Exergy analysis and environmental impact assessment of a photovoltaic-hydrogen production system

Abstract

In this study, exergy analysis and environmental impact assessment of a Photovoltaic (PV)-hydrogen production system and its components are carried out. Actual data measured in the system are employed for analysis purposes. Daily hydrogen production amount from solar energy through water electrolysis is 4.43 kg. The average system exergy efficiency is determined to be 3.18%. It is found that the highest exergy destruction occurs in the PVs. In the PVs, 93.3% of the total exergy input (incoming solar exergy) is destroyed. The second highest exergy destruction is from the electrolyser as 4.76% of the total exergy destruction. The average percent exergy destructions are 1.29% and 1.94% for charge controllers-inverter and batteries, respectively. Copyright © 2011 Inderscience Enterprises Ltd.