Cost analysis and performance assessment of hybrid sorption desalination systems to enhance production rate and energy utilization
摘要
In this study, the feasibility of combined sorption desalination systems powered by a low-temperature heat source to reduce the issue of water shortage is evaluated. Five new different configurations of absorption desalination-cooling system (ABDCS) combined with adsorption desalination-cooling system (ADDCS), as well as internal heat recovery schemes, are proposed in this study. The main distinction between the different modes is how the waste energy from the ABDCS is reused to operate ADDCS to enhance water production, utilization of thermal energy, and recovery efficiency of waste heat. In addition, the utilization of the internal heat recovery (HR) scheme in the ABDCS and ADDCS. Different mathematical energy models are developed and validated against the data found in the literature. The cost analysis for the investigated configurations is also expressed. Results illustrated that the proposed configurations achieved higher water production compared with that of the traditional ABDCS. The highest production rate is produced by the 4th configuration, when ADDCS is powered by the outlet waste heat from the generator of the ABDCS, and when HR is used with both ABDCS and ADDCS. Decreasing heat source temperatures increases the water production (WP) improvement for all configurations compared with the traditional ABDCS. At 85 °C, the improvement in WP (1.23 m3/day) by the 4th configuration was 142.13% with 10.89% gained output ratio, GOR, (0.86) compared with the traditional ABDCS. Decreasing heat source temperatures from 120 to 90 °C increases the WP improvement from 105.44 to 254.48% for the 4th, respectively. The highest GOR (1.12) is achieved by the 3rd configuration, with an improvement of 44% when ADDCS is powered by the outlet waste heat from the absorber of the ABDCS and when internal HR is used with both ABDCS and ADDCS. This configuration achieves a WP improvement of 114%. The novel suggested configurations demonstrate remarkable energy utilization efficiency and provide environmental protection. The study explores that the 3rd configuration is the most cost-effective, with 3.28 $/m3 when the system is powered by solar energy. In the case of a cooling effect required, the 1st configuration has the highest utilization factor (1.81) with a freshwater cost of 3.86 $/m3 and an additional free-cooling effect of 15.56 kW.