Multi-scenario model for optimal design of seawater air-conditioning systems under demand uncertainty

Abstract

Seawater air conditioning (SWAC) systems use deep seawater as a cooling utility. SWAC systems are receiving increasing attention as an integral component of sustainable cooling units of lodging complexes because of the availability of seawater, the substitution of chemicals refrigerants, low achievable temperature, low environmental impact, and large potential savings in energy consumption compared to conventional air-conditioning systems. The design of these systems depends mainly on the energy demand of each hotel in each month; however, there is uncertainty in this variable, since it depends on the season of the year, being lower in months of low occupancy and higher in months of high tourist occupancy. This paper presents a multi-objective optimization with a probabilistic formulation approach for designing these systems under seasonal energy demand uncertainty. The model seeks to meet the demands of air conditioning in hotels using deep seawater considering technical aspects and seeks to minimize the total annual cost while minimizing emissions of greenhouse gases. The results show the importance of accounting uncertainty in the design of these systems. • a multi-objective multi-scenario stochastic model for the optimal design of SWAC networks is presented • SWAC systems are an environmentally friendly alternative to conventional AC systems • The flexibility in the operation of the system can compensate the uncertainty in the energy demand