micromachines

Review
Solar Energy-Based Future Perspective for Organic Rankine
Cycle Applications
Raúl Alejandro Martínez-Sánchez 1,† , Juvenal Rodriguez-Resendiz 1 *,† , José Manuel Álvarez-Alvarado 1,†
and Idalberto Macías-Socarrás 2

1 Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro, Querétaro 76010, Mexico;

[email protected] (R.A.M.-S.); [email protected] (J.M.Á.-A.)
2 Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias, Departamento de Ciencias Agrarias, Universidad Estatal de la Península de
Santa Elena, La Libertad 240204, Santa Elena, Ecuador; [email protected] (I.M.-S.)
* Correspondence: [email protected]; Tel.: +52-442-192-1200
† These authors contributed equally to this work.

Abstract: This article explores the patents of solar energy technologies in the organic Rankine cycle
(ORC) applications. The conversion of low-quality thermal energy into electricity is one of the main
characteristics of an ORC, making efficient and viable technologies available today. However, only a
few and outdated articles that analyze patents that use solar energy technologies in ORC applications
exist. This leads to a lack of updated information regarding the number of published patents,
International Patent Classification (IPC) codes associated with them, technology life cycle status,
and the most relevant patented developments. Thus, this article conducts a current investigation
of patents published between January 2010 and May 2022 using the Preferred Reporting Items for
Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) methodology and keywords. One thousand two
Citation: Martínez-Sánchez, R.A.; hundred ninety-nine patents were obtained as part of the study and classified in F and Y groups of
Rodríguez-Reséndiz, J.; the IPC. The time-lapse analyzed was between January 2010 and May 2022. In 2014 and 2015, a peak
Álvarez-Alvarado, J.M.; of published patents was observed. China (CN) was the country that published the most significant
Macías-Socarrás, I. Solar number of patents worldwide. However, the European Patent Office (EP), the World Intellectual
Energy-Based Future Perspective for Property Organization (WO), and the United States (US) publish the patents with the highest number
Organic Rankine Cycle Applications.
of patent citations. Furthermore, the possible trend regarding the development of patents for each
Micromachines 2022, 13, 944.
technology is presented. A high-performance theoretical ORC plant based on the patent information
https://doi.org/10.3390/
analyzed by this article is introduced. Finally, exploration of IPC revealed 17 codes related to solar
mi13060944
energy technologies in ORC applications not indexed in the main search.
Academic Editor: Francesco Di
Giacomo Keywords: organic Rankine cycle; solar energy; photovoltaic cell; solar tower; parabolic dish;
Received: 16 May 2022 parabolic trough; linear fresnel reflector
Accepted: 13 June 2022
Published: 14 June 2022

Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral

1. Introduction
with regard to jurisdictional claims in
published maps and institutional affil- For business policy making groups, legal and business departments, and industries, it
iations. is essential to have a database of articles that provide information about existing patents in
their branches of operation [1]. Four fundamental variables are obtained from the analysis
of patents [2]:
• Competitor analysis;
Copyright: © 2022 by the authors.
• Testing and monitoring technology;
Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.
• Mastery of crucial technology;
This article is an open access article
• Identification of trends and conditions for the development of patents in different
distributed under the terms and
markets.
conditions of the Creative Commons
Attribution (CC BY) license (https:// The constant search for trends in technological developments enables managers and
creativecommons.org/licenses/by/ decision-makers to identify innovations in the different branches of interest. This is impor-
4.0/). tant for research and development (R&D) in the government and business sectors, since it

Micromachines 2022, 13, 944. https://doi.org/10.3390/mi13060944 https://www.mdpi.com/journal/micromachines

Micromachines 2022, 13, 944 2 of 18

establishes strategies for identifying and monitoring trends in developing new technologies
from a technical perspective [3].
On a global level, companies are in the process of constant improvement to be sus-
tainable in the long term. Business competition is fierce, and introducing innovations or
promoting R&D activities can make a difference on the road to success. Patent development
can be considered a rectangular stone to gain a competitive advantage [4].
The annual number of patent applications worldwide has been increasing. This
has made the ability to process all applications a cumbersome process for the patent
examiners [5]. The in-depth knowledge of the terminology and structure of IPC allows
for searching and analyzing patents with accuracy since it covers the spectrum where a
specific patent can be indexed [6].
A review of the status of published patents on using the solar resource for implemen-
tation in an ORC is vital for developing current and future research. Moreover, it helps to
determine the trends of scientific research lines and the status of the different technologies
worldwide. It will also enable researchers to understand if the product they are working
on has been developed elsewhere [7].
The objective of this article is to explore the status of patents on the application of solar
energy in an ORC. In the last decade, technological advances increased solar collection
efficiency. Due to these factors, new techniques have been implemented to supply energy
to an ORC [8]. Therefore, many patents and applications worldwide have been generated.
Knowing if a product has been developed saves manufacturing time and financial resources
and makes it easier to direct the research efforts in a different direction [9].
The article is structured as follows: Section 1, introduces the topic, its importance,
and the contribution it intends to achieve. Section 2 presents the current context for the
development of the article. Section 3 defines the keywords and the methodology to obtain
the analyzed information. Section 4 discusses the results obtained by analyzing tables and
figures. Finally, Section 5 presents the conclusions, bibliographical references, terminologies
used and future perspectives are shown.

