF":6.0,"publicationDate":"2025-09-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145019478","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Solar EnergyPub Date : 2025-09-06DOI: 10.1016/j.solener.2025.113956
Haoran Yan , Jialin Chen , Junjie Xia , Shirong Huang , Yating Xie , Ibtasam Bin Abdul Ghani , You Liu , Longqiang Ye , Xuchun Wang
{"title":"In-situ engineered ternary heterojunction arrays for high photoelectric efficiency dye-sensitized solar cells","authors":"Haoran Yan , Jialin Chen , Junjie Xia , Shirong Huang , Yating Xie , Ibtasam Bin Abdul Ghani , You Liu , Longqiang Ye , Xuchun Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.solener.2025.113956","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.solener.2025.113956","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study introduces a novel, well-aligned ZnIn<sub>2</sub>S<sub>4</sub>@Ti<sub>3</sub>C<sub>2</sub> MXene/TiO<sub>2</sub> hierarchical heterostructure array, fabricated via a multi-step hydrothermal approach, serving as a high-performance photoanode for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The results of electron microscopic confirmed the precise formation of this multi-dimensional architecture. The optimized DSSC device attained an impressive power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 8.01 % and a remarkable fill factor (FF) of 73.9 %, representing a significant 28.6 % enhancement over pristine TiO<sub>2</sub> nanowire-based devices. This substantial improvement stems from synergistic mechanisms: The incorporation of ZnIn<sub>2</sub>S<sub>4</sub> (ZIS) facilitates enhanced light harvesting across the visible spectrum. Furthermore, the presence of the conductive MXene mediator orchestrates the formation of dual heterojunctions (TiO<sub>2</sub>/MXene and ZIS/MXene) coupled with Ti<sub>3</sub>C<sub>2</sub>/semiconductor Schottky barriers. This unique configuration establishes an efficient electron transport network, significantly prolonging charge carrier lifetimes and suppressing recombination. Notably, the champion device demonstrated outstanding operational stability, retaining 94 % of its initial PCE after 1000 h of continuous operation. This work pioneers the application of a ZIS/Ti<sub>3</sub>C<sub>2</sub>/TiO<sub>2</sub> ternary system in DSSCs and provides crucial insights for designing heterostructures for advanced photoelectrochemical systems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":428,"journal":{"name":"Solar Energy","volume":"301 ","pages":"Article 113956"},"PeriodicalIF":6.0,"publicationDate":"2025-09-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145004735","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Solar EnergyPub Date : 2025-09-06DOI: 10.1016/j.solener.2025.113944
Yuefan Tuo , Gang Feng , Decai Zhou , Yi Zhang , Meng Lin
{"title":"Optical performance enhancement of beam-down solar tower systems over a wide temperature range","authors":"Yuefan Tuo , Gang Feng , Decai Zhou , Yi Zhang , Meng Lin","doi":"10.1016/j.solener.2025.113944","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.solener.2025.113944","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Beam-down solar tower systems are well-suited for high-temperature solar thermal applications, offering more efficient thermal coupling with ground-level storage and reactor systems, reduced heat transfer losses, and simplified receiver integration compared to conventional tower configurations. However, their performance is limited by trade-offs between concentration ratio, optical efficiency, and system cost, which is more pronounced across applications operating at different operating temperatures. This study presents an integrated modeling framework combining the Monte Carlo Ray Tracing method, thermodynamic efficiency analysis, and cost modeling to evaluate a 50 MW beam-down concentrated solar thermal system. Optical simulations reveal that high peak concentration ratios (>2600 suns) for high temperature applications (>1500 °C) are achievable through compact receiver designs and optimized secondary reflectors, though at the expense of optical efficiency. Compound parabolic concentrators (CPCs) can partially recover these losses and enhance flux uniformity. Thermodynamic results across 3 applications, power generation (550 °C), methane dry reforming (800 °C), and water splitting (1500 °C), highlight the need for application-specific design. A techno-economic analysis of heliostat layouts shows that specific costs reduce with increasing heliostat unit count until system complexity drives them back. A 1500-heliostat configuration offers a favorable balance, achieving 51.8 % optical efficiency at 15 % lower cost than the reference beam-down system design based on 50 MW Yumen Xinneng demonstration plant. The findings provide insights into optimizing beam-down systems for diverse solar thermal applications and support their development for both dispatchable power and solar fuel production.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":428,"journal":{"name":"Solar Energy","volume":"301 ","pages":"Article 113944"},"PeriodicalIF":6.0,"publicationDate":"2025-09-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145004736","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Solar EnergyPub Date : 2025-09-06DOI: 10.1016/j.solener.2025.113937
