Using a novel strategy to reduce annual costs of solar driven CCHP system with desalination

In this study, a combined cooling, heating, power (CCHP) system with multi-effect distillation through thermal vapor compression (MEE-TVC) coupled with solar flat plate collector (FPC) was studied. The annual cost was chosen as the objective function. The genetic algorithm (GA) optimization method was used to find optimal values in MATLAB. In the first case, the capacity of the diesel engine as prime mover, electrical chiller capacity, absorption chiller capacity, size of the boiler, 12 partial loads of diesel engine for the months of the year, the number of FPC’s, number of effects of desalination unit, driving steam pressure, feed water flow rate, driving steam flow rate and electric cooling ratio are considered as design variables. In the second case, compared to the previous case, electrical cooling ratio has been considered for each month variable, and the optimization results obtained to meet the heating, cooling, electricity and fresh water needs of a hotel in Bandar Abbas, Hormozgan province, annual cost was 1.34* , 1.31* $/year, respectively. In the case of variable cooling ratio, the cost has been reduced by 2.6%.