Assessment of a novel solar-powered polygeneration system highlighting efficiency, exergy, economic and environmental factors

A comprehensive assessment of the energetics parameters for a novel design of a multi-generation system including a heliostat field, a CO2 cycle, a desalination unit, an electrodialysis unit, and a combined cooling, heating, and power (CCHP) unit is conducted. The outputs of the system are electric power, cooling, heating, desalinated water, NaClO, and hydrogen. The study quantifies energy efficiency, exergy, exergoenvironmental and key environmental factors. The assessment additionally incorporates economic and environmental features of the proposed system to highlight the related social costs of air pollution. A comparison of system performance against conventional non-renewable energy-powered systems is highlighted through four scenarios. The system produces 11.89 GWh/year electrical energy, 5.3 GWh/year cooling, 6.5 GWh/year heating, 9.8 ton/year NaClO, 2.2 x 10(8) m(3)/year hydrogen, and 2.8 x 10(5) m(3)/year desalinated water with estimated values of the energy and exergy efficiencies at 22.39 % and 40.24 %, respectively, and payback period for the investment is determined to be 5 years.