Mohammad Karimzadeh Kolamroudi , Oluwasegun Henry Jaiyeoba , Mustafa Ilkan , Babak Safaei
{"title":"A comprehensive review on the artificial intelligence for the development of thermal concentrating photovoltaic systems","authors":"Mohammad Karimzadeh Kolamroudi , Oluwasegun Henry Jaiyeoba , Mustafa Ilkan , Babak Safaei","doi":"10.1016/j.solener.2025.113937","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.solener.2025.113937","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Under the effects of increased climate urgency and fossil fuel depletion, solar energy can become a fundamental renewable energy source. Although photovoltaics (PVs) have limited efficiency, concentrating photovoltaic–thermal (CPV/T) systems generate electricity and heat simultaneously, achieving 60 to 80 % total efficiency, considerably higher than those obtained from PVs. However, the performance of CPV/T highly depends on operational parameters such as irradiance fluctuations, cell temperature, and tracking inaccuracies, limiting their use in real world applications. Artificial intelligence (AI) techniques including deep neural networks (DNNs), reinforcement learning (RL), and hybrid algorithms solve these problems by enabling adaptive thermal regulation, fault detection, real-time optimization and precision solar tracking. This paper has reviewed recent progresses in AI, with special focus on CPV/T systems, analyzing approaches for dynamic cooling control, predictive maintenance, irradiance forecasting and system design. Experimental validations revealed that AI-driven control increased thermal stability by > 35, %decreased mirror misalignment by ≤ 85 %, and obtained R<sup>2</sup> > 0.99 for energy prediction. However, serious limitations such as climate-specific model transferability, computational constraints in off-grid settings, interdisciplinary gaps between AI and solar engineering, and data scarcity still exist. This paper reveals new opportunities to accelerate this high-impact synergy toward global renewable energy goals.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":428,"journal":{"name":"Solar Energy","volume":"301 ","pages":"Article 113937"},"PeriodicalIF":6.0,"publicationDate":"2025-09-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145004734","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Solar EnergyPub Date : 2025-09-05DOI: 10.1016/j.solener.2025.113948
Dimitra Gonidaki, Evangelos Bellos, John K. Kaldellis
{"title":"Design and dynamic simulation of a solar-driven organic Rankine cycle with zeotropic mixture","authors":"Dimitra Gonidaki, Evangelos Bellos, John K. Kaldellis","doi":"10.1016/j.solener.2025.113948","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.solener.2025.113948","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The present analysis concerns the design and dynamic simulation of a solar-driven ORC system using the zeotropic mixture R601/R600. The plant comprises evacuated flat plate collectors (EFPC) for effective solar energy capture and a thermal storage tank. A parametric analysis was carried out to determine the optimal design for maximizing electricity generation and ensuring economic viability for three working fluid scenarios: R601/R600 [0.3/0.7] mixture, R601, and R600. The annual electricity production of the system using the mixture reached 12 MWh, exhibiting an increase of 3.70% compared to R600 and 1.46% compared to R601. A closer analysis of the daily operation during winter, spring, and summer days revealed that while the mixture-based ORC exhibited fluctuations during operation, it still outperformed pure fluids in electricity generation across all examined days. Additionally, monthly trends showed that the performance improvement was more pronounced during the summer months, with a monthly electricity enhancement of 1.79% compared to R601 and 3.31% compared to R600. Overall, this investigation highlights the benefits of zeotropic mixtures in solar-driven ORC systems, demonstrating better energy performance at daily, monthly, and annual scales, and positioning them as a promising option for improving ORC efficiency.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":428,"journal":{"name":"Solar Energy","volume":"301 ","pages":"Article 113948"},"PeriodicalIF":6.0,"publicationDate":"2025-09-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144996323","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}