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Multi-objective optimization of steam power plants for sustainable generation of electricity

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Abstract

A unified framework that combines process simulation and multi-objective optimization is presented to simultaneously maximize the annual profit, while minimizing environmental impact (i.e., greenhouse gas emissions) of steam power plants with fixed flowsheet structures. The proposed methodology includes the selection of suitable primary energy sources (i.e., fossil fuels, biomass, biofuels, and solar energy) for sustainable electricity generation. For solving the problem of optimal selection of energy sources, a linear model is developed and included within a highly nonlinear simulation model for the parameter optimization of steam power plants that is solved by using genetic algorithms. This approach is robust and avoids making discrete decisions. Life cycle assessment technique is used to quantify the greenhouse gas emissions resulting from different combinations of energy sources and operating conditions of the power plants. The thermodynamic properties for liquid water and steam are calculated rigorously using the IAPWS-IF 97 formulation. An example problem of an advanced regenerative-reheat steam power plant is presented to illustrate the proposed method, which provides the Pareto optimal solutions, the types and amounts of primary energy sources as well as the optimal values of the operating conditions of the plant that simultaneously maximize the profit while minimizing environmental impact.

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Abbreviations

bf:

Biofuel

bm:

Biomass

f :

Fossil fuel

h :

Heater

NU:

Number of pieces of plant equipment

t :

Turbine

u :

Plant equipment

C Biofuelbf :

Unit operating cost for the biofuel bf

C Biomassbm :

Unit operating cost for the biomass bm

C Fossil f :

Unit operating cost for the fossil fuel f

C E :

Unit electricity cost

C Solarop :

Annual operational cost for the solar collector

CuSolar :

Unit operating cost for the solar collector

D t :

Seconds per month

f pw :

Factor equals to 1 for pressures until 1.03 MPa in cost function (A5)

FCSolar :

Fixed cost for the solar collector

H Y :

Operating hours for the plant per year

K F :

Factor used to annualize the capital costs

N pop :

Number of individuals

Q Solar :

Average heat supplied by the solar collector

R Biofuelbf :

Tax credit for the reduction of GHG emissions for combustion of biofuel bf

R Biomassbm :

Tax credit for the reduction of GHG emissions for combustion of biomass bm

R Fossil f :

Tax credit for the reduction of GHG emissions for combustion of fossil fuel f

R Solar :

Tax credit for the reduction of GHG emissions for solar energy

VCSolar :

Variable cost for the solar collector

ε :

Auxiliary parameter of constraint method

η bf :

Boiler efficiency for biofuel bf

\( \eta_{\text{bm}} \) :

Boiler efficiency for biomass bm

\( \eta_f \) :

Boiler efficiency for fossil fuel f

A heater :

Area of the feedwater heater

A Solar :

Area for the solar collector

CAP:

Installed capital cost

COP:

Total annual operating cost

COPES :

Minimum annual cost of the energy sources used in the boiler

CAPCOND :

Capital cost for the condenser

CAPDEAERATOR :

Capital cost for the deaerator

CAPHEATER :

Capital cost for the feedwater heater

CAPPUMP :

Capital cost for the centrifugal pump

CAPSolar :

Capital cost of the solar collector

CAPTURB :

Capital cost for the turbine

CAPTank :

Capital cost of the tank used for the solar collector

CAP u :

Capital cost of each main equipment unit of the cycle

Ec1 :

Eco-indicators of the energy required to operate the cooling-water pump

Ec2 :

Eco-indicators of the energy required to operate the fan

Ec3 :

Eco-indicators of the energy required to operate the feedwater pumps

Ec4 :

Eco-indicators for the production of stainless steel required by the boiler

Ec5 :

Eco-indicators for the production of stainless steel required by the condenser

Ect :

Eco-indicators for the production of stainless steel required by the turbines

Ech :

Eco-indicators for the production of stainless steel required by the feedwater heaters

EcClimate :

Human health damage due to climate change

EcResource :

Damage to resources caused by extraction of fuels

Ec Biofuelbf :

Eco-indicators for biofuel bf

Ec Biomassbm :

Eco-indicators for biomass bm

Ec Fossil f :

Eco-indicators for fossil fuel f

EcSolar :

Eco-indicator of solar collector

EI:

Environmental impact

f 1 :

Annual gross profit objective function

f 2 :

Environmental impact objective function

f 3 :

Annual cost of the energy sources

F B :

Flowrate in cost function (A7), tonnes/h

\( F_{\text{bf}}^{\text{Biofuel}} \) :

Flowrate for biofuel bf

\( F_{\text{bm}}^{\text{Biomass}} \) :

Flowrate for biomass bm

F Fossil f :

Flowrate for fossil fuels f

HV Biofuelbf :

Heating value for biofuel bf

HV Biomassbm :

Heating value for biomass bm

HV Fossil f :

Heating value for fossil fuel f

P pump :

Power requirement for the cooling-tower pump

P fan :

Power requirement for the cooling-tower fan

P w :

Pump power in cost function (A5)

QH:

Heating requirement in the boiler

Q L :

Heat removed from the condenser

REVENUE:

Revenue from the sale of electricity generated by the power plant

TAC:

Total annual cost

TAX CREDIT:

Tax credit associated to the reduction of the overall GHG emissions

weboiler :

Approximate mass of steel contained in the boiler

wecondenser :

Approximate mass of steel contained in the condenser

weh :

Approximate mass of steel contained in the heater

wet :

Approximate mass of steel contained in the turbine

w P :

Power needed to operate the feedwater pumps

W ST :

Power generated by the turbine

W u :

Electrical power consumption of equipment unit u

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Chemical Engineering Department, Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo, 58060, Morelia, Michoacán, Mexico

    César G. Gutiérrez-Arriaga, Medardo Serna-González & José María Ponce-Ortega

  2. Chemical Engineering Department, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA

    Mahmoud M. El-Halwagi

  3. Adjunct Faculty at the Chemical and Materials Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, King Abdulaziz University, P. O. Box 80204, Jeddah, 21589, Saudi Arabia

    Mahmoud M. El-Halwagi

Authors
  1. César G. Gutiérrez-Arriaga
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  2. Medardo Serna-González
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  3. José María Ponce-Ortega
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  4. Mahmoud M. El-Halwagi
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Correspondence to Medardo Serna-González.

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Gutiérrez-Arriaga, C.G., Serna-González, M., Ponce-Ortega, J.M. et al. Multi-objective optimization of steam power plants for sustainable generation of electricity. Clean Techn Environ Policy 15, 551–566 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10098-012-0556-4

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