Desalination With a Solar-Assisted Heat Pump: An Economic Optimization

Author

Amin, Zakaria Mohd ; Maswood, A.I. ; Hawlader, M.N.A. ; Al-Ammar, Essam A. ; Orfi, Jamel ; Al-Ansary, Hany A.

Author_Institution

Energy Res. Inst., Nanyang Technol. Univ., Singapore, Singapore

Volume

7

Issue

4

fYear

2013

fDate

Dec. 2013

Firstpage

732

Lastpage

741

Abstract

The solar-assisted heat pump (SAHP) desalination, based on the Rankin cycle, operates in low temperature and utilizes both solar and ambient energy. An experimental SAHP desalination system has been constructed at the National University of Singapore, Singapore. The system consisted of two main sections: an SAHP and a water distillation section. Experiments were carried out under the different meteorological condition of Singapore and results showed that the system had a performance ratio close to 1.3. The heat pump has a coefficient of performance of about 8, with solar collector efficiencies of 80% and 60% for evaporator and liquid collectors, respectively. Economic analysis showed that at a production rate of 900 L/day and an evaporator collector area of around 70 m² will have a payback period of about 3.5 years.

Keywords

Rankine cycle; desalination; distillation; heat pumps; solar absorber-convertors; solar power; National University of Singapore; Rankine cycle; ambient energy; coefficient of performance; economic optimization analysis; evaporator collector; experimental SAHP desalination system; liquid collectors; solar collector efficiency; solar energy; solar-assisted heat pump desalination; temperature 60 degC; temperature 80 degC; water distillation; Desalination; Economics; Heat pumps; Production; Solar heating; Temperature measurement; Desalination; heat pump; payback period; solar evaporator collector;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Systems Journal, IEEE

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

1932-8184

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/JSYST.2012.2192757

Filename

6189729