Thermoeconomic optimization of the SOL-14 plant

The Sol-14 plant is a solar multi-effect distillation system installed at the Plataforma Solar de Almería, a solar research centre located in southeastern Spain, near Almería. In July 1988 the first start-up of the plant took place, which was connected to the previous existing solar facilities. In the second phase of the project, a double-effect absorption heat pump (DEAHP) was coupled to the MED plant that was already installed. Results of the thermoeconomic analysis performed show direct steam generation (DSG) parabolic troughs exhibit great potential for improving the Sol-14 plant. Replacing the oil-based technology by DSG presents many advantages from the point of view of thermodynamics, environmental hazards of oils, land use, use of materials or lifetime of the solar collectors.

The case studied here offers the following conclusions: • Direct steam generation parabolic troughs exhibit great potential for improving the Sol14 plant. • The replacing of oil-based technology by DSG presents many advantages from the point of view of thermodynamic, environmental hazard of oils, land use, use of materials or lifetime.