2. Background
An ORC is a thermodynamic system that allows to produce power or work and
behaves in the same way as a conventional Rankine steam cycle. The main difference is in
the working fluid and the operating temperature of the cycle [10].
ORC-based systems are a viable option for power generation as it is easier to obtain
the necessary components for their operation on the market [11]. The ORC consists of
four stages [12]:
• Isentropic compression in the pump;
• Isobaric evaporation in the boiler;
• Isentropic expansion in the turbine;
• Isobaric condensation in the condenser.
As for the working fluids, the ORC uses organic refrigerants with low condensation
and boiling points. This withstands the use of low-grade heat, low temperature, and
pressure [13].
An ORC plant can use heat sources of up to 400 °C and generate electrical power in a
range of 1 kW and 10 MW [14]. The implementation of solar collection is a sustainable way
of supplying energy carriers due to the compatibility with the operating temperature of the
ORC [15].
Developing and implementing ORC-based and solar collection systems is a way to
generate electricity in an environmentally friendly way. This strategy reduces greenhouse
gases in the atmosphere, and sustainable technology to produce electricity is standardized [16].
The sun is the natural regulator of temperature in the terrestrial atmosphere. Daily, it
radiates to our planet the energy consumed by society in one year. Electricity production
from this type of renewable energy has increased due to its potential and the technological
advances made in capturing solar radiation, as shown in Figure 1 [17].
Micromachines 2022, 13, 944 3 of 18

15.0%
2020

Change relative to 2019

2021e
10.0%

5.0%

0.0%

-5.0%

-10.0%
GDP TES OIL NUCLEAR COAL NATURAL RENEWABLES ELECTRICY CO₂
GAS

TES = Total Energy Supply

2021e = estimated values for 2021

Figure 1. Change in key global indicators for energy demand and emissions, 2020 and 2021. Reprinted
from Ref. [18].

Different technologies can convert solar energy into electricity or heat by using a solar
tower, a photovoltaic cell, a parabolic dish, p and a linear Fresnel reflector [19]. Solar
radiation is a free and inexhaustible energy. The technologies used for its operation have a
durability of more than 15 years [20].
ORC plants are not designed to use solar energy. Due to the development of organic
fluids and the increasing efficiency in solar collection, it has been possible to incorporate
them into its operation [21]. Traditionally, ORC has been combined with other heat sources
such as engine exhaust gases, boilers, etc. [22]. The emission reduction potential in the high
proportion renewable energy system for ORC applications should be explored due to its
value in the trading market [23].
Thus, Figure 2 presents five main types of technologies for power generation using
solar energy technologies in ORC applications.

Figure 2. Technologies of ORC application for solar energy.

3. Theoretical Bases
Keywords are useful for indexing large volumes of information from the web. How-
ever, refining the search methodology is vital to obtaining accurate results [24]. Today
there are more than 100 offices and 120 million patents worldwide. All this information
is available on the internet. Therefore, performing an efficient search could reduce R&D
times [25].
Table 1 depicts the search strategy used to obtain the list of patents related to imple-
menting solar collection technologies in an ORC.
Technology research and development strategies can be established by consulting the
existing patents for technology such as educational institutions, legal entities, and industries.
Micromachines 2022, 13, 944 4 of 18

Additionally, the respective economic incentive that entails the commercialization of a

patented product or technology [26].

Table 1. Strategy adopted to perform the search using google patents.

Technologies in ORC Application

Keyword Terms
for Solar Energy
ORC and solar energy and parabolic trough (patent id,
Parabolic trough
title, assignee, publication date)
ORC and solar energy and solar tower (patent id, title,
Solar tower
assignee, publication date)
ORC and solar energy and linear fresnel collector (patent
Linear fresnel collector
id, title, assignee, publication date)
ORC and solar energy and parabolic dish (patent id, title,
Parabolic dish
assignee, publication date)
ORC and solar energy and photovoltaic cell (patent id,
Photovoltaic cell
title, assignee, publication date)

The patent status, date of publication, country, and name of the inventor or assignee is
found on the internet. However, to obtain accurate information, search criteria and reliable
query should be established [27].
The information is disaggregated in the search for published patents referring to
the use of solar energy in an ORC. Likewise, obtaining the IPC code where a patent is
classified is complex. In some cases, patents are shown that are not related to the search
that has been defined. A study that organizes the information of the number of patents by
technology, year of publication, relevant developments, IPC codes where they are indexed,
and countries or assignees that are at the forefront in the publication of patents, is necessary
to establish the degree of penetration of power generation systems that use an ORC in
different countries. Establishing cooperative alliances to promote its use where conditions
encourage the development of sustainable technologies [28,29].
The indexed results are compared using the exact keywords in Google Patents and
Scopus Patent. However, when analyzing the data obtained using Excel tools based on the
names of the patents, IPC code, country/assignee, patent date publication, and inventor
name, it is noted that the indexing carried out by Google Patents contains all results returned
by Scopus Patent. Therefore, Google Patent was chosen as the default search engine.
Figure 3 displays the patent selection process for this article using the PRISMA method-
ology [30]. The time-lapsed analyzed is between January 2010 and May 2022.

