Proposal and Evaluation of a Novel Solar Thermal-Driven Cooling-Power Cogeneration System

Abstract

This study establishes a novel cooling-power cogeneration system that utilizes parabolic trough solar collectors (PTSCs) employing air, carbon dioxide (CO2), and helium (He) as heat-carrying fluids. This heat is utilized by an organic flash cycle (OFC) connected to a two-phase ejector, which simultaneously generates electricity, and cooling for refrigeration and air conditioning. The system proposed provides a promising solution that can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase overall efficiency and energy savings. Modeling and simulation through an engineering equation solver (EES) are performed to investigate the effect of solar flux and the type of solar heat transfer fluid (SHTF) on the exit temperature of SHTF. The promotion of solar flux increases the temperature of SHTF, which is found to be highest for He and lowest for CO2. A parametric analysis is done to determine the outcome of the design parameters. The cogeneration cycle connected to He-operated PTSC performs well relative to air and CO2 as SHTF. Exergy destruction is found to be 53.87%, 22.09%, and 6.15% in PTSC, OFC, and two-phase ejector, respectively, while production of power, exergetic refrigeration, and exergetic air conditioning are 4.02%, 10.65%, and 3.22%, respectively.