Life Cycle Cost Of System Research Articles

Long-Term Comparative Life Cycle Assessment, Cost, and Comfort Analysis of Heavyweight vs. Lightweight Construction Systems in a Mediterranean Climate

Massive construction systems have always characterized traditional architecture and are currently the most prevalent, straightforward, and cost-effective in many Mediterranean countries. However, in recent years, the construction industry has gradually shifted towards using lightweight, dry construction techniques. This study aims to assess the effects on energy consumption, comfort levels, and environmental sustainability resulting from the adoption of five high-performance construction systems in a multi-family residential building: (i) reinforced concrete structure with low-transmittance thermal block infill; (ii) reinforced concrete structure with light-clay bricks and outer thermal insulation; (iii) steel frame; (iv) cross-laminated timber (CLT); (v) timber-steel hybrid structure. To achieve this goal, a multidisciplinary approach was employed, including the analysis of thermal parameters, the evaluation of indoor comfort through the adaptive model and Fanger’s PMV, and the quantification of environmental and economic impacts through life cycle assessment and life cycle cost applied in a long-term analysis (ranging from 30 to 100 years). The results highlight that heavyweight construction systems are the most effective in terms of comfort, cost, and long-term environmental impact (100 years), while lightweight construction systems generally have higher construction costs, provide lower short-term environmental impacts (30 years), and offer intermediate comfort depending on the thermal mass.

Optimal design of concentrated solar power-based hydrogen refueling station: Mixed integer linear programming approach

This paper developed a mixed integer linear programming model to optimally design hydrogen refueling station coupled with an on-grid concentrated solar power. The model aims to minimize the total life cycle cost of the integrated system addressing various constraints. The utility of the proposed model is validated using hydrogen refueling station under the weather conditions of Dhahran city, Saudi Arabia. The station fulfills the daily hydrogen requirements of taxi-fleet in Dhahran city, estimating a daily demand of 4202 kg of hydrogen. The proposed hydrogen refueling station requires a solar field of 71,721 square meters to generate 50,233 MWh of energy annually. The on-grid concentrated solar power system is determined to produce an excess energy of 10,515 MWh which is exported to the grid, highlighting positive economic impact. The levelized cost of hydrogen of the proposed system is 7.17 $/kg. The achieved results validated the feasibility and efficiency of the proposed system, positioning it as a sustainable solution for meeting the rising demand for clean and green transportation in the region.

Data-driven study/optimization of a solar power and cooling generation system in a transient operation mode and proposing a novel multi-turbine modification concept to reduce the sun's intermittent effect

This study explores the integration of solar energy via parabolic trough collectors (PTC) with the Goswami cycle, focusing on evaluating life cycle costs (LCC) and energy performance in both steady-state and transient conditions. A suitable system configuration of a single-turbine Goswami cycle is designed for integration with PTC. Then, in the system's steady-state, a parametric study is performed based on the change in the design components. Subsequently, a multi-objective optimization method using energy and lifetime cost objectives are defined to identify the best system performance. This optimization technique utilizes artificial neural network (ANN) and the grey wolf optimizer (GWO) algorithm. Accordingly, the transient performance of the system is investigated during its optimal operating point using the TRNSYS software. Suitable controllers are considered for regulating power production and cooling system. Annual transient performance graphs of the systems are obtained. Following these investigations, a novel multi-turbine system is proposed. This configuration aims to enhance system reliability and diminish the reliance on storage devices by optimizing performance. The proper configuration of the five-turbine system with the required controllers is also provided. Hence, the method of dividing the turbine into similar turbines with lower capacity is a new concept proposed in this study. In the optimal state, it is observed that for 100 kW of net power output, 161 kW of effective cooling load can be achieved. At this configuration, the system's LCC amounts to 2.91 M. Moreover, during transient operation, an average power of 90 kW is attainable with a cooling load of 120 kW. The findings indicate that modifying the system from single turbine to five-turbines incurs an additional cost of approximately 9.2 % and reduces power output by 6 %. However, this modification significantly mitigates the transient impact of solar fluctuations.

