Predicted Performance of an Integrated Solar Thermal and Photovoltaic System With Hybrid Turbine-Fuel Cell Cogeneration System With Cooling Loads

Abstract

A general approach, the HLRP technique, for determining the performance of a hybrid turbine-fuel cell cogeneration system with a renewable energy sources is presented for a domestic residence for a summer day with cooling loads. The use of the ratio of the thermal load to required power parameter (HLRP), which scales the energy systems, allows the performance to be quickly determined and preliminary carbon dioxide production rates and cost effects to be estimated. The present paper includes solar energy systems, thermal and photovoltaic, as renewable energy to illustrate the development of this technique and its integration with the hybrid fuel cell cogeneration system. The analysis focused on matching the transient characteristics of the power and thermal loads with those of the renewable energy system. The results demonstrate that for a typical summer day in the location studied there are not large variations in the energy utilization factors for the four different systems investigated. Surprisingly, the photovoltaic system produces the lowest first law performance and the largest amounts of carbon dioxide. This observation points out the complexity of these systems. The explanation illustrates that saving power production while increasing the use of the most inefficient device (the furnace) decreases the system performance. The information provided by the performance graphs is used to estimate costs for each system and to easily determine which system is the most efficient for satisfying energy requirements and reducing green house gas emissions. The results provide site planners and physical plant operators with initial information that can be used to design new facilities or effectively integrate large plant expansion that include renewable energy systems in a manner that will minimize energy requirements and reduce pollution effects.