Technical, economic and environmental evaluation and optimization of the hybrid solar-wind power generation with desalination
Cogeneration processes using renewable resources for producing water and power have seen significant growth in tropical areas. The return of saline wastewater to the sea, a common practice, leads to pollution and environmental harm. These processes are inefficient in terms of both energy and exergy....
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| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2025-09-01
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| Series: | Case Studies in Thermal Engineering |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214157X25009955 |
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| Summary: | Cogeneration processes using renewable resources for producing water and power have seen significant growth in tropical areas. The return of saline wastewater to the sea, a common practice, leads to pollution and environmental harm. These processes are inefficient in terms of both energy and exergy. This paper presents a multi-generation system, combining solar and wind energy, to generate 52.14 mega Watt (MW) of electricity, 1199 cubic meters per hour (m3/h) of potable water, and 11.3 MW of cold energy. A crystallizer process produces 58.86 tons of salt per hour from the wastewater, which is then discharged into the sea with low salinity. This process has undergone energy, exergy, environmental, and economic analysis. Analysis of response surfaces and central composite designs led to the optimization of the process, identifying the best conditions. Results indicate 57 % energy efficiency and 50.1 % exergy efficiency for the current process. The desalination efficiency is 40 %, the gain output ratio (GOR) is 10.43, and the coefficient of performance (COP) for cold production is 0.37. Furthermore, the discharged wastewater from salt production contains 2.6 % salinity and is released into the ocean. The economic analysis shows a 4.2-year return on investment, with the solar tower representing the largest capital expenditure. The LCA analysis shows the current process is environmentally friendly, preventing and avoiding environmental damage. In terms of performance, the hybrid multiple production process detailed in this article is highly effective; moreover, the use of a crystallizer helps prevent further ocean damage. |
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| ISSN: | 2214-157X |