How to choose mobile energy storage or fixed energy storage in high proportion renewable energy scenarios: Evidence in China

With the large-scale integration of renewable energy and changes in load characteristics, the power system is facing challenges of volatility and instability. Therefore, enhancing the safe and stable operation capability of the power system is an urgent problem that needs to be solved. Mobile energy storage can improve system flexibility, stability, and regional connectivity, and has the potential to serve as a supplement or even substitute for fixed energy storage in the future. However, there are few studies that comprehensively evaluate the operational performance and economy of fixed and mobile energy storage systems. To comprehensively evaluate the economic benefits of large-scale mobile energy storage systems, this paper constructs an overall horizontal cost model for energy storage systems that considers the power system and train transportation system. This model not only introduces the traditional concept of lifecycle cost of energy storage systems, but also considers the costs of traditional transmission lines and battery transportation. Secondly, to achieve simulation of large-scale mobile energy storage system planning and operation, this paper establishes a multi-region power planning and operation simulation (MPO) model and a battery transportation and logistics (BTL) model to accurately reflect the operation mode of fixed energy storage and mobile energy storage in the power system. Finally, taking the actual power grids and railway networks in Northeast and North China as case studies, this article provides an in-depth analysis of the technical, economic, and environmental performance of large fixed and mobile energy storage systems, and conducts a detailed comparison. The research results indicate that under high grid connection ratios (using 75% and 66% as examples), the overall cost of mobile energy storage systems continues to decrease to 1.42 CNY/kWh and 0.98 CNY/kWh. Compared to fixed energy storage at 5.45 CNY/kWh and 4.79 CNY/kWh, it has an absolute economic advantage and shows significant carbon reduction capabilities, reaching 241,800 to 1,394,600 tons. This discovery fully confirms the enormous potential and application value of mobile energy storage in high proportion renewable energy scenarios, providing strong technical support and economic analysis basis for the sustainable development of the power system.

Decommissioned open-pit mines are potential geothermal sources of heating or cooling for nearby population centres

In the shift to cleaner technologies, coal thermal power plants and mines will be decommissioned earlier than planned. These open-pit coal mines show potential as a geothermal source/sink for space heating and cooling, yet this post-closure use option remains unexplored. Here, we assess the techno-economic feasibility of providing heating and cooling using a decommissioned mine pit as a source or sink of heat for nearby population centres. Mixed integer quadratically constrained programming is employed for operational optimisation. The results show that thermal provisioning, considering centralised and decentralised arrangements, is economically competitive under specific scenarios regarding commodities prices, thermal demands and pit source temperature. Notably, a higher pit temperature reduces the overall thermal provisioning costs for residential thermal demands. Improvements in the economics due to transmission pipeline insulation are limited. While an expected decline in the system lifecycle costs occurs for decreasing electricity prices, the results highlight that the relative economic competitiveness of the thermal systems is tied to the individual alternatives’ performance at the same commodities prices. Overall, this paper identifies general conditions for techno-economic competitiveness for the implementation of shallow geothermal systems in the context of mine closure.

Technical and economic feasibility of applying fuel cells as the power source of unmanned aerial vehicles

This study aims to quantitatively compare the weight, cost, and flight endurance of small unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) powered by batteries and fuel cells. We compare the use of lithium-polymer (LiPo) batteries, proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs), and direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs) in powering two representative small UAVs: KHawk-Thermal (fixed-wing, 1.4 m wingspan) and KHawk-CarbonQuad (quadcopter, 0.7 m diagonal length). This study uses experimentally measured polarization curves of fuel cells and power consumption data of LiPo-powered UAVs during flight tests as input to obtain the minimum mass, power consumption, and life cycle costs (LCC) of these power systems. The analyses consider the voltage, efficiency, and power at each current density to find the optimal operating current density to obtain the minimum weight and cost of fuel cell systems to obtain the desired flight endurance. The LiPo battery is the most cost-effective option to power UAVs with an endurance of 0.7 hrs (42 min) or less. At medium flight endurance (e.g., 0.8 – 2.1 hrs), the PEMFC system has the lowest mass and LCC. While hydrogen is the most energy-dense fuel, hydrogen storage significantly increases the mass and cost of the system. For UAVs undergoing long endurance missions (>2.2 hrs for fixed-wing UAVs, > 4.3 hrs for quadcopter UAVs), a DMFC system has the lowest mass and power consumption due to the high energy density of methanol and its simple storage requirements. This study also analyzes the impact of key parameters, such as the specific energy and power of battery and fuel cells, the mass ratio of hydrogen storage, and the lift-to-drag ratio, on UAVs' mass and power consumption.

