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ABSTRACT: The work aims at investigating the performances of an innovative hybrid biomass/solar energy
production system for domestic micro-scale combined heat and power (CHP) generation. The system is based on
Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) technology that represents an attractive option for sustainable and reliable energy
supply in small-scale applications, where traditional plants are technologically and economically unfeasible.
The proposed ORC can be fuelled by a biomass burner and a concentrated solar power (CSP) system. A parametric
analysis has been carried out to define proper ORC configurations and suitable operating conditions.
The performances of the innovative system have been compared with the traditional biomass-fired ORC unit. The
investigation demonstrates that hybrid biomass/solar ORC system is an effective solution for micro-scale CHP
generation. The possible application to the Italian residential sector has been analysed.
Results illustrate that hybridisation permits to overcome the intermittency of the solar source, reduce the biomass
consumption, and improve the global system efficiency.
Keywords: Biomass, organic Rankine cycle (ORC), combined heat and power generation (CHP), efficiency.
1 INTRODUCTION 2 METHODOLOGY
Nowadays, the combined heat and power production The work aims at analysing the performances of an
(CHP) is considered an efficient alternative to innovative hybrid energy system for domestic micro-
conventional systems with separate electric and thermal scale combined heat and power (CHP) generation.
generation owing to the higher energy efficiency and Figure 1 shows the simplified scheme of the proposed
saving capability, and to the lower pollutant emissions. system that consists of an Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC)
In this context, Organic Rankine Cycles (ORCs) fuelled by a concentrated solar power (CSP) system and a
represent an interesting and attractive solution for biomass burner, arranged in series. Priority is given to
sustainable and reliable energy supply in small CHP CSP section while the biomass burner works when the
applications, where traditional plants are technologically solar radiation is not sufficient to satisfy the energy
and economically unfeasible [1]. Specifically, ORC demand of domestic users. Furthermore, electric energy
systems offer different advantages compared with can be exchanged with the grid and an auxiliary boiler is
conventional installations due to the lower costs and used to cover the thermal demand if the CHP output is
maintenance requirements, better partial load low.
performances, faster start-up and stop procedures and The system performances have been expressed in
higher flexibility and safety. terms of electric power and efficiency, energy utilisation
In this framework, ORC hybridisation appears a very factor, cogeneration efficiency, and primary energy
innovative and interesting solution, able to assess larger saving index.
operation flexibility and lower costs [2]-[3]. Specifically,
biomass and solar sources offer a significant integrability 2.1 Biomass-fired ORC model
level: during daylight time the solar radiation is high and
the ORC system can be fuelled with a low amount of The Organic Rankine Cycle consists primarily of a
biomass. Furthermore, the adoption of biomass permits to pump system, an evaporator, an expander, and a
satisfy the energy demand also when the solar radiation is condenser. The pump supplies the organic fluid to the
absent or insufficient. evaporator, where the fluid is preheated and vaporised.
Nevertheless, few investigations on this topic are The vapour flows into the expander where it is expanded
present both in industrial practice and in research to the condensing pressure and, finally, it is condensed to
activities and further studies are necessary [4]. saturated liquid. A biomass boiler provides the energy
To this purpose the work aims to investigate the input to the evaporator through a thermal oil circuit in
performances of an innovative hybrid biomass/solar order to avoid local overheating and to prevent organic
energy system for domestic micro-scale combined heat fluids from becoming chemically unstable.
and power (CHP) generation. A thermodynamic model has been developed to
The system is based on the Organic Rankine Cycle characterise the performances of biomass ORC section
while a biomass burner and a concentrated solar power [5]-[7]. To this purpose, the REFPROP database has been
(CSP) system are arranged in series to produce the integrated with the energy model to define the properties
thermal energy and feed the ORC unit. The performances of the organic fluid [8]. For the analysis, a steady state
of hybrid configurations have been compared with the condition has been assumed, while pressure drops and
traditional ORC fuelled with biomass heat losses in the system components have been
neglected.
The ORC electric and cogeneration efficiency have
been evaluated as follows [9]-[11]:
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25th European Biomass Conference and Exhibition, 12-15 June 2017, Stockholm, Sweden
Pel
hel = (1)
Qth
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25th European Biomass Conference and Exhibition, 12-15 June 2017, Stockholm, Sweden
2.2 Parabolic trough collector (PTC) model and the Primary Energy Saving index (PES) have been
adopted as CHP merit parameters. The figure highlights
A concentrated solar power (CSP) system based on that the Energy Utilisation Factor presents similar values
parabolic trough collectors (PTC) has been integrated in for all the investigated evaporation temperatures
the CHP apparatus. A specific mathematical model has (~ 85.5%). Conversely, PES index is more sensitive to
been developed in order to evaluate the system the operating conditions and the higher saving capability
performances and estimate the thermal power of the PTC (PES = 21.0%) is found at the maximum temperature.
section, as a function of solar radiation and position.
