Design and Comprehensive Analysis of a Solar-Biomass Hybrid System With Hydrogen Production and Storage: Towards Self-Sufficient Wastewater Treatment Plants

Abstract

This paper comprehensively investigates a novel solar-biomass hybrid system designed to produce power, heating, hydrogen, methane, and digestate. The system's design is grounded in regional weather patterns and site-specific resource availability. A comprehensive thermodynamic and exergoeconomic analysis, based on the first and second laws of thermodynamics, is performed alongside parametric studies to evaluate the influence of key parameters on system performance. Multi-objective optimization employs a genetic algorithm facilitated by an artificial neural network to reduce computational time and balance exergy efficiency and total cost. The Pareto front is generated, and the TOPSIS method is employed to identify the optimal trade-off point. The system integrates an auxiliary boiler powered by stored hydrogen and methane to maintain consistent operation during periods of low solar irradiance. Key findings include a base-case overall energy efficiency of 78.67 % and exergy efficiency of 60.41 %. The base-case unit cost of hydrogen is determined to be $3.174/kg, demonstrating competitive viability. Integrating the biomass subsystem with the solar plant resulted in a 40 % increase in exergy efficiency and a 35 % improvement in the total unit cost of products compared to a stand-alone solar system. Optimized system parameters yielded an exergy efficiency of 55.52 % and a total cost rate of 14.98 M $/year. These results confirm the potential of this hybrid system as a promising sustainable solution for developing self-sufficient wastewater treatment plants.