Optimal sizing of an integrated renewable energy system and effective utilization of surplus energy in electric vehicle charging

Renewable energy based power generation has proven to be a viable standalone option in areas where extending the grid is challenging. This study addresses this issue by assessing the possibility of an integrated renewable energy system (IRES) to electrify twelve villages in the Uttarakhand state of India. Four battery energy storage (BES) devices, namely Lead-Acid (LA), Sodium-Sulfur (NAS), Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion), and Nickel-Iron (Ni-Fe) are considered for storage in this study. Using the Chimp optimization algorithm (ChOA) on the MATLAB© platform, eight different configurations consisting of solar photovoltaic (SPV) array, a micro-hydropower (MHP) plant, and a biogas generator (BGG) are modeled and optimized. The study reveals that the optimal IRES configuration with the lowest cost and highest performance comprises 676 SPV panels (260 kWp), one MHP plant (25 kW), one BGG (40 kW), and 648 NAS batteries (778 kWh). This configuration has a total system life cycle cost (LCC) of INR 68.77 million and cost of energy (COE) of 16.77 INR/kWh at 0 % loss of power supply probability. The optimization problem was run 1–50 times and found that the proposed ChOA algorithm is more robust compared to others, displaying the lowest Best, Worst, and Mean values of LCC (across all eight configurations), convergence rapidity (26th iteration), and least computational time (3481 sec). However, GWO (seven configurations), MFO (34th iteration), and GA (4154 sec) stand very close to ChOA performance in terms of providing minimum LCCs, convergence rapidity, and computational time, respectively. Furthermore, surplus energy (SE) is effectively utilized by incorporating electric vehicles (EVs) as dump load in the system. The proposed integrated charging (IC) strategy outperforms other charging strategies by energizing 134 EVs, utilizing 99.59 % of SE, and reducing the total COE to 10.57 INR/kWh. Finally, the proposed IC strategy results in a net saving of 94,479.39 tons of greenhouse gas emissions. These findings support the feasibility of implementing a standalone IRES to electrify the study area and provide electricity to EVs.

Optimal use of renewable energy technologies during building schematic design phase

An increasing number of federal and state regulations and financial incentive programs have been enacted in recent years to promote renewable energy systems integration in new buildings. This requires designers to analyze the initial and lifecycle costs of feasible renewable energy systems in order to optimize their integration in buildings during all design phases. The goal of this study is to support designers in generating optimal building schematic designs to maximize the integration and generation of onsite renewable energy. To accomplish this goal, this paper presents the development of a novel multi-objective optimization model that can be used during the schematic design phase to identify optimal building design decisions including dimensions, orientation, location on site, solid-to-void ratio, and the type and size of onsite renewable energy systems. The optimization objectives of the developed model focus on maximizing the generation of onsite renewable energy, maximizing savings-to-investment ratio of all integrated renewable energy, and minimizing both construction and renewable energy costs. An application example of optimizing the schematic design of a 6500 m2 building was analyzed to highlight the model original contributions and its novel capabilities. The results of this analysis highlight the original contributions of the developed model and its novel capabilities that can be used to maximize the generation of onsite renewable energy and its savings-to-investment ratio while minimizing building cost by optimizing building schematic design and renewable energy (RE) technology decisions.

