Potable Water Production by Heat Recovery of Kalina Cycle, Using Solar Energy

Abstract

Many countries across the globe suffer from potable water shortages due to the economic and social barriers for provisions of mechanical-driven desalination technologies. However, vast districts of these countries are replete with solar energy which can be utilized for freshwater production. With this regard, a solar-based combined power and desalination (CPD) system driven by the waste heat of Kalina cycle (KC) is proposed, using a humidification–dehumidification (HDH) desalination system. HDH system is highly appropriate for low-temperature sources, and because of that, the waste heat of KC is utilized as the main source of the HDH unit. Also, a compound parabolic collector (CPC) is designed as a source supply of KC, where its capability for June 12 is investigated by designing a thermal energy storage unit as well. Extensive numerical modeling of the proposed CPD system is presented, using first and second laws of thermodynamics as the most robust tools for this aim. Performing this so, the amounts of distilled water, net electricity, cogeneration-based gain output ratio (CGOR), and exergy efficiency are calculated as 4.96 m3/day, 10.45 kW, 1.103, and 8.73%, respectively. Among all invested equipment, CPC accounted for the highest exergy destruction by approximately 78.24%, followed by dehumidifier by around 7.98%. Last, but not least, a thoroughgoing parametric inspection of several major parameters on the performance of the integral unit is carried out in order to provide more detail information for designers.