An Innovative Design of a Solar Double-Chimney Power Plant for Electricity Generation

Emad Abdelsalam, Feras Kafiah, Fares Almomani, Muhammad Tawalbeh, Sanad Kiswani, Asma Khasawneh, Dana Ibrahim and Malek Alkasrawi
Additional contact information
Emad Abdelsalam: School of Engineering Technology, Al Hussein Technical University, Amman 11831, Jordan
Feras Kafiah: School of Engineering Technology, Al Hussein Technical University, Amman 11831, Jordan
Fares Almomani: Chemical Engineering Department, Qatar University, Doha 2713, Qatar
Muhammad Tawalbeh: Sustainable and Renewable Energy Engineering Department (SREE), University of Sharjah, Sharjah P.O. Box 27272, United Arab Emirates
Sanad Kiswani: School of Engineering Technology, Al Hussein Technical University, Amman 11831, Jordan
Asma Khasawneh: School of Engineering Technology, Al Hussein Technical University, Amman 11831, Jordan
Dana Ibrahim: School of Engineering Technology, Al Hussein Technical University, Amman 11831, Jordan
Malek Alkasrawi: Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin Parkside, Kenosha, WI 53141, USA

Energies, 2021, vol. 14, issue 19, 1-21

Abstract: The present work involves a new and novel upgrading design to the classical solar chimney power plant (SCPP) structure. The SCPP design was modified by adding a co-centric secondary external chimney to the SCPP structure to enhance energy production. In the new improved design, named the solar double-chimney power plant (SDCPP), the internal chimney, operates like a traditional SCPP to produce electricity during the daytime whereas the secondary external chimney operates as 10 cooling towers (CT) in a series. Each CT is equipped with a turbine and water sprinklers for further energy production. The new design offers the operation of the SCPP during the day and the continuous operation of the CT (day-and-night). A mathematical model that includes the energy and mass balance equations of the system was built using MATLAB. The SDCPP system produced up to 993 MWh of electrical energy, which is 2.6 times higher than the traditional SCPP (377 MWh). The new design configuration achieved a percentage of thermal efficiency (%? th ) of 1.6%, which is 200 times greater than the SCPP. The economic assessment of the new system revealed a 50% reduction in the localized cost of energy (LCOE) compared with traditional SCPP. The key advantage of the new design is related to the use of low-cost material in constructing the secondary chimney to reduce the fixed capital cost and prompt the economic feasibility of the system. Overall, the proposed SDCPP offers a feasible and economic solution to produce electricity and to potentially reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Keywords: SCPP; solar chimney; hybrid solar chimney; greenhouse gases (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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