Solar Rankine Cycle (SRC) powered by Linear Fresnel solar field and integrated with Multi Effect Desalination (MED) system

• Published in: Renewable energy 2018-03, Vol.117, p.52-70
• Main Authors: Askari, Ighbal Baniasad, Ameri, Mehran
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Linear Fresnel; MED; Natural gas fuel; Solar Rankine Cycle; Thermal storage
• ISSN: 0960-1481; 1879-0682
• DOI: 10.1016/j.renene.2017.10.033

The Linear Fresnel (LF) solar filed was considered to support part of the required thermal energy of the Solar Rankin Cycle (SRC). Multi Effect Desalination (MED) system was applied in order to produce distillate water by using the SRC thermal energy. Two typical low temperature MED systems with 14 effects and two Gain Output Ratios (GORs) of 9.8 and 12 were considered to be feed by the steam (70 °C) at the outlet of the turbine replacing the condenser of SRC. Two thermal storage capacities of 6 and 12 h were considered in SRC calculations. Two LF solar fields were considered to operate with different mass flow rates and aperture areas. An economic analysis was also used to determine the water and electricity costs of the SRC/MED plant. The electricity unit cost of the SRC/MED plant was compared to electricity cost of a reference SRC plant (SRC/Ref) without MED and comprising a once-through cooling condenser with cooling temperature of 35 °C. The amount of annual fuel saving and the unit cost of the water and electricity were determined under different scenarios of MED unit GORs and for two thermal storage capacities. •A low part of required thermal energy of MED is supported by using Linear Fresnel field without thermal storage.•SRC/MED/LF system with higher GORs has lower water production costs.•The amount of annual fuel consumption would be considerably decreased by using the LF solar field.•Minimum LCOE is obtained at a same solar multiple for two different GOR values.•The water production cost is most sensitive to the solar field costs.