System development for solar energy-based hydrogen production and on-site combustion in HCCI engine for power generation

A solar energy based multigeneration system including hydrogen production and its on-site utilization in homogeneous charge compression ignition (HCCI) engine is developed and analyzed energetically and exergetically. This unique design of power generation through on-site utilization of hydrogen minimizes the high costs associated with the transportation and space storage of hydrogen. The exhaust of HCCI engine is used to run an organic Rankine cycle (ORC) turbine and the heat rejected from the ORC working fluid at the exit of turbine is further used to operate an absorption chiller to cool photovoltaic (PV) panels. The operating conditions and their influence on energy and exergy efficiency of overall system and PV panels, and output power of HCCI engine are examined. This innovative cooling system greatly improves the energy and exergy efficiencies of PV panels from 14.9% and 15.7% to 20.7% and 21.8%, respectively. The energy and exergy efficiencies of the overall system are improved significantly, from 37.4% and 33.6% to 53.4% and 46.8%, respectively, after incorporating ORC turbine and absorption chiller. The maximum power generation by the HCCI engine is found to be in the order of 4800 kW. This proposed system appears to be superior to conventional solar-based hydrogen production systems.