Advanced Exergy, Exergoeconomic, and Exergoenvironmental Analyses of Integrated Solar-Assisted Gasification Cycle for Producing Power and Steam from Heavy Refinery Fuels

Jadidi, Esmaeil; Khoshgoftar Manesh, Mohammad Hasan; Delpisheh, Mostafa; Onishi, Viviani Caroline

Abstract

Integrated solar-assisted gasification cycles (ISGC) have emerged as a more flexible and environmentally friendly solution for producing power, steam, and other high-valued by-products from low-cost opportunity fuels. In this light, this paper investigates a new ISGC system for converting heavy refineries fuels into power and steam utilities while enhancing energy efficiency and economic and environmental performance indicators. In this approach, a solar energy field and a two-pressure heat recovery steam generator were integrated into the ISGC system to improve overall economic and environmental plant viability. The ISGC system was modelled in MATLAB software, and the results were validated using Thermoflex software. Conventional and advanced energy, exergy, exergoeconomic, and exergoenvironmental (4E) analyses were implemented to assess the main performance parameters and identify potential system improvements. The ISGC system produced 319.92 MW of power by feeding on 15.5 kg/s of heavy refinery fuel, with a thermal efficiency of 50% and exergy efficiency of 54%. The results also revealed an investment cost of $466 million, evaluated at a system cost rate of 446 $/min and an environmental impact rate of 72,796 pts/min. The conventional and advanced 4E analyses unveiled the process economic and environmental feasibilities, particularly for oil-rich countries with high availability of solar resources.

Citation

Jadidi, E., Khoshgoftar Manesh, M. H., Delpisheh, M., & Onishi, V. C. (2021). Advanced Exergy, Exergoeconomic, and Exergoenvironmental Analyses of Integrated Solar-Assisted Gasification Cycle for Producing Power and Steam from Heavy Refinery Fuels. Energies, 14(24), Article 8409. https://doi.org/10.3390/en14248409

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Dec 9, 2021
• Online Publication Date: Dec 13, 2021
• Publication Date: 2021
• Deposit Date: Jan 13, 2022
• Publicly Available Date: Jan 13, 2022
• Journal: Energies
• Publisher: MDPI
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 14
• Issue: 24
• Article Number: 8409
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/en14248409
• Keywords: solar-aided gasification cycles; heavy refinery fuels; energy and exergy analysis; 4E analyses; integrated economic and environmental analyses; energy recovery systems; renewable energy
• Public URL: http://researchrepository.napier.ac.uk/Output/2834289