Investigating the effect of energy storage tanks on thermoeconomic optimization of integrated combined cooling, heating and power generation with desalination plant

Abstract

In this study, optimal design of combined cooling, heating and power and freshwater (CCHPW) generation system using multi-effect evaporation with thermal vapor compression (MED-TVC), thermal and cooling storage tank is investigated. Gas engine is selected as the main prime mover for simultaneous production of heat and power. Nominal capacity of the gas engine, 24 partial loads for gas engine, 12 partial loads for absorption chiller, 12 partial loads for electrical chiller, backup boiler capacity, nominal capacity of TES tank, nominal capacity of CES tank, desalination number of effects, the motive steam pressure in the first effect, feed water flow rate and motive steam flow rate are selected as 56 design parameters. Total annual cost (TAC) is considered as objective function and optimization is performed using genetic algorithm. Four different configurations including multigeneration, multigeneration + TES, multigeneration + CES and multigeneration + TES + CES are examined to find the importance of energy storage tanks. It should be noted that, the system is allowable/unallowable to buying/selling electricity from/to the grid. The optimum results revealed 7.32 %, 2.39 % and 4.02 % reduction in the total annual cost of the multigeneration + TES + CES as compared to multigeneration, multigeneration + TES and multigeneration + CES, respectively. By considering storage tank, the reduction percentage of operational costs (RPOC) of multigeneration + TES + CES as compared to multigeneration, multigeneration + CES, multigeneration + TES is estimated 16.52 %, 10.25 % and 6.10 %, respectively. Eventually, the optimum results in various cases were compared and results were argued.