Parametric and a case study of an innovative solar-driven combined system: Thermodynamic and environmental impact analysis for sustainable production of power, heating, and freshwater

In this work, a innovative arrangement of integrated systems driven by solar energy has been planned and analyzed to provide multiple outputs (power, heating, and freshwater generation). To achieve this solar tower power technology has been combined with a Supercritical Brayton cycle, a topping steam Rankine cycle, a bottoming organic Rankine cycle, and a water purification system based on reverse osmosis. The planned system is configured and studied for the case of New Delhi in India, to produce multiple useful outputs in the form of power, heating, and freshwater. Detailed thermodynamics analyses are made as to first and second-law efficiencies (energy and exergy efficiencies). Systematic analyses are further executed to evaluate the system efficiency at various operating indicators. The energy and exergy performance of the proposed model are found to be 25.12 % and 17.64 % respectively, together with a net electricity output of 3751 kW, heating rate of 871.1 kW, and production of freshwater of 33.52 m3/h. Further based on the case study, it is also deduced that the suggested configuration can perform well in the location of New Delhi (India) leading to peak energy and exergy performances of 25.14 % and 18.03 % respectively, in June. Further, it is deduced that the proposed system is capable of preventing 1358 kg of CO2 emissions per hour compared to the combined configuration supported by Anthracite coal, and a 2.21 % CO2 emission reduction compared to the single-generation system based on anthracite coal.