Life cycle optimization framework of charging–swapping integrated energy supply systems for multi-type vehicles

The energy supply infrastructure is an important guarantee for vehicle electrification. Its economy, service capability and grid friendliness are critical factors drawing wide attention. To reduce the cost of energy storage devices that alleviate the high-power grid impact from fast charging station, this study proposes a novel energy supply system configuration that integrates fast charging for passenger vehicles and battery swapping for heavy trucks, and discharges the large-capacity swapping batteries to support fast charging. The influences of station configurations, including in-station batteries, charging and swapping equipment on the system economy, service quality, and grid capacity demand are revealed through system modeling and analysis. The impact of the charging time on battery degradation during operation is also explored. Moreover, a life cycle optimization framework for the charging–swapping integrated system is formulated, together with the complementary control strategy that realizes bidirectional energy coupling of fast charging and battery swapping loads. In this framework, the battery swapping service model is established to quantify the service quality; the electrochemical mechanism model is used to evaluate the battery degradation during charging and discharging processes; and the life cycle cost model is established by integrating the investment and operation costs of the energy supply system. On this basis, the design and control variables are collaboratively optimized towards the maximal life cycle benefits. Based on the actual load characteristics of charging and swapping stations, a comparative study is performed for the proposed operation scheme and the general service quality-prioritized scheme. The obtained results show that the maximum station power is reduced by more than 0.6 MW, and the total life cycle cost of the energy supply system is reduced by over 1 million RMB under the proposed scheme, verifying its notable effect of life cycle economy improvement.

Analysis of the Life Cycle Cost of a Heat Recovery System from Greywater Using a Vertical “Tube-in-Tube” Heat Exchanger: Case Study of Poland

Significant amounts of waste heat are deposited in greywater, which can be utilized, among other things, for heating domestic hot water in residential buildings. The manuscript presents an economic analysis of a greywater heat recovery system using a vertical heat exchanger of the “tube-in-tube” type in a single-family building. The analysis is based on the results of experimental research on the energy efficiency of three domestic hot water preparation systems equipped with a vertical heat exchange unit. The analyzed systems had different concepts for the flow of preheated water and cold water. The research showed that the implementation of a vertical “tube-in-tube” heat exchanger can reduce the energy consumption for domestic hot water preparation by approximately 45.7% to 60.8%, depending on the system variant. Furthermore, it was determined that the energy savings associated with reducing domestic hot water consumption can cover the investment costs related to the purchase and system of the heat exchanger within a period of 2 to 5 years of system operation, depending on the design variant and the unit price of electricity.

4E analysis and multi-objective optimization of compression/ejection transcritical CO2 heat pump with latent thermal heat storage

To promote the goal of peak carbon dioxide emissions and carbon neutrality, low-energy consumption buildings require innovative technologies and efficient energy management. In this paper, the multi-objective optimization and the energy, exergy, economic and environmental (4E) analyses of the compression/ejection transcritical CO2 heat pump with latent thermal storage (TPE-LTES) system are conducted, and the influences of crucial parameters on the system performance are evaluated. The results show that the optimal comprehensive COP and annual hot water production (mDHW) of the TPE-LTES system are 3.59 and 3110 tons, respectively. Then, the comprehensive exergy efficiency of the TPE-LTES system owns 48.93 % higher than that of the heat pump unit. Furthermore, the optimal life-cycle cost (LCC) and life-cycle CO2 emissions (LCCE) of the TPE-LTES system are 708,073 CNY and 575,512.79 kg, respectively. Moreover, with constant discharge pressure, the evaporative superheat can be preferentially increased to reduce the system LCC and LCCE. Finally, the comprehensive COP and exergy efficiency of the system can be improved by increasing the inlet water temperature, while the increasing inlet water flow rate is the least desirable. This work is helpful to promote the research and application of latent heat storage unit integrated into air source heat pump.

Design of High-Performing Hybrid Ground Source Heat Pump (GSHP) System in an Educational Building

Underground thermal imbalance poses a challenge to the sustainability of ground source heat pump systems. Designing hybrid GSHP systems with a back-up energy source offers a potential way to address underground thermal imbalance and maintain system performance. This study aims to investigate different methods, including adjusting indoor heating and cooling setpoints and dimensioning air handling unit (AHU) cooling coils, heat pump and borehole field, for improving the long-term performance of a hybrid GSHP system coupled to district heating and an air-cooled chiller. The system performance, life cycle cost and CO2 emissions were analyzed based on 25-year simulations in IDA ICE 4.8. The results showed studied methods can significantly improve the hybrid GSHP system performance. By increasing the AHU cooling water temperature level and decreasing indoor heating and cooling setpoints, the ground thermal imbalance ratio was reduced by 12 percentage points, and the minimum borehole outlet brine temperature was increased by 3 °C in the last year. However, ensuring long-term operation still required a reduction in GSHP capacity or an increase in the total borehole length. The studied methods had varying effects on the total CO2 emissions, while insignificantly affecting the life cycle cost of the hybrid GSHP system.

