[en] In this paper the optimal operation of an Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) unit is investigated both in terms of energy production and safety conditions. Simulations on a validated dynamic model of a real re- generative ORC unit, are used to illustrate the existence of an optimal evaporating temperature which maximizes energy production for some given heat source conditions. This idea is further extended using a perturbation based Extremum Seeking (ES) algorithm to find online the optimal evaporating tempera- ture. Regarding safety conditions we propose the use of the Extended Prediction Self-Adaptive Control (EPSAC) approach to constrained Model Predictive Control (MPC). Since it uses input/output models for prediction, it avoids the need of state estimators, making of it a suitable tool for industrial applica- tions. The performance of the proposed control strategy is compared to PID-like schemes. Results show that EPSAC-MPC is a more effective control strategy as it allows a safer and more efficient operation of the ORC unit, as it can handle constraints in a natural way, operating close to the boundary conditions where power generation is maximized.
