Title: Energetic and exergetic assessments of a new solar energy-based trigeneration system for cleaner production of hydrogen, refrigeration, and electricity

Authors: Tawfiq Abdul-Aziz Al-Mughanam; Abdul Khaliq

Addresses: Department of Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering, King Faisal University, P.O. Box 380, Al-Ahsa 31982, Saudi Arabia ' Mechanical Engineering Department, College of Engineering at Yanbu, Taibah University, Yanbu Al-Bahr 41911, Saudi Arabia

Abstract: A solar energy-based trigeneration system is proposed and analysed energetically and exergetically. Results show that increasing heliostat field area and solar flux decreases the energetic efficiency of trigeneration, while its exergetic efficiency is increased. Increasing area from 8,000 m² to 50,000 m², results in enhancement of electricity, refrigeration, and hydrogen production from 287.6 kW to 5,375 kW, from 950 kW to 13,430 kW, from 3.16 kg/hr to 22.63 kg/hr, respectively. Promotion of solar flux from 400 W/m² to 1,200 W/m² provides enhancement in the energetic and exergetic efficiencies of solar field from 57.6% to 62.4% and from 39.12% to 42.16%, respectively.

Keywords: heliostat field; trigeneration system; hydrogen production; heat transfer losses; exergetic analysis.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEX.2024.136939

International Journal of Exergy, 2024 Vol.43 No.2, pp.177 - 194

Received: 13 Oct 2023
Accepted: 21 Jan 2024
Published online: 29 Feb 2024 *

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