Design and Analysis of an Integrated Solar-Assisted Supercritical CO2 Brayton Cycle for Power and Cooling Application: Enhancing Efficiency Through Waste Heat Recovery
摘要
This study explores an innovative solar-assisted energy system to enhance the efficiency of both power and cooling generation. As the need for sustainable energy alternatives grows, merging renewable technologies with traditional power cycles presents a valuable solution. The proposed setup combines a parabolic dish solar collector with a supercritical carbon dioxide (sCO2) Brayton cycle, an Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC), and a single-effect absorption chiller. Concentrated solar energy is directed to a receiver, drives the Brayton cycle turbine to generate electricity. Additionally, waste heat is utilized by the ORC and absorption chiller, producing supplemental electricity and cooling. System performance is assessed through Engineering Equation Solver (EES) software, which simulates thermodynamic behavior under varying conditions, including direct normal irradiance (DNI), aperture area, and pressure ratios. Findings indicate that higher DNI and aperture areas notably boost efficiency, with thermal efficiency reaching approximately 41.5% and exergy efficiency up to 57% at optimal conditions. Increasing the compressor pressure ratio in the supercritical CO2 Brayton cycle also enhances efficiency, though gains tend to stabilize at higher ratios due to additional compression work and heat loss.