Title: Optimised annual performance of hybrid solar energy MED-TVC desalination plants with and without preheating

Authors: Davood Beyralvand; Mahmood Yaghoubi

Addresses: School of Mechanical Engineering, Shiraz University, Mollasadra Ave., Shiraz, 71936-16548, Iran ' School of Mechanical Engineering, Shiraz University, Mollasadra Ave., Shiraz, 71936-16548, Iran

Abstract: In the current study, energy, exergy, economic and environmental (4E) analysis for a multi-effect desalination plant with and without feed brine preheater integrated with a steam boiler and solar hybrid system for three coastal cities of southern Iran during a year is investigated. Four main configurations of hybrid/MED-TVC, hybrid/MED-TVC.FH, boiler/MED-TVC and boiler/MED-TVC.FH are considered. By using artificial bee colony algorithm, systems were optimised. The results show that: using feed brine preheater, the unit cost reduced by 6.5% for the system with a boiler and 3.8% for the hybrid system.

Keywords: solar energy; MED-TVC.FH; CO₂ emission; ABC algorithm; 4E analysis.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEX.2020.109989

International Journal of Exergy, 2020 Vol.33 No.2, pp.214 - 230

Received: 26 Dec 2019
Accepted: 26 Apr 2020
Published online: 30 Sep 2020 *

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