The thermal power of the PTC system ( QPTC ) is
obtained as the difference between the total power at the
receivers ( QRe c ) and thermal losses ( QLos ), according to
the literature [17]-[19]:
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25th European Biomass Conference and Exhibition, 12-15 June 2017, Stockholm, Sweden
Figure 3: Influence of the condensation temperature on the energy integration is lower than 17% (from the grid
ORC electric and cogeneration efficiencies, EUF and for the electric load, from the auxiliary boiler for the
PES index. thermal request). Furthermore, results highlight that an
energy surplus is found, owing to the ORC characteristics
3.1 A micro-scale CHP application in Southern Italy at partial load.
A possible application of the biomass-fired ORC When the heat-driven mode is adopted, the CHP unit
system for micro-scale generation has been investigated. is able to satisfy up to 92.4% of the domestic thermal
To this purpose, the thermal input to the CHP unit has request, whereas the self-consumed electricity drops to
been fixed to 100 kWth, while the design evaporation and 57.5%. As already observed, energy integration is
condensation temperatures have been set to 300 °C and necessary to fulfil residential loads and a surplus
80 °C, respectively, in order to maximise the energetic production always exists.
performances, according to the previous investigation The analysis has been extended considering the
(ηel = 14.6%, ηcog = 82.6% and PES = 21.0%). In this possible coupling of the biomass-fired ORC unit with a
condition, the design electric and thermal power of the concentrated solar power (CSP) system based on
selected ORC system are 14.6 kWel and 70.8 kWth. parabolic trough collectors. Particularly, the biomass
The analysis has been focused on a possible domestic burner and CSP system are arranged in series to produce
application in Naples (Southern Italy). The thermal the thermal energy and feed the ORC system, as shown in
demand takes into account the typical space heating and Figure 1.
hot water request while the electric demand considers the The solar multiple has been fixed to 2 while the
consumption of domestic lighting system and appliances, design Direct Normal Irradiance (DNI) has been set to
including air conditioners during the hot season [22]. 800 W/m2 according to the literature [17]. Priority is
Figure 4 shows the daily thermal (a) and electric (b) given to the solar source when the radiation is high, while
load of a single apartment during winter, summer and the biomass boiler works when the solar irradiance is not
intermediate seasons. The annual thermal and electric sufficient to satisfy the demand of domestic users. The
demands have been evaluated equal to 9177 kWhth and idea is to improve the performances of the biomass ORC
2703 kWhel, respectively. system considering the high integrability level of biomass
The CHP unit has been defined in order to satisfy the and solar source.
thermal request of residential users and the maximum As expected, the investigation reveals that the
rectangle method has been employed, considering also biomass consumption in the hybrid configuration reduces
partial load operations (Te = 150 ÷ 300°C) [23]. To this with respect to the biomass-fired CHP system (Figure 6),
purpose, the load-duration diagram, with the hourly heat- owing to the significant contribution of the solar field,
demand values, has been used and a 2.83 kWth has been whereas energy performances (self-consumption,
found as the suggested value of the heating unit for a integration, and surplus) of biomass and hybrid units are
single apartment. the same. Specifically, the biomass saving percentage is
As a consequence, the selected CHP system 18.7% (from 168.2 to 136.7 t/year) when the electric-
(Pth = 70.8 kWth and Pel = 14.6 kWel) is able to satisfy the driven strategy is adopted, and 18.2% (from 162.4 to
energetic request of 25 apartments. 132.9 t/year) for the heat-driven mode.
Figure 5 shows the percentage annual energy balance It is worthy to notice that the selected ORC systems
with respect to the global demand, considering both guarantee 77 MWhel and 529 MWhth per year, when
electric- and heat-driven operation strategies. CHPs are operated following the electric load. On the
Specifically, for the electrically-driven mode, the self- other hand, thermal-driven units produce 69 MWhel and
consumed electric and thermal energy are 85.9% and 515 MWhth.
83.6% of the annual demand, respectively. Consequently,
Figure 4: Daily profiles of thermal (a) and electric (b) demand of a single apartment during a typical day in winter, summer
and intermediate seasons - Naples (Southern Italy).
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4 CONCLUSIONS
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Optimization of solar integration in biomass fuelled steam plants, Energy Procedia, 81 (2015) 390-398.
Figure 7: Monthly electric (a) and thermal (b) balance for the hybrid CHP system for the electric-driven strategy.
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