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Energetic and exergetic evaluation of methanol synthesis process in a hybridized system of methane cracking, chemical looping combustion, thermal desalination and photovoltaic panels

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Abstract

Due to limited energy supply sources and environmental issues, the use of renewable energy to replace fossil fuels and reduce pollution has increased. One of the easiest, safest, and most portable ways to store renewable energy for a long time is to convert it to liquid methanol. In this paper, a novel integrated system is developed for cogeneration of liquid methanol and freshwater using methane cracking unit integrated with chemical looping combustion, methanol production cycle, multi-effect desalination, and photovoltaic panels. The thermal integration of new structures for cogeneration leads to a reduction in the number of equipment used and an increase in efficiency. This integrated structure produces 23.97 kmol h−1 liquid methanol, 204.3 kmol h−1 desalinated water, 42.49 kmol h−1 solid carbon, 58.52 kmol h−1 nitrogen, and 668.9 kmol h−1 hot water. The waste heat of the chemical looping combustion is used to supply methane cracking unit, which produces 84.99 kmol h−1 hydrogen, 7.582 kmol h−1 carbon dioxide, and 24.74 kW power. These products and the excess carbon dioxide supplied from outside are used as input feed for the liquid methanol production cycle. Waste heat from the liquid methanol production cycle is used to supply heat to the thermal desalination cycle and produce hot water. The thermal energy and exergy efficiencies of the integrated structure are 48.64% and 71.68%, respectively. In the hybrid structure, the largest share of exergy destruction belongs to reactors (65.61%), photovoltaic panels (17.73%), and heat exchangers (10.97%), respectively. Sensitivity analysis in different operating conditions is used to investigate the sensitivity and changes in the output and important parameters of the process.

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Abbreviations

e :

Specific flow exergy (kJ kmol−1)

CLC:

Chemical looping combustion

h :

Specific enthalpy (kJ kmol−1)

I :

Dissipation lost exergy

I :

Current (A)

V :

Voltage (V)

FF:

Fill factor

P :

Power (kW)

A :

Area (m2)

NOCT:

Nominal operating cell temperature (°C)

mp:

Maximum power

G :

Gibbs

G :

Present solar radiation

PV:

Photovoltaic

PM:

Parallel cell

T a :

Ambient temperature (°C)

Ex:

Substances current exergy (kW)

ExQ :

Energy current exergy (kW)

W :

Work (kW)

oc:

Open-circuit

R :

Universal gas constant (8.314 kJ kgmol−1 °C−1)

s :

Specific entropy (kJ kgmol−1 °C−1)

pc:

Power conversion

η :

Efficiency (%)

Σ:

Sum

ph:

Physical

ch:

Chemical

sh:

Shaft

Max:

Maximum

CH4 :

Methane

H2 :

Hydrogen

C:

Carbon

NiO:

Nickel oxide

Ni:

Nickel

CO:

Carbon monoxide

CO2 :

Carbon dioxide

H2O:

Water

O2 :

Oxygen

CH3OH:

Methanol

MED:

Multi-effect desalination

MED-MVC:

Multi-effect distillation-mechanical vapor compression

MED-TVC:

Multi-effect distillation-thermal vapor compression

SM:

Series cell

T :

Turbine

P :

Pump

HX:

Heat exchanger

C :

Compressor

Mix:

Mixer

Sep:

Separator, flash drum

T :

Tower

R :

Reactor

N :

Number

0:

Reference state

o:

Outlet

c:

Current, Cell

i:

Inlet

M:

Module

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran

    Mohammad Hossein Monajati Saharkhiz

  2. Faculty of Engineering Modern Technologies, Amol University of Special Modern Technologies, Amol, Iran

    Bahram Ghorbani

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  1. Mohammad Hossein Monajati Saharkhiz
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Contributions

M.H.M.S. helped in investigation, validation, original draft, writing—original draft, software. B.G. contributed to supervision, conceptualization, methodology, investigation, validation, original draft, writing—original draft, software.

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Correspondence to Bahram Ghorbani.

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Monajati Saharkhiz, M.H., Ghorbani, B. Energetic and exergetic evaluation of methanol synthesis process in a hybridized system of methane cracking, chemical looping combustion, thermal desalination and photovoltaic panels. J Therm Anal Calorim 145, 1385–1411 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10973-021-10576-x

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