Simulation of the performance of a solar concentrating photovoltaic-thermal collector, applied in a combined cooling heating and power generation system

Abstract

The aim of this study is evaluating the performance of a combined cooling, heating, and power generation system (a trigeneration), composed of a concentrating photovoltaic-thermal unit, coupled with a water-ammonia absorption chiller. In the presented design, an ammonia-water absorption refrigeration cycle with 5 kW of cooling capacity is considered as a part of the trigeneration system. Also, a concentrating photovoltaic-thermal device, equipped with a linear Fresnel collector, is employed as the heat source. The performance of the system is modeled and simulated using TRNSYS. Furthermore, in case of replacing the concentrating collector by a conventional one, the performance of the cycle is investigated. It is revealed that, with the conventional collector type, the system could not provide enough thermal energy for the refrigeration cycle. The annual average of the electrical efficiency of the designed collector and trigeneration system are 12.8% and 58.01%, respectively. By investigating the produced energy from the presented unit, it is concluded that this system could be employed as the heating and cooling source of a typical residential building. However, the electrical energy demand of the building cannot be fully supplied with the presented design, and 6030 kWh of the electrical energy must be provided from the grid.