Figure 3. Process adopted to review patents results based on PRISMA.

Micromachines 2022, 13, 944 5 of 18

Patents to encounter the eligibility criteria meet specific requirements:

• The latest version of the patent must be published no earlier than 1 January 2010, and
no later than 1 May 2022;
• The name of the patent cannot be registered in more than one country or assignee the
name of a patent;
• Patents should be related to parabolic dish, parabolic through, photovoltaic cell, solar
tower, and linear Fresnel reflector technologies in an ORC.
As part of the eligibility process established in the Prisma methodology, there is no
duplication in the name of the patents so that the total number of patents to be shown
always refers to innovations that are different from each other.
Search settings include indexing in all languages, although the results are displayed
in English.
Of the initial sample of 3510 patents, 743 were removed due to duplicate names.
One thousand two hundred sixty-eight patents were eliminated because they were not
directly related to an ORC. Additionally, 200 were terminated for filing active claims. Thus,
1299 patents met the eligibility criteria and are part of the article.

4. Results and Discussion

In this section, the analysis results are discussed.
Figure 4 schematizes the distribution of patents according to each technology. For
example, PVC and STP are solar collector systems with the highest number of published
patents with 35.7% and 25.6%, respectively. Then, there is PTC with 15.2%, LFR with 12.1%,
and PDC with 11.5%. The last three technologies present a similar number of developments
published in the analyzed period.

Linear Fresnel reflector,

12.1%

Photovoltaic
cell, 35.6%
Parabolic
trough, 15.2%

Parabolic dish,
11.5%

Solar tower,
25.6%

Figure 4. Distribution of different technologies in ORC applications for solar energy patents.

The number of patents published on PVC and STP could be given by the cost of the
equipment used to put this type of technology into operation, energy efficiency, and the
durability of the devices [31].
Figure 5 shows the evolution of the number of patents published between 2010 and
2022. There is an average of similar publications from the beginning of the period until 2012.
A considerable increase in the number of patents occurred during 2013. The maximum
peak was reached in 2014 with 219 published patents. The growing disclosure of the
benefits and facilities offered by an ORC allows for an increase in the number of published
patents [27].
The number of publications decreased moderately in 2015. However, in 2016 there was
a considerable rise in the number of published patents, and between 2017 and 2019, there
was a similar average in patented developments. In 2020 and 2021, there was a downward
trend, with only 81 and 44 patents being published yearly, respectively. Until 1 May 2022,
six patents had been published.
Micromachines 2022, 13, 944 6 of 18

These figures are alarming for developing plants with ORC and incorporating PVC,
STP, LFR, PDC, and PTC systems into their operation. The COVID-19 pandemic, which
has paralyzed R&D activities, and the loss of interest in generating energy with solar
technology in ORC applications, could be fundamental factors for the decrease of published
patents [32].

Number of published patents 250

219

200

159
150 143
123
111 105
102
100
78 81
63 65
50 44

6
0
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022
Publication per year

Figure 5. Annual number of published patents between 2010 and 2022.

Annual average of patents published from 2010 to 2022 was 108. Therefore, monitoring
number of patents issued in the period 2022–2030 will give insight into the technological
progress in an ORC through solar collection systems.
Figure 6 shows countries and organizations with the most significant impact on patent
publications worldwide. China (CN) is the largest generator of publications, with a third of
the generated patents . However, the United States (US), the World Intellectual Property
Organization (WO), and the European Patent Office (EP) also have a significant number
of patent publications. Developed countries or their assignees have more than 92% of
published patents.

Canada (CA), 3.70% Taiwan (TW),

Germany (DE), 3.62%
3.93%

Japan (JP), 4.77%

Korea (KR), 5.77% China (CN), 36.34%

Other countries,
7.70%

European Patent
Office (EP), 8.55%
World Intellectual
United States Property
(US), 11.86% Organization (WO),
13.78%

Figure 6. Distribution of origins of selected patents according to countries/assignees.

Of the countries in the Americas, excluding the English-speaking countries, only Brazil
and Mexico have patent publications; 31 and 6, respectively. Central America and part of
South America have good solar radiation values to implement ORC plants that incorporate
solar collection systems [33].
Micromachines 2022, 13, 944 7 of 18

Figure 7 sorts worldwide published patents for solar energy technologies in ORC
application by country. CN has the most significant number of publications, with 468.
39.7% belongs to PVC, 32.1% to STP, 13.5% to PDC, 10.3% to PTC, and 4.4% to LFR.
CN has promoted international scientific collaboration, which has favored the devel-
opment of its researchers and science and technology. Implementing government programs
to develop technology and construction of large factories for firms from other countries
have provided the opportunity to perform the latest scientific advances first-hand [34].
US, WO, and EP have similar numbers of published patents for solar energy tech-
nologies in ORC applications. Although CN has most significant number of publications,
the US has the largest number of citations per capita, setting the trend in development
lines [35].
198
200
Number of Published Patents

Photovoltaic cells
180
165
160 Solar tower
140
120 Parabolic dish
100
80 Parabolic trough
65
61
60 50
39 41 Linear Fresnel reflectors
40 30 33 32 35
25 25 23
21 1815 19 19 21 21 18 19
17 16
20 10 12
14
10 13111410 121012
8
1514
10 10 11 12 9
8 7
4 7 7
3 3 5 6 2 4
0
CN WO US EP Other Korea Japan (JP) Germany Canada Taiwan Australia
countries (KR) (DE) (CA) (TW)

Country / Assignee

Figure 7. Number of patents and solar energy technologies in ORC application for different coun-
tries/organizations.

