Thermoeconomic analysis of a building cooling heating and power system driven by solar energy

Solar energy, as a kind of renewable energy resources, has drawn more attention in energy consumption due to its technical feasibility and environmental friendliness. This paper concerns a thermoeconomic analysis of a Building Cooling Heating and Power system (BCHP) driven by solar energy for multiple energy demand. A flat-plate solar collector is employed to collect the solar radiation transforming it into thermal energy. The thermal energy is stored in a thermal storage unit to ensure a continuous energy supplement when solar energy is insufficient. The BCHP subsystem includes an organic Rankine cycle and an ejector refrigeration cycle to yield electricity and cold capacity to users. The plate heat exchangers are used in the system for its compact structure, high heat transfer coefficient and low cost. R245fa is selected as the working fluid of the BCHP system owing to its good thermodynamic properties and the low environmental impacts. Based on the thermodynamic and economic models of the solar-powered BCHP system established, the influences of several key parameters, namely turbine inlet temperature, turbine inlet pressure, and condensation temperature, on the thermoeconomic performance of total system are examined respectively. The capital cost per capacity output of the BCHP system is selected to evaluate the thermoeconomic performance of system from the views of both thermodynamic and economic concerns. The results of the parametric analysis of the BCHP system show that the key parameters have significant effects on the system thermoeconomic performance.