Title: Towards a better understanding of energy systems using emergy-based exergoeconoenvironmental analysis

Authors: Mortaza Aghbashlo; Marc A. Rosen

Addresses: Department of Mechanical Engineering of Agricultural Machinery, Faculty of Agricultural Engineering and Technology, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Tehran, Karaj, Iran ' Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Ontario Institute of Technology, 2000 Simcoe Street North, Oshawa, Ontario, L1H 7K4, Canada

Abstract: This paper introduces 'emergy-based exergoeconoenvironmental analysis', a new methodology for improved understanding of energy systems through simultaneous consideration of thermodynamic, financial, and ecological criteria. A new parameter called exergetic ecological emergy/financial emergy ratio is first introduced. This parameter is then used for deriving emergy-based exergoeconoenvironmental balances for an energy system by combining it with exergy cost concepts. The exergetic ecological emergy/financial emergy ratio for all exergy streams of the system is determined using the SPECO approach. The developed approach is applied to a simple cogeneration system of power and steam to demonstrate its general applicability and robustness. The outcomes of the developed method herein are assessed in comparison with those of emergy-based exergoeconomic and exergoenvironmental methods. Overall, the highest total exergetic ecological emergy/financial emergy ratio (13.0841 sej/sej) is observed in the heat-recovery steam generator (HRSG) followed by the air preheater (APH) (10.0379 sej/sej). Even though both emergy-based exergoeconomic and exergoenvironmental methods give the improvement priority first for the combustion chamber (CC), the heat-recovery steam generator is suggested by emergy-based exergoeconoenvironmental analysis. Generally, the hybrid framework developed here appears to be a promising complement to available exergy-based techniques for systematically developing thermodynamically, financially, and ecologically conscious energy systems.

Keywords: emergy; exergoeconoenvironmental analysis; specific exergy costing; exergy cost.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEX.2019.098612

International Journal of Exergy, 2019 Vol.28 No.3, pp.209 - 228

Received: 19 Apr 2018
Accepted: 21 Sep 2018
Published online: 28 Mar 2019 *

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