Data analysis obtained in the tables demonstrates how CN dramatically impacts the
number of patent publications. As long as solar energy technologies in ORC applications
are considered necessary, the percentage of publications worldwide will remain stable.
However, the US has the most relevant patents published between 2010 and 2022, which is
synonymous with the quality of the research they generate. Other offices, such as WO and
EP, also have patents of interest that seem helpful in improving the performance of ORC
applications. The almost non-existent number of patents developed in Central and South
America depicts how far the region is from being part of the select group of inventors and
developers of solar energy technologies. The short distance from a a world power, such
as the US, should enable the search for cooperation mechanisms, in order to promote and
massify the use of the ORC application for power generation.

4.1. Future Perspective for Solar Energy Technologies in Orc Applications

Figure 8 exhibits the trend of patents for each technology described by this study. The
number of publications grew steadily from 2010 to 2014. From 2015 on, the number of
publications starts decreasing; although it was not until 2019 that the number of published
patents fell abruptly to levels below those averaged up to that date. This indicates that the
developments of ORC applications worldwide have suffered a recession. However, when
analyzing the publications, it can be seen how PVC technology is gaining ground as the
system with the most patents per capita yearly.
The information in Figure 8 raises an unknown about the future of solar energy
technologies in ORC applications. The results indicate that PVC systems have the most
significant potential for future updates and developments. However, attention should be
paid to all the technologies involved in collecting solar radiation because a novel technical
or material may be developed shortly and thus reverse the current trend.
Micromachines 2022, 13, 944 8 of 18

70
Solar Energy
Technology
LFR
60 PDC
PTC
PVC
STP

Number of Published Patent

50

40

30

20

10

0
10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22
20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20

Figure 8. Patent publication pattern from January 2010 to May 2022.

4.2. Patent Family

Based on the strategy defined by the assignee, a patent can be filed in one or several
countries. The first patent application is considered the main application. A patent family is
generally defined as a group of patents usually filed in several countries/offices to protect
the innovation from possible plagiarism. However, there are some issues regarding the
meaning of patent family
Data on patent families are most useful for the topics described below [36]:
• To prevent double counting of one invention;
• To suffer from a home bias and overestimate the patent propensity of residents because
applicants are more likely to apply in their home country first;
• To forecast the number of patent applications to plan future resource requirements at
patent offices;
• To analyze the internationalization of technology markets;
• To study the economic value of patents, as well as the strategies employed by applicants.
Two of the most widely used definitions of patent family are detailed below. First,
there are the equivalent patents, which identify patents that protect the same invention.
According to the EP statutes [37], they are defined as: “All documents with the same
priority or combination of priorities belong to one patent family”.
The second definition refers to the extended patent families, and according to The
International Patent Documentation Center (INPADOC): “All the documents directly or
indirectly linked via a priority document belonging to one patent family” [38]. This article
applied equivalent patent definition to analyze the patent data. refers exclusively to the
main application and priority office.

4.3. International Patent Classification

On 28 September 1979, the IPC was established by signing the Strasbourg Agreement.
According to the different areas of existing technology, there is a hierarchy system through
symbols without the use of language [39].
The IPC classifies technologies into eight groups and divides them into more than
70,000 subgroups. Each subgroup consists of a symbol that consists of Arabic numerals and
letters of the Latin alphabet. This system is essential for the organization and searches for
patents, as well as for knowing the state of the art of these possible similar developments,
which is useful for people or companies interested in developing a specific technology. A
new version of the IPC comes into force every 1 January [40].
Figure 9 displays the IPC codes present in patents selected for this review. As can be
seen, 77% of the patents are in group F. According to the EP, this group is called mechanical
engineering, lighting, heating, weapons as well as blasting [41].
Micromachines 2022, 13, 944 9 of 18

Y02P 20/133, 5.2% Y02E 10/46, 11.9%

F27D 2017/006,
7.8%
F03G 6/06, 5.9%
F02G 2260/00,
5.9%

F01K 13/00, 5.8%

F25B 29/00, 4.5%

F01K 25/10, 36.9%
F03G 6/003, 14.8%

F28D 2020/0047,
1.2%

Figure 9. Patent distribution according to the IPC.

