Integrating a High Solar Combi-Plus System using PCM Storage in a Smart Network: KSA Case Study

This study optimizes the performance and integration of a high solar combi-plus (HSC+) system in large scale smart network, aided with a phase change material (PCM) in providing the thermal loads of cooling, heating, and domestic hot water for a group of buildings all over the year without the use of any other auxiliary source of energy. The mathematical models of the system’s components including the evacuated tube heat pipe solar collectors, the PCM, the hot water driven lithium bromide absorption chiller, the heating system, and the domestic hot water tank were coupled in a fully programed calculator developed using "Visual Basic ©". The thermal and electrical consumption baselines were hourly simulated using the "Design Builder" Program, and then entered to the calculator to find the system’s optimized collectors and storage sizes.A feasibility study comparison shows that "The All-Centralized" is better than "The Semi-Centralized" configuration for integrating this system in a smart network for a group of 100 villas located in Riyadh KSA. Finally, applying a demand response scenario increases the system’s reliability through its ability in serving up to 7 % more of villas with the same installed smart network.