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: Seyed Taher Kermani Alghorayshi, Milad Imandoust, Ali Montazeri, Rahim Zahedi
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-09-01
Series:Case Studies in Thermal Engineering
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214157X25009955
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author Seyed Taher Kermani Alghorayshi
Milad Imandoust
Ali Montazeri
Rahim Zahedi
author_facet Seyed Taher Kermani Alghorayshi
Milad Imandoust
Ali Montazeri
Rahim Zahedi
author_sort Seyed Taher Kermani Alghorayshi
collection DOAJ
description 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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spelling doaj-art-e7fe2abdda8d4a3482d27d1c0a3df39a2025-08-20T03:14:02ZengElsevierCase Studies in Thermal Engineering2214-157X2025-09-017310673510.1016/j.csite.2025.106735Technical, economic and environmental evaluation and optimization of the hybrid solar-wind power generation with desalinationSeyed Taher Kermani Alghorayshi0Milad Imandoust1Ali Montazeri2Rahim Zahedi3Department of Renewable Energy Engineering, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, IranFaculty of Chemical Engineering, Iran University of Science and Technology, Tehran, IranDepartment of Renewable Energy Engineering, Material and Energy Research Center, Karaj, IranDepartment of Energy Governance, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran; Corresponding author.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.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214157X25009955MultigenerationSolar towerSuper critical Carbon dioxide Brayton cycleCrystallizerMulti stage flashCooling
spellingShingle Seyed Taher Kermani Alghorayshi
Milad Imandoust
Ali Montazeri
Rahim Zahedi
Technical, economic and environmental evaluation and optimization of the hybrid solar-wind power generation with desalination
Case Studies in Thermal Engineering
Multigeneration
Solar tower
Super critical Carbon dioxide Brayton cycle
Crystallizer
Multi stage flash
Cooling
title Technical, economic and environmental evaluation and optimization of the hybrid solar-wind power generation with desalination
title_full Technical, economic and environmental evaluation and optimization of the hybrid solar-wind power generation with desalination
title_fullStr Technical, economic and environmental evaluation and optimization of the hybrid solar-wind power generation with desalination
title_full_unstemmed Technical, economic and environmental evaluation and optimization of the hybrid solar-wind power generation with desalination
title_short Technical, economic and environmental evaluation and optimization of the hybrid solar-wind power generation with desalination
title_sort technical economic and environmental evaluation and optimization of the hybrid solar wind power generation with desalination
topic Multigeneration
Solar tower
Super critical Carbon dioxide Brayton cycle
Crystallizer
Multi stage flash
Cooling
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214157X25009955
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AT alimontazeri technicaleconomicandenvironmentalevaluationandoptimizationofthehybridsolarwindpowergenerationwithdesalination
AT rahimzahedi technicaleconomicandenvironmentalevaluationandoptimizationofthehybridsolarwindpowergenerationwithdesalination