The remaining 23% is concentrated in group Y. As mentioned by EP [41], group Y

is called general tagging of new technological developments; general tagging of cross-
sectional technologies spanning over several sections of the IPC; technical subjects cov-
ered by former USPC cross-reference art collections [XRACs] and digests. Knowing the
categories within the IPC makes it possible to quickly find patents related to specific
technologies.
Table 2 presents a detailed description of the IPC codes that are part of the article. With
the analysis of Table 2, it is easier to understand where the patents are indexed in the IPC.
Having the IPC code at hand may not be feasible, and it is well-known that it is
difficult to memorize the codes. In fact, the discussion derived from Table 2, determines
that there are patent codes on solar energy technologies in ORC applications that have not
been described so far.

Table 2. IPC classification of selected patents.

Group IPC Subgroup

Plants or engines characterized by use of special
working fluids, not otherwise provided for; Plants
F01K25/10
operating in closed cycles and not otherwise provided
Steam engine plants, steam accumulators, engines
for being cold
using special working fluids (F01K) [42]
General layout or general methods of operation of
F01K13/00
complete plants
Devices for producing mechanical power from solar
F03G6/06
energy with solar energy concentrating means
Spring, weight, inertia or like motors (F03G) [42]
Devices for producing mechanical power from solar
F03G6/003
energy having a Rankine cycle
Heat-exchange apparatus, not provided for in another Heat storage plants or apparatus in
subclass, in which the heat-exchange media do not F28D2020/0047 general, Regenerative heat-exchange apparatus not
come into direct contact (F28D) [42] covered by groups using molten salts or liquid metals
Refrigeration machines, plants or systems, combined
Combined heating and refrigeration systems, e.g.,
heating and refrigeration systems, heat pump systems F25B29/00
operating alternately or simultaneously
(F25B) [42]
Hot gas or combustion product positive displacement
Recuperating heat from exhaust gases of combustion
engine plants, use of waste-heat of combustion F02G2260/00
engine sand heat from cooling circuits
engines, not otherwise provided for (F02G) [42]
Details or accessories of furnaces, kilns, ovens, or
Arrangements for using waste heat, Arrangements for
retorts, in so far as they occur in more than one kind of F27D2017/006
using or disposing waste gases using a boiler
furnace (F27D) [42]
Micromachines 2022, 13, 944 10 of 18

Table 2. Cont.

Group IPC Subgroup

Reduction of greenhouse gas [ghg] emissions, related Energy generation through renewable energy sources
to energy generation, transmission or distribution Y02E10/46 (Conversion of thermal power into mechanical power,
(Y02E) [43] e.g., Rankine, Stirling or solar thermal engines)
Climate change mitigation technologies in the Technologies relating to chemical industry (Renewable
Y02P20/133
production or processing of goods (Y02P) [43] energy sources, e.g., sunlight)

Table 3 presents the IPC codes linked to solar energy technologies in ORC applications
that were not included in the initial search. The lack of precision in the indexed data
happens when only keywords are used when performing the search. As a rule, concepts
associated with and specific to a patent are not used when searching for information.
Likewise, IPC codes are not tracked in the search for patent information. The consequence
is the appearance of patents that are not within the defined search range [44].
The most important result of the article is the non-appearance of the IPC codes related
to solar energies technologies in ORC applications in the keyword search is shown in
Table 3. The analysis of studies such as [44] makes it possible to establish a procedure for
correctly indexing of published patents regarding the subject of study. The conclusion is
that with the sole use of keywords, results obtained in the search only show 81% of the
total number of patents. Therefore, it is necessary to modify the methodology. First, the
search is carried out by keywords. Then, the search for concepts specific to the group of
patents is performed. Finally, the IPC codes where the patents in question can be indexed
is establsihed. In the case of the search for solar energy technologies in ORC applications,
17 IPC codes were not initially in the group of patents selected for the study. Knowing the
scope of a group and its sections is crucial to classifying a patent correctly.

Table 3. IPC codes not indexed in the initial search.

Group IPC Subgroup

Devices for producing mechanical power from solar
F03G6/001
energy (having photovoltaic cells)
Devices for producing mechanical power from solar
F03G6/003
energy (having a Rankine cycle)
Devices for producing mechanical power from solar
F03G6/004 energy (of the Organic Rankine Cycle [ORC] type or the
Kalina Cycle type)
Devices for producing mechanical power from solar
F03G6/02
energy (using a single state working fluid)
Devices for producing mechanical power from solar
F03G6/06
energy (with solar energy concentrating means)
Steam engine plants, steam accumulators,
engine plants not otherwise provided for, engines Devices for producing mechanical power from solar
F03G6/061
using special working fluids or cycles [36] energy (Parabolic trough)
Devices for producing mechanical power from solar
F03G6/062
energy (Parabolic dish)
Devices for producing mechanical power from solar
F03G6/063
energy (Tower concentrators)
Devices for producing mechanical power from solar
F03G6/065
energy (Parabolic dish)
Technologies relating to chemical industry (Renewable
F03G6/066 energy sources, e.g., sunlight)
Micromachines 2022, 13, 944 11 of 18

Table 3. Cont.

