Title: Dynamic modelling, exergy assessment and optimisation of a novel solar-driven trigeneration system

Authors: A.R. Noorpoor; S. Heidararabi; P. Heidarnejad

Addresses: Graduate Faculty of Environment, Mechanical Engineering, University of Tehran (UT), Tehran 14155-6135, Iran ' Graduate Faculty of Environment, Mechanical Engineering, University of Tehran (UT), Tehran 14155-6135, Iran ' Graduate Faculty of Environment, Mechanical Engineering, University of Tehran (UT), Tehran 14155-6135, Iran

Abstract: In this paper, a solar-driven trigeneration cycle is investigated to produce electric power, refrigeration power and domestic hot water in a cascade organic Rankine cycle (ORC), absorption refrigerating accompanied by an ammonia turbine and a heat recovery cycle, respectively. A dynamic modelling is conducted to evaluate the amount of solar radiation absorbed by the parabolic trough collectors, their optical efficiency and operating fluid properties during the day using the code developed in MATLAB software. An exergy analysis is then performed. As a result, ORC heat exchanger and heat recovery heat exchanger are the major sources of the exergy destruction, respectively, destroying approximately 55.5% of total exergy fed to the system. Moreover, the mean energy and exergy efficiencies are calculated to be about 49.3% and 10.4%, respectively, during the day. Also, the parametric study and optimisation by genetic algorithm show 2.62% and 3.27% increase in the energy and exergy efficiencies, respectively.

Keywords: trigeneration cycle; solar energy; solar power; cascade ORC; organic Rankine cycle; ammonia-water; heat recovery; absorption refrigeration; ammonia turbines; R600a; dynamic modelling; exergy analysis; genetic algorithms; multi-objective optimisation; operating fluids; heat exchangers; exergy destruction; energy efficiency; exergy efficiency.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEX.2016.078093

International Journal of Exergy, 2016 Vol.20 No.4, pp.405 - 444

Received: 27 Jul 2015
Accepted: 19 Sep 2015

Published online: 02 Aug 2016 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article