Stochastic Novikov engine with time dependent temperature fluctuations

Highlights: • Stochastic Novikov engine is a model for solar power plants. • Temperature distribution is derived based on a stochastic irradiation model. • Work output and efficiency increase with the distribution's parameter. • Efficiency increases with higher degree of controllability. In this article a Stochastic Novikov engine is used to model a solar power plant. This heat engine is characterized by a fluctuating hot heat bath temperature. The distribution function of these fluctuations is derived based on a stochastic solar irradiation model. Using this distribution the control problem of determining the maximum of the expected work output is solved. This work output as well as the corresponding efficiency is deduced in dependence of the chosen control type. Considering this work output and this efficiency, which can be considered as performance measures of the solar power plant, the influence of the system parameters is discussed. It turns out that these performance measures increase monotonously with the parameter of the hot temperature's distribution function and that more control leads to higher efficiencies.