Group IPC Subgroup

Solar heat collectors using working fluids (with means
Solar heat collectors, solar heat systems (for producing
F24S10/30 for exchanging heat between two or more working
mechanical power from solar energy) [45]
fluids)
Energy generation through renewable energy sources
Y02E10/44
(heat exchange systems)
Energy generation through renewable energy sources
Y02E10/46 (Conversion of termal power into mechanical power,
Reduction of greenhouse gas [ghg] emissions, e.g., Rankine, Stirling or solar termal engines)
related to energy generation, transmission or
distribution [46] Energy generation through renewable energy sources
Y02E10/50
(Photovoltaic energy)
Energy generation through renewable energy sources
Y02E10/52
(Photolvoltaic energy systems with concentrators)
Perfluorocarbons [PFC], Hydrofluorocarbons [HFC],
Y02P20/133 Hydrochlorofluorocarbons [HCFC],
Climate change mitigation technologies in the Chlorofluorocarbons [CFC])
production or processing of goods [47] Technologies relating to chemical industry (Renewable
Y02E20/155
energy sources, e.g., sunlight)

Advanced knowledge of the groups and subsections where patents can be found in a
particular technology permits the inventor/assignee to know if his development can be
patented. Complementing the patent search through keywords with the help of IPC codes
becomes a valuable tool to obtain accurate results immediately [48].

4.4. Technology Updates

Some current relevant patents on solar energy technologies in ORC applications are
presented in this section. Technology upgrades in each category are clarified below.

4.4.1. Parabolic Dish

The innovation in [49] presents an engine motor plant that uses renewable energy. The
feeding system consists of a parabolic dish system for solar radiant heat collecting, a device
to guide solar energy to a heating chamber, and a biomass processing system. Through
the processing of biomass, thermal energy is generated. A fuel fluid processing system
produces thermal energy through the combustion of the fuel fluid inside the combustion
chamber. On the other hand, a closed-cycle thermodynamic based engine is powered by
the solar energy captured by the parabolic dish system and the thermal energy obtained
from the combustion chamber. This leads to the operation of the thermodynamic engine
producing electrical energy.

4.4.2. Parabolic Through

The patent [50] presents a system that enables rapid reheating of a thermal fluid
through a reflective compensated parabolic trough and solar concentrator in a longitudinal
greenhouse box. In this way, hot water and medium temperature steam are obtained. A
greenhouse box is one of the preferred devices to generate steam and hot water in large
volumes since it has better solar thermal captures. The automation system necessary to
control the flows employs solenoid valves, pressures, and temperatures using pressure
switches and thermostats. In this way, the latest generation heat pumps allow the transfer
of fluids in a constant and fast way, regardless of the time of day or if the time in terms of
the abundance of solar radiation is not optimal.
The thermetic longitudinal greenhouse box is installed at a designated reflecting point
and from where both direct and upper radiation is captured. The already high temperature
provided by the lower reflection is concentrated by the compensated paraboloid gutter
Micromachines 2022, 13, 944 12 of 18

(temperature up to 70 times more than standard surfaces). The design facilitates rapid
reheating of large volumes of thermal fluid.

4.4.3. Solar Tower

The innovation in [51] features a biomass energy-tower type solar energy coupling
power generation system based on an ORC. The system comprises an ORC for power
generation, a solar collection system, and an energy system based on the use of biomass.
The solar collection system has a group of heliostats that reflect solar radiation on the
solar tower, and through this process, thermal energy is generated. The energy generation
system is made up of a boiler from which the caloric power is generated to heat the biomass
through biomass. A storage tank supplies the boiler with water. The ORC system has a
heat exchanger, an electric generator coupled to the turbine, a condenser, and a pump. The
described system combines energy from biomass with solar energy obtained through the
solar tower system. In this way, the utilization index of the solar resource and the thermal
efficiency in the circulation of the fluid within the cycle is improved. Innovation solves the
problems related to the solar collection system since different energy generation techniques
based on renewable sources are embedded, an off-grid operation is possible 24 h a day.

4.4.4. Linear Fresnel Reflector

The patent [52] presents a design to generate energy and desalinate seawater; this
is achieved by concentrating solar energy with other cogeneration techniques. A solar
collection system based on an inclined Fresnel mirror is used from which solar radiation is
directed towards a central receiving tube. In this way, the temperature of the working fluid
that circulates inside the receiver tube is raised, thus producing saturated or wet-dry steam,
which, as it passes through the rotary screw expander motor, causes the rotation of the
shaft coupled to a generator. The residual heat of the working fluid is used in the seawater
desalination process through a Multi-Effect-Distillation system. When solar energy is
unavailable during production hours, a molten-salts Single-Temperature-Thermal-Energy
storage system is used as the battery. The residual heat from the industrial process and
the solar collection system generates electrical energy through an ORC by applying caloric
power to a working fluid, which is used to desalinate seawater.

4.4.5. Photovoltaic Cell

The technology [53] describes a method of cooling solar panels while recovering
energy. The system comprises a photovoltaic panel designed to transform part of the solar
radiation captured into electrical energy. Inside the system, a circuit is installed with a heat
exchanger configured to circulate a working fluid that extracts part of the absorbed heat in
its path near the solar panel. The innovation is designed in a cascade to transfer enthalpy
from the first working fluid to a second working fluid. The thermal energy of the second
fluid passes through a turbine coupled to an electric generator.