Economic Analysis of Gas Supply System For Dual Fuel Engines With Life Cycle Cost

The regulations of the international maritime organization (IMO) on ship emission are becoming increasingly strict. Liquefied natural gas (LNG) is an ideal alternative fuel for vessels, considering its environmental and economic advantages. This paper compares the life cycle cost (LCC) of LNG ships low pressure gas supply system (FGSS). Comparative analysis of the three main pressurization modes for supplying LNG in the low pressure gas supply system, namely external gas source pressurization, self-pressurization and cryogenic pump boost. Through modeling in Aspen HYSYS software, system operation is simulated, life cycle costs are compared, and the implementation effects of the three system schemes are analyzed and evaluated. The application of life cycle economic analysis in ships mainly focuses on the overall energy saving and emission reduction of ships. Its application in low pressure gas supply systems for dual-fuel engines is rare. This study helps the gas supply system choose the most economical and applicable scheme in practical applications.

Considering embodied CO2 emissions and carbon compensation cost in life cycle cost optimization of carbon-neutral building energy systems

Renewable energy (RE) technologies are regarded as a solution to the climate impact of buildings, but some of these technologies contain embodied CO2 emissions, which have been ignored in most studies. Previous studies found carbon compensation to be necessary for reaching carbon neutrality as even the least carbon-intensive energy production technologies contain emissions related to manufacturing. The novelty of this study was to combine emission and cost calculations into a single method by including the compensation cost for the carbon footprint in the total life cycle cost (LCC) of carbon-neutral building energy systems. Embodied emissions were included in the carbon footprint of the building energy system in addition to operational emissions. The implemented RE technologies were dimensioned in an optimization loop by minimizing the total LCC of the energy system. The method was tested in a case study. The embodied emissions of the studied RE technology options for the case building accounted for up to 48% of the total carbon footprint, and carbon compensation accounted for 0.3–1.9% of the total LCC. The method was proven to be applicable to the cost-optimal dimensioning of carbon-neutral energy system options and is recommended for use in further studies regarding carbon-neutral building energy systems.

An investigation of the cooling, heating and power systems integration with carbon capture and storage for LNG carriers

ABSTRACT This study investigates the cooling, heating and power (CHP) systems integration with the carbon capture and storage (CCS) for different LNG carriers. Different integration levels of conventional waste heat recovery, boil-off natural gas (BO-NG) reliquefaction, CO2 capture and liquefaction, and ORC systems are modelled and simulated using Aspen HYSYS. Thermoeconomic optimisation is also carried out using Genetic algorithm method. Results demonstrate that using CCS system is more cost-effective than paying European Union carbon tax for LNG carriers. Integrating the BO-NG and CO2 liquefaction cycles could reduce the total life cycle cost of the CCS system up to 17%. Optimised results show that selecting working pressure is very critical for the liquefaction of BO-NG and CO2. CHP system using ORC reduces the energy penalty of the CCS system, however, it increases the total life cycle cost of the system due to its initial cost and relatively low exergy efficiency.

Lifecycle Cost Optimization for Electric Bus Systems With Different Charging Methods: Collaborative Optimization of Infrastructure Procurement and Fleet Scheduling

Battery electric buses (BEBs) have been regarded as effective options for sustainable mobility while their promotion is highly affected by the total cost associated with their entire life cycle from the perspective of urban transit agencies. In this research, we develop a collaborative optimization model for the lifecycle cost of BEB system, considering both overnight and opportunity charging methods. This model aims to jointly optimize the initial capital cost and use-phase operating cost by synchronously planning the infrastructure procurement and fleet scheduling. In particular, several practical factors, such as charging pattern effect, battery downsizing benefits, and time-of-use dynamic electricity price, are considered to improve the applicability of the model. A hybrid heuristic based on the tabu search and immune genetic algorithm is customized to effectively solve the model that is reformulated as the bi-level optimization problem. A numerical case study is presented to demonstrate the model and solution method. The results indicate that the proposed optimization model can help to reduce the lifecycle cost by 7.77% and 6.64% for overnight and opportunity charging systems, respectively, compared to the conventional management strategy. Additionally, a series of simulations for sensitivity analysis are conducted to further evaluate the key parameters and compare their respective life cycle performance. The policy implications for BEB promotion are also discussed.

