Author(s)

K. M. Pandey & R. Deb

Abstract

Thermo-economic optimization has to be carried out for an irreversible solar driven heat engine using finite-time/finite-size thermodynamic theory. In the considered heat engine model, heat transfer from the hot reservoir is assumed to be radiation mode and the heat transfer to the cold reservoir is assumed to be convection mode. The power output per unit total cost is taken as the objective function. The steps of problem formulation are rightly performed and all valid assumptions are taken into consideration. The effects of the irreversibility parameter, economical parameter and the design parameters on the thermo-economic objective function have been investigated. Keywords: finite-time/finite-size thermodynamics, irreversible, solar-driven heat engine, thermoeconomic optimization. 1 Introduction India is endowed with abundant solar energy for about 70% of the yearly period. Solar driven heat engine systems, which consist of a solar collector and a heat engine, have a large potential for saving fossil fuel and decreasing environmental pollution. The schematic diagram of a solar driven heat engine is shown in fig.1. The energy from solar radiation is collected and utilized to generate steam to run turbines. As temperature required for steam generation is considerably high (200°C), for obtaining reasonably high efficiencies, concentration type of collectors are used when steam is used as working fluid.

Keywords

finite-time/finite-size thermodynamics, irreversible, solar-driven heat engine, thermoeconomic optimization.