4.5. Most Frequently Cited Patents

The cited patents represent the most outstanding technological advances published
between 2010 and 2022. During these years, solar energy has grown due to the increase
in the efficiency of solar capture [54]. First, however, it is necessary to highlight some
milestones in developing solar energy technology in ORC applications. Many citations
presuppose that the theoretical value, practice, and importance are more remarkable than
other patents [2]. Furthermore, it establishes that the possibility of obtaining profits and the
economic value of the patent are superior [55,56]. The number patent citations is a source
of information commonly used when consulting the literature on innovation. A patent is
positively linked to the quality of the patented innovation [57].
Table 4 exhibits the number of times a specific patent was cited in another patent.
Patent citation articles such as those in journals such as the Science Citation Index (SCI)
Micromachines 2022, 13, 944 13 of 18

are outside the scope of this study. However, it is surprising that only 1.5% of patents
generated in the US are cited in SCI journals [58].
Aristodemou and Tietze [59] posit the existence of nine forward citation-based mea-
sures, which are the most representative indicators of technological impact. The param-
eters are divided into two groups. The first group are the relevant characteristics at the
patent level (citation index, forward citation frequency, generality, influence). The second
group has relevant characteristics regarding the patent portfolio level (current impact
index, Herfindahl–Hirschman index, hindrance index, relative patent position, technol-
ogy strength).
The authors [60], argue that the number of citations of innovation has been used for
decades for empirical economic analysis. They dispute that in 1995 it was likely that a
published patent would offer more information than one issued in 2015. They also suggest
that changes in the patent generation processes and current search methodologies, in many
cases, lead to results indexed as invalid or biased.
Table 4 summarizes the most relevant patents on solar energy technologies in ORC
applications. This allows us to concisely analyze the cited patents and see which ones can be
incorporated into an ongoing investigation; thus enabling the reduction of R&D times and
its benefits. Implementation of the cited patents could improve the performance of an ORC
plant, provide an effective solution for an ongoing project or lay the theoretical foundations
for the development of future studies in the field. The analysis of the patents published
establishes a pattern regarding the trends regarding in developing solar technologies for
ORC applications. Completing registering a patent is a long process, with the elaboration
of technical documentation and administrative mechanisms. However, to reach this step,
the nature of the invention must have been analyzed and detailed beforehand. Patents
are success stories that help technological development at a global level. Using them as
development tools can allow to find new techniques.

Table 4. Patent updates for solar energy technologies in ORC applications.

Patent Title/Date Patent Number Inventor/Assignee IPC Times Cited

Hybrid solar/non-solar energy generation system and
WO2013059112A1 Jonathan Falcey [61]/WIPO F03G6/06 29
method/2013
Heat pipe type solar energy ORC low-tempe rature
CN101761461B Jie et al. [62]/CN Y02E10/44 21
thermal power generating system/2012
Organic rankine cycle for concentrated solar power
KR20140015422A Kosamana et al. [63]/KR Y02E10/46 21
system/2014
Organic rankine cycle for concentrated solar power
MX2013011348A Kosamana et al. [64]/MX F03G6/003 7
system with saturated liquid storage and method/2014
Solar photothermal combined power generation
CN106321382A Yanping et al. [65]/CN F03G6/061 12
system/2014
Integrated cascading cycle solar thermal plants/2020 US10690121B2 Yogi et al. [66]/US F03G6/065 19
A hybrid photovoltaic system and method thereof/2011 EP2398070A2 Chatterjee et al. [67]/EP Y02E10/50 20
Hybrid thermal power and desalination apparatus and
US9932970B1 Donald Jeter [68]/US Y02E10/46 14
methods/2018
Supercritical carbon dioxide power cycle configuration
US20120216536A1 Ma et al. [69]/US F03G6/00 12
for use in concentrating solar power systems/2016
Solar power plant/2014 US8661778B2 Bronicki et al. [70]/US F03G6/066 6
Renewable energy storage system/2015 EP2836769A2 Dearman et al. [71]/EP F03G6/003 23
Photovoltaic-thermal solar energy collection system
US20160156309A1 Almogy et al. [72]/US F03G6/001 8
with energy storage/2016
Photovoltaic-thermal solar energy collection system
US20160156309A1 Almogy et al. [72]/US F03G6/001 8
with energy storage/2016
Steam turbine plant/2018 EP2846008B1 Goto et al. [73]/EP Y02E10/46 32
Organic rankine cycle decompression heat engine/2019 US10400635B2 Johnson et al. [74]/US Y02E10/50 20
Micromachines 2022, 13, 944 14 of 18

Table 4. Cont.

