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Thermo-economic assessment of a hybrid tri-generation system making simultaneous use of biomass and solar energy

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Abstract

In this work, a tri-generation system is proposed that relies on a biomass-gasification-based externally fired gas turbine (EFGT) generator and an array of solar flat-plate collectors. A LiBr-water-based absorption cooling (VAR) system utilizes the waste heat of a 100-kW power generator as well as solar thermal energy of a 200 sq. m. solar collector to run a vegetable cold store of 200 metric ton capacity. A domestic water-heating system is also integrated with the unit that recovers low-temperature thermal energy to produce 150 tons of hot water daily. The power generator shows its maximum electrical efficiency of 27.5% at 1100 °C turbine inlet temperature and 10 pressure ratio. The maximum efficiency of solar collector is found to be 48%. The overall energetic efficiency of the tri-generation system varies in the range of 59 to 76%, while the overall exergetic efficiency varies in the range of 19 to 26.5%. The components of EFGT generator show high exergetic efficiencies, about 93% for air compressor and about 90% for GT, whereas the solar thermal system shows the poor exergetic performance of about 17%. Based on economic analysis of the proposed plant, the effective price of electricity is estimated as 0.068 USD/kWh without any subsidy, but considering 50% capital subsidy the price is estimated as 0.04 USD/kWh. The discounted payback period is found to be 10.8 years without any capital subsidy, but when 50% subsidy is considered, the payback period is reduced to 5 years.

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Abbreviations

ABS:

Absorber

AHX:

Air heat exchanger

C:

Compressor

CHX:

Combustor–heat exchanger

COMB:

Combustor

CON:

Condenser

COP:

Coefficient of performance

CP:

Circulating pump

CRF:

Capital recovery factor

CV:

Circulating valve

DWH:

Domestic water heater

ECOP:

Exergetic coefficient of performance

EFGT:

Externally fired gas turbine

EVP:

Evaporator

FPC:

Flat-plate collector

GASF:

Gasifier

GEN:

Generator

GT:

Gas turbine

MT:

Metric ton

NPV:

Net present value

ORC:

Organic Rankine cycle

PCF:

Plant capacity factor

P:

Pump

REV:

Refrigerant expansion valve

SEST:

Solar energy storage tank

SEV:

Solution expansion valve

SHX:

Solution heat exchanger

SI:

Spark ignition

SP:

Solution pump

VAR:

Vapor absorption refrigeration

VCR:

Vapor compression refrigeration

WGH:

Waste gas heater

A :

Area of solar collector (m2)

C :

Unit price for process heat (USD/kWh)

C i :

Net annual cash inflow (USD)

C o :

Total initial investment (USD)

c p :

Specific heat (kJ/kg-K)

CF:

Cost of fuel (USD/kJ)

d :

Diameter of tube (m)

dr:

Discount rate (%)

DHL:

Daily heating load (kWh)

DRL:

Daily refrigeration load (kWh)

EPOE:

Effective price of electricity (USD/kWh)

Ex:

Exergy (kW)

ExD:

Exergy destruction (kW)

f o :

Annual inflation rate (%)

Fe:

Collector efficiency factor (–)

Fr:

Collector heat removal factor (–)

h :

Enthalpy (kJ/kg)

I :

Solar insolation (W/m2)

I/D:

Inner diameter (m)

L :

Center distance between two consecutive tubes (m)

LHV:

Lower heating value (kJ/kg)

m :

Mass flow rate (kg/s)

n :

Plant life (years)

\( \bar{n} \) :

Payback period (years)

N o :

Nominal interest rate (%)

O/D:

Outer diameter (m)

POE:

Price of electricity (USD/kWh)

Q :

Rate of heat transfer (kW)

r :

Tilt factor (–)

S :

Solar flux absorbed by the absorber (W/m2)

t :

Thickness (m)

T :

Temperature (°C)

U :

Heat loss coefficient (W/m2 K)

UPH:

Unit price of heating (USD/kWh)

UFH:

Utilization factor for heating (–)

W:

Power (kW)

X :

LiBr mass fraction (–)

Z :

Cost (USD)

η :

Efficiency (%)

ρ :

Density (kg/m3)

φ :

Plate effectiveness (–)

b:

Beam radiation

bm:

Biomass

d:

Diffuse radiation

e:

Electrical

en:

Energetic

EPCC:

Engineering, procurement, and construction

Eq:

Equipments

evp:

Evaporator

ex:

Exergetic

gen:

Generator

hcf:

Heat carrier fluid

i:

Inner

mc:

Mechanical

o:

Outer

O:

Overall

p:

Absorber plate

ph:

Process heat

pg:

Producer gas

r:

Reflected radiation

sp:

Solution pump

st:

Storage tank

ss:

Strong solution

std:

Standard

TOC:

Total overnight capital

TPC:

Total plant cost

u:

Useful

w:

Water

ws:

Weak solution

1, 2…:

State points

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Acknowledgements

The first author acknowledges the Thermal Simulation and Computation (TSC) Lab at Mechanical Engineering Department of IIEST, Shibpur for the facilities available in the Lab. The author also acknowledges the support provided by the MHRD, Government of India for the research fellowship.

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  1. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Indian Institute of Engineering Science and Technology, Shibpur, P.O. - B. Garden, Howrah, West Bengal, 711103, India

    Suman Chattopadhyay & Sudip Ghosh

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  1. Suman Chattopadhyay
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Correspondence to Sudip Ghosh.

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Chattopadhyay, S., Ghosh, S. Thermo-economic assessment of a hybrid tri-generation system making simultaneous use of biomass and solar energy. J Braz. Soc. Mech. Sci. Eng. 42, 556 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40430-020-02641-7

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