Thermal and exergoeconomic analysis of a novel solar driven combined power and ejector refrigeration (CPER) system

Abstract

In the present study, a novel solar driven combined power and ejector refrigeration system (CPER) of 50 kW power capacity composed of an ORC (organic Rankine cycle) and an ejector refrigeration system is investigated. Solar driven CPER system is composed of two main cycles: collector cycle and refrigeration cycle. The collector cycle is made of a U-tube ETC and circulation pump and the ejector refrigeration cycle consists of generator, turbine, ejector, heat exchanger, condenser, evaporator, expansion valve, and pump. Thermodynamic performance of the proposed CPER system is evaluated and a thermo-economic analysis is conducted using the SPECO (specific exergy costing) method. A parametric study showed the effects of condenser temperature, evaporator temperature, generator pressure, turbine back pressure and turbine extraction ratio. The genetic algorithm optimization analysis is conducted which shows 25.5% improvement in thermal energy, 21.27% in exergy efficiency, and 7.76% reduction in the total cost of the CPER system. The results reveal that the performance of the CPER system is considerably improved at higher temperatures of generator and evaporator.