In this study, solar energy-based integrated gasification system designed to produce multiple useful commodities, such as hydrogen, biogas, freshwater, domestic hot water, and power, for a sustainable community is developed and presented. COVID-19 has shown humanity the importance of renewable energy systems and proper waste management systems. In this developed system, the shredded waste tires are used to produce energy in the form of hydrogen and the syngas produced at the gasification unit. It is further utilized for the closed Rankine cycle and Forward-Multi Effect Desalination Unit. This hybrid system is also incorporated with integrated anaerobic digestion and composting unit to create a circular economy unlike traditional systems. This proposed system is simulated dynamically by investigating the effect of changing solar intensities throughout the months in a year. Furthermore, the gasification products are analyzed by altering the steam and oxygen feed rate within the system. This system utilizes closed landfills with a renewable energy system, Solar Tower Cycle, to produce energy and steam. This steam is then further utilized at the gasification unit as a gasification agent to increase hydrogen production. The total energy and freshwater produced within this integrated system is calculated to be 163 MW/h and 2.16 tonnes during its operation in a day. In addition, the hydrogen to fuel ratio at the gasifier and the hourly methane production at the anaerobic digestion unit are found to be 0.175 and 309 m3/h, respectively. The overall energy and exergy efficiency of this proposed system is observed to be 74% and 73%, in this order.
Development of a sustainable community with an integrated renewable and waste to energy system for multiple useful outputs