Analysis, assessment and optimization of integrated solar energy systems for multigeneration

Abstract

The extensive usage of fossil fuel in most of human activities has led to the undesirable effects on the environment starting from global warming and greenhouse effects to the climate changes, acid rain and others. Renewable energy is at the core of most of recent research activities to overcome these environmental challenges. Being an integral part of other renewable resources, solar energy utilization aims to occupy more portion of the world energy framework. Integrated energy systems for multigeneration produces several useful products using the same energy input. Electrical power generation, fresh water, space heating and cooling and domestic hot water are the major commodities that furnish our life activities. Hydrogen is another useful product taken into consideration. The proposed systems in this work cover all these products as a step for achieving a sustainable and environmentally benign community. These systems pose great potential for global warming mitigation. In the work presented, different multigeneration energy systems based on solar energy are introduced. Comprehensive thermodynamic, environmental and economic analyses for the proposed multigeneration energy systems are the main goals of this thesis study. Thermodynamic analyses are based on energy and exergy, associated with the efficiencies of overall and system components performances. For a better understanding of the systems performances and the potential of more improvement in their performances, exergoeconomic and environmental analyses and system optimization are performed. Solar dish based integrated system considering biomass-SOFC as alternative for solar unavailability is the first studied system. The system performance is assessed during solar availability and considering the performance of a 24-hours operation. The second system is based on solar parabolic trough providing concentrated heat to an organic Rankine cycle. The system is integrated with electrolyzer for hydrogen production, a reverse osmosis water desalination unit and absorption chiller system and providing domestic hot water. The third main system is based on heliostat solar system integrated with steam turbine for multigeneration purposes. The system produces cooling, heating, fresh water and hydrogen through electrolysis.