Performance investigation of a novel trigeneration system using solar-biomass energy

In this research, a novel trigeneration system driven by biomass-solar energies has been analyzed and investigated from energy exergy, economic and environmental viewpoints. The solar energy is used to produce hydrogen (by a PEM electrolyzer powered by thermal photovoltaic panels). To meet the intermittent nature of solar energy, it is used for hydrogen production. The hydrogen is used as fuel in the combustion chamber. The proposed gas turbine cycle consists of two high and low pressure turbines and two compressors with intercooler. A combined ORC-VCC that uses the recovered heat from the gas turbine is used to produce refrigeration and air cooling in the interstage compressor. The obtained results provide that the combination of solar-based hydrogen production and biomass-based gas turbine leads to a significant reduction in CO2 emission and biomass consumption, as well as an increase in electricity production capacity. The proposed combined system provides an energy and exergy efficiency of 21 and 17% and the emission of 0.00884 kg/s of CO2. The highest capital cost rate among the equipment is attributed to the PEM electrolyzer, amounting to 15.44 $/hr, and the total cost of the produced products has reached 0.5627 $/MJ. With intercooling the compressors, the energy and exergy efficiencies of the system have increased by 6 and 4%, respectively.