Abstract
In this paper, the production of low to medium temperature water for industrial process heat using solar energy is considered. In particular, the paper outlines the perspective of an optimum design method that takes into account all of the typical variables of the problem (solar irradiation, system architecture, design constraints, load type and distribution, and design and optimization criteria) and also considers the use of the fossil fuel backup system. The key element of the methodology is the definition of a synthetic combined energetic and economic utility function. This considers the attribution of an economic penalty to irreversibility in connection with the use of a fossil fuel backup. This function incorporates the share of the solar system production (solar fraction) as an optimum design variable. This paper shows how, using the proposed criteria, the optimal value of the solar fraction, defined as the share of operation of the solar system with respect to the whole energy demand, can be increased. Current practice considers values in the range between 40 and 60%. However, levels up to 80% can also be obtained with the proposed methodology. Thus, penalizing the use of fossil fuels does not exclude a priori their contribution.
Highlights
One of the crucial elements for increasing the sustainability of an energy system is the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions
Solar thermal systems are interesting in terms of promoting a substantial increase of the share of low temperature heat produced by solar energy
After a preliminary analysis of the literature on the design of a solar thermal heating system, mainly for industrial process heat generation, this paper focuses on possible alternative design strategies, with the objective of increasing the solar production rate associated with the systems
Summary
One of the crucial elements for increasing the sustainability of an energy system is the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions. It is evident that the development of methods and indicators that try to combine economic and energetic or environmental (maximization of the solar energy fraction) objectives, could be useful for increasing the use of solar generation for industrial process heat and, for a single plant, the share of utilization of solar energy with respect to the total energy required. After a preliminary analysis of the literature on the design of a solar thermal heating system, mainly for industrial process heat generation, this paper focuses on possible alternative design strategies, with the objective of increasing the solar production rate associated with the systems. The optimum design strategy proposed pursues a multi-objective optimization obtained by combining a reduction in the total irreversibility, via an increase of the solar operation share and connected to a reduction of fossil fuel use for backup (perspectives of the Second Law of Thermodynamics), and providing more general economic convenience. A further element discussed in the work is the idea of a possible modification of the economic support systems for the diffusion of the production of process heat based on a solar energy system
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