Tohid Adibi

In this paper, a novel solar-based combined cycle with hydrogen production is proposed and assessed with thermodynamic and exeroeconomic analyses. This cycle is an externally fired combined cycle that uses biomass as a fuel in combination with a photovoltaic/thermal (PVT) solar collector system. Hydrogen can be used in a combustion chamber as a supplemental fuel when it is not used independently. Some of the important findings are that increasing the PVT area 1) decreases the cycle energy and exergy efficiencies, 2) increases the investment cost rate of system components, and 3) decreases the CO2 discharge rate. Also, increasing the compressor pressure ratio results in optimum points for energy and exergy efficiencies, component investment cost rates, and the CO2 discharge rate. Hydrogen injection decreases the exergy destruction rate, the component cost investment rate, and the CO2 discharge rate but increases the exergoeconomic factor and the total unit product cost. The results are for optimum energy efficiency point and a PVT area of 400 m2, which is a moderate size. . Increasing rp results in a maximum point for the total unit product cost at around rp = 7. But the range of difference is minor in the area of 900 m2.