Performance Investigation of Life Cycle Cost and CO2 Emissions of the Solar PV System

Abstract: With depletion of fossil fuel resources, the world is moving towards the use of non-conventional energy resources; among which the solar energy is pollution free and inexhaustible option. In this study, energy based analysis of photovoltaic (PV) system is analyzed for the climate of Madhav Institute of Technology and science, Gwalior, India and carbon credit is earned and calculated for the same. This analysis of PV system is done based on monthly performance of the system and life of 30 years. Embodied energy and Energy Payback (EPB) is also analyzed for calculation of reduction in CO2 emission while generating of electrical energy.

Structural health monitoring and finite-element modelling of Suramadu Bridge, Indonesia

Structural health monitoring (SHM) has received significant public attention due to its potential to optimise the maintenance, long-term reliability and life-cycle cost of infrastructure systems. The main goal of SHM is to identify, characterise and diagnose anomalous performance of structures. Usually, the most common approach to attain this goal is by investigation of variations in structural natural frequencies. However, both structural degradations and environmental conditions can affect structural performance and, therefore, decoupling natural frequency variations from operational conditions is essential. This paper reports on a monitoring system and measurement data of a long-span cable-stayed in Indonesia (Suramadu Bridge). The main objective of this work was to explore and report the environmental and operational conditions of the bridge for the first time. A detailed finite-element model was developed to investigate the operational performance of the bridge under different environmental conditions. The results showed that the vertical modal properties of the Suramadu Bridge are less affected by ambient excitations in comparison with lateral/torsional modes.

Regional Renewable Energy Optimization Based on Economic Benefits and Carbon Emissions

With increasing renewable energy utilization, the industry needs an accurate tool to select and size renewable energy equipment and evaluate the corresponding renewable energy plans. This study aims to bring new insights into sustainable and energy-efficient urban planning by developing a practical method for optimizing the production of renewable energy and carbon emission in urban areas. First, we provide a detailed formulation to calculate the renewable energy demand based on total energy demand. Second, we construct a dual-objective optimization model that represents the life cycle cost and carbon emission of renewable energy systems, after which we apply the differential evolution algorithm to solve the optimization result. Finally, we conduct a case study in Qingdao, China, to demonstrate the effectiveness of this optimization model. Compared to the baseline design, the proposed model reduced annual costs and annual carbon emissions by 14.39% and 72.65%, respectively. These results revealed that dual-objective optimization is an effective method to optimize economic benefits and reduce carbon emissions. Overall, this study will assist energy planners in evaluating the impacts of urban renewable energy projects on the economy and carbon emissions during the planning stage.

Development dynamic compliance cost model for implementation of ballast water management convention: shipowner perspective

The Ballast Water Management Convention (BWMC) regulates ship ballast water management to avoid the spread of aquatic invasive species. The convention requires all ships, including existing ones, to have a Ballast Water Treatment System (BWTS) onboard before September 8, 2024. There are some concerns about the compliance costs of BWMC, especially the additional cost of retrofitting cases. The ship retrofitting cost will depend on various factors, and it can be difficult for a shipowner to determine accurately. The procedure is intricate, and there are many factors to consider, such as the ship's size, BWTS system complexity, and the price of materials and modification level. In this paper, A proposed approach involves expert judgment to capture the effect of multi-stakeholder and estimate the compliance cost. As an essential part of the research methodology, the system dynamics method and life cycle cost are combined to develop a compliance cost model during the ship's lifetime. The simulation model shows that the confidence level of retrofitting costs for each BWTS is more than 94%. Therefore, the model can be used to estimate additional costs. As a result, BWTS type A is the most economical system for small tankers, with an estimated cost of USD 802,860 for the remaining 12 years of the ship's lifetime. Shipowners can use this model as a supporting decision tool to determine which BWTS would be suitable and assist in determining the budget necessary to comply with the BWMC.