A Biomass Assisted Solar-Based Multi-generation Plant with Hydrogen and Freshwater Production: Sustainability, Advanced Exergy and Advanced Exergo-Economic Assessments

In this chapter, the sustainability, advanced exergy, and exergo-economic aspects of the biomass-assisted solar-based multi-generation plant for producing power load, heating load, cooling load, hydrogen, and freshwater are considered and investigated. To have more extensive knowledge of the recommended multi-generation plant operation, the examinations are undertaken to expand and to envision the simulations in Engineering Equation Solver software. The sustainability index of the plant has been estimated at 1.042. The advanced analyses of the multi-generation plant are examined under unavoidable, and ideal conditions. The advanced inquiries outcomes signify that in most elements, the destructed exergy has endogenous characters, and the parabolic trough solar collector, double-effect absorption chiller, and biomass combustor are holding the most potential to diminish destructed exergy. Additionally, advanced exergetic study shows that by changing the configuration variables of biomass combustor and turbine, 6240 and 4398 KW of these elements' destructed exergy can be avoided, sequentially. Trusted by the advanced exergo-economic investigation outcomes, the PEM electrolyzer holds the highest avoidable and endogenous cost rates and it is probable to avoid destruction near 33$/h internally. In conclusion, some recommendations for augmenting the performance of this multi-generation plant are made.