Energy Performance Assessment of a Novel Solar Poly-Generation System Using Various ORC Working Fluids in Residential Buildings

Abstract

Poly-generation systems are an exciting new technology that provide an alternative to separating existing energy production methods in buildings. A poly-generation system enables the efficient simultaneous production of heating, cooling, fresh water, and electricity, resulting in many technological, economic, energy recovery, and environmental advantages. This study numerically investigates three proposed novel solar-driven poly-generation systems (BS, IS-I, and IS-II) integrated with organic Rankine cycle (ORC), humidification-dehumidification desalination system (HDH), and desiccant cooling system (DCS) with different heat recovery system arrangements. The suggested systems supply residential structures with energy, space conditioning, domestic heating, and fresh water. The effects of system operating circumstances on productivity and performance characteristics and several organic working fluid types (n-octane, R245fa, R113, isopentane, and toluene) on optimum system performance have been investigated. The results show that (i) the average enhancement percentage of TGOR using integrated poly-generation systems over the separated ones is 68.5%, 68.5%, and 95.5% for BS, IS-I, and IS-II systems, respectively; (ii) when comparing the three systems, the IS-I system outperforms the other systems (BS & IS-II); and (iii) the maximum values of W•net, m•fresh, Q•cooling, and Q•heating, obtained for different proposed systems using n-octane are 102 kW (all systems), 214.7 kg/h (IS-II), 29.94 kW (IS-II), and 225.6 kW (IS-I); (iv) R113 has the highest TGOR of 0.6924 (IS-I) compared to other organic fluids. (v) The improvements in Wnet•, mfresh•, Qcooling• and Qheating• with using toluene instead of R113 at tf1 = 40 °C are 177.5%, 105.8%, 389.25%, and 79%, respectively.