Exergy analysis of a combined power and cooling cycle

Abstract This paper presents a comprehensive exergy analysis of a combined power and cooling cycle which combines a Rankine and absorption refrigeration cycle by using ammonia–water mixture as working fluid. A thermodynamic model was developed in Matlab ® to find out the effect of pressure ratio, ammonia mass fraction at the absorber and turbine efficiency on the total exergy destruction of the cycle. The contribution of each cycle component on the total exergy destruction was also determined. The results showed that total exergy destruction decreases when pressure ratio increases, and reaches a maximum at x  ≈ 0.5, when ammonia mass fraction is varied at absorber. Also, it was found that the absorber, the boiler and the turbine had the major contribution to the total exergy destruction of the cycle, and the increase of the turbine efficiency reduces the total exergy destruction. The effect of rectification cooling source (external and internal) on the cycle output was investigated, and the results showed that internal rectification cooling reduces the total exergy destruction of the cycle. Finally, the effect of the presence or absence of the superheater after the rectification process was determined and it was obtained that the superheated condition reduces the exergy destruction of the cycle at high turbine efficiency values.