Thermo-enviro-exergoeconomic analysis of solar chimney compared with heller tower in fars combined cycle power plant

Abstract

Given the reduced efficiency of the Heller tower under adverse weather conditions, the solar chimney integrated with Forgo radiators offers an innovative alternative to the traditional Heller tower. This system, which utilizes solar radiation, not only generates electricity but also cools the hot water exiting the power plant's condenser. The present research demonstrates how the combined solar chimney system can not only outperform the Heller tower but also deliver superior energy and exergy efficiencies along with environmental benefits. Thermo, exergoeconomic, and environmental analyses were conducted using Engineering Equation Solver (EES) software, considering various wind speeds and turbine pressure drops. Results show that heat dissipation from the radiators increased by -3.47 %, +23.13 %, and +29.43 % at wind speeds of 5, 10, and 15 m/s, respectively, indicating enhanced cooling performance at higher wind speeds. Correspondingly, exergy destruction in the solar chimney with radiators increased by 0.0198 %, 7.17 %, and 16.7 %, respectively. The solar chimney system achieved improved energy and exergy efficiencies and reduced CO₂ emissions compared to the conventional Heller tower. Energy efficiency changed by -0.96 %, +6.28 %, and +11.24 %, while exergy efficiency changed by -0.97 %, +6.28 %, and +0.26 %, respectively. The cost rate of exergy destruction decreased by 0.049 % at 5 m/s and increased by 1.94 % and 1.90 % at 10 and 15 m/s. Meanwhile, the normalized CO₂ emissions decreased by 0.88 %, 2.82 %, 12.26 %, and 18.67 % across all wind speeds, indicating a significant environmental improvement compared to the conventional Heller tower.