Exergetic, sustainability and exergoeconomic analyses of a fully photovoltaic-powered heat pump tumble dryer

Abstract

In this study, the experimental performance of a commercial heat pump tumble dryer (HPTD) system integrated with photovoltaic (PV) was evaluated using energy and exergy analysis. Additionally, a sustainability and exergoeconomic performance analysis of system components was conducted to identify components in need of improvement. The energy consumption of the HPTD was recorded using a power quality analyzer and compared to the energy generated by the PV. Only 17.6% of the energy generated by the panels was consumed by the HPTD, with the remaining portion being utilized by other laboratory devices connected to the same grid, contributing to a sustainable future. In addition to meeting the energy demand, the PV system satisfied the entire power requirement of the HPTD. It was determined that the drying chamber and the compressor together accounted for 74.53% of the total exergy destruction in the system, with this cost being predominantly incurred during the drying process. Moreover, based on the exergy, sustainability, and exergoeconomic analyses conducted, it was concluded that the drying chamber, integrated with the fan unit, exhibited the lowest exergy efficiency (57.04%), the highest waste exergy ratio (0.83%), and the lowest exergoeconomic factor value (0.716) among the system components, indicating the need for improvement in the fan-integrated drying chamber.