Patent Title/Date Patent Number Inventor/Assignee IPC Times Cited

Hybrid solar concentration device/2012 EP2518781A2 Chatterjee et al./ EP Y02E10/50 10
Improved brayton photothermal power generation
WO2019000941A1 Zhiyong et al. [75]/WIPO F03G6/063 8
method and system/2019
Hydroelectric solar tower with punctual
FR3025593A1 Kheir Mazri [76]/FR F03G6/06 5
concentration/2017
Solar thermal power generation facility/2021 US11060424B2 Umaya et al. [77]/US F03G6/00 16
Thermal energy storage and retrieval systems/2017 US9845998B2 Sten Kreuger [78]/US F03G6/003 26

4.6. High Performance Theoretical Orc Plant

This section proposes an ideal theoretical configuration from patents to achieve a
high-performance ORC plant using solar energy technologies. In ORC applications, some
factors can alter its performance; working organic fluid, solar collection system, and turbine.
For each factor, a theoretical solution is proposed below.
The invention is related to a working fluid designed to obtain a greater cycle and
general efficiency of the ORC system and reduce the impact of gases on climate change. The
novel working fluid has a chemical composition of 4-hexafluoro-2-butene (HFO-1336mzz-E)
or a mixture thereof. IPC codes for this patent are F01K25/08 [79]. The invention uses
a collimated or otherwise concentrated beam of solar radiation to heat a ceramic device
with a high absorption capacity. This device transmits the heat to a thermal storage unit
by conduction. IPC codes for this patent are F03G6/065 [80]. The invention describes the
calculation model for the difference in quantitative consumption for the turbine operation
under variable pressure conditions. The main characteristic variables are the effective
enthalpy drop of a high-pressure cylinder and the enthalpy rise of a water feed pump of
1 kg of unit steam and adopt an enthalpy drop correction coefficient. IPC codes for this
patent are G06F30/20 [81].

5. Conclusions
This article has analyzed published patents referring to the use of solar energy tech-
nologies in ORC applications. The search engine used to obtain patent data was Google
Patents. The analysis of the patents was obtained after applying the PRISMA method-
ology to obtain the quantity to be analyzed. The findings obtained from this study are
listed below.
• The number of published patents grew gradually from 2010 to 2014 when the max-
imum number of publications was reached. However, as of 2015, there is a slight
downward trend. Starting in 2020, this phenomenon has been accentuated, and so far,
in 2022, the number of published patents is lower than the previous annual averages;
• Two groups of the IPC contain patents related to solar energy technologies in ORC appli-
cations. Group F owns 77% and group Y 23% of the total number of patents, respectively;
• Although groups F and G contain the patents related to the topic of the article, when
performing the search, only part of the IPC codes was indexed. Seventeen IPC
codes that belong to patents related to solar energy technologies in ORC applica-
tions were collected;
• TheUS, WO, and EP were the countries/assignees with the most significant impact
due to the number of citations of their patents. Although a predominant number of
publications come from CN, this indicates that there is a prevailing number of studies
and potential for future development;
• Patents related to Photovoltaic cell technology present the most stable number of
patent publications per year as data;
• Patents that will possibly implement a high-performance theoretical ORC plant
are filed.
Micromachines 2022, 13, 944 15 of 18

Studies to be carried out in the future should focus on the evolution of PVC and
STP technologies, expecting new developments to be improved. These would enable the
identification of new horizons for the development of patents and also the evaluation of
R&D trends to identify in which areas innovations are expected to develop.

Author Contributions: Conceptualization, R.A.M.-S.; Methodology, R.A.M.-S.; Writing—original

draft preparation, R.A.M.-S.; Writing—review and editing, R.A.M.-S., J.M.Á.-A., I.M.-S. and J.R.-R.;
Supervision, J.R.-R. and J.M.Á.-A. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of
the manuscript.
Funding: This research received funding from CONACYT.
Institutional Review Board Statement: Not applicable.
Informed Consent Statement: Not applicable.
Data Availability Statement: The data presented in this study are available on request from the
corresponding author.
Acknowledgments: This research was conducted with the help of the Autonomous University of
Queretaro UAQ and Santa Elena Peninsula State University.
Conflicts of Interest: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Abbreviations
The following abbreviations are used in the manuscript:

ORC Organic Rankine Cycle

PVC Photovoltaic Cell
STP Solar Tower Power
PTC Parabolic Trough Collector
PDC Parabolic Dish Concentrator
LFR Linear Fresnel Reflector
US United States
WO World Intellectual Property Organization
EP European Patent Office
NON-OECD
Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Costa Rica, Cuba, Curaçao,
Americas
Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala,
Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Nicaragua, Panama,
Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay,
Venezuela and Other non-OECD Americas.
NON-OECD
Bangladesh, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, India,
Asia
Indonesia, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea,
Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Malaysia, Mongolia,
Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore,
Sri Lanka, Chinese Taipei, Thailand, Viet Nam and
Other non-OECD Asia.
NON-OECD
Europe and Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and
Eurasia
Micromachines 2022, 13, 944 16 of 18

Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Georgia, Gibraltar,

Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Malta, the Republic of
Moldova (Moldova), Montenegro, The Republic of North
Macedonia, Romania, Russian Federation, Serbia,
Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan,
The Former Soviet Union and the Former Yugoslavia.
Middle East Bahrain, The Islamic Republic of Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait,
Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, The Syrian Arab
Republic, United Arab Emirates and Yemen.
OECD Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Chile, Colombia,
The Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France,
Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy,
Japan, Korea, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Mexico,
The Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland,
Portugal, The Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden,
Switzerland, Turkey, The United Kingdom,
The United States.

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