Optimization of a Combined Heat

and Power Generation System

with Ice Thermal Storage

Cheng-gang Cui, Xiao-fei Yang, Feng Tian, Ting-yu Gao

and Zhi-cong Zhu

Abstract This paper explores the optimization of a combined heat and power
generation system (CCHP) with ice thermal storage air-conditioning system in
consideration of minimal cost. A CCHP requires the simultaneity of the electrical
and thermal demands. However, the thermal demand is strongly time-varying or
even discontinuous. The ice thermal storage provides an attractive solution to the
CCHP by shifting the electrical power while more protably exploiting the thermal
energy. The optimization of the simultaneous use of a gas turbine, an absorption
chiller, a brine chiller, and an ice-storage tank to satisfy given electricity, heat, and
cooling demands is considered. An MINLP algorithm is used to develop optimal
operating strategies for the cogeneration system. Case study is based on a building
belonging to Shanghai Advanced Research Institute. Finally, the results of eco-
nomic analysis providing some guidelines of operation strategies to a CCHP with
ice thermal storage.

Keywords Combined heat and power generation system
Ice thermal storage



Optimization Case study

1 Introduction

Combined heat and power generation system (CCHP) is widely acknowledged as a

key alternative for thermal and electric energy generation with respect to the separate
production (SP) of cooling, heat, and electricity. It consists of the simultaneous
production of electricity and heat and yields a high energy-saving effect, especially if
compared to the traditional energy supply conguration. This leads to lower fuel
consumption generated at a lower cost and in a more environmentally friendly way

C. Cui (&)
X. Yang
F. Tian
T. Gao
Z. Zhu

Shanghai Advanced Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences,
Shanghai 201210, Peoples Republic of China
e-mail: cuicg@sari.ac.cn

Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2015 13

S. Feng et al. (eds.), Low-carbon City and New-type Urbanization,
Environmental Science and Engineering, DOI 10.1007/978-3-662-45969-0_2
14 C. Cui et al.

(Wu and Wang 2006). Due to the interaction between hot and cold electric system
load, which may lead generation system can only bear part of the load electrical load
and thermal load coincide. This makes the system to heat, and power load matching
problem has become an important research topic (Gu et al. 2014).
Energy storage technologies have become an increasingly popular technology
(Basecq et al. 2013). They can make the energy been stored during off-peak times
and dispatched during peak times. In order for energy storage to make a signicant
impact, inexpensive storage technologies, thermal energy storage (TES), the storage
of heat or cooling has been incorporated into the CCHP systems (Barbieri et al.
2012). TES can dramatically reduce payback periods in addition to improve the
projects return on investment since it stores energy by using relatively simple and
inexpensive technologies. However, CCHP systems that require storage exhibit
transient behavior and the storage processes themselves are transient (Raine et al.
2014). Therefore, it is critical to develop effective operating strategies for CCHP
systems with TES technologies (Ameri et al. 2005).
This work considers how a CCHP system with ice thermal storage can be
operated in order to provide economic benets. A MINLP model for tackling the
short-term operation problem which aims at minimizing the operating cost of a
CCHP system with ice thermal storage. The proposed model can take into account
the situation that cooling is provided by directly using the chiller or by discharging
the ice bank when electricity prices are high. The model has been tested on a CCHP
system test case in south China. The computational results are discussed in terms of
the quality of the solutions and the influence of ice thermal storage.

2 System Description

The CCHP system with ice thermal storage consists of a power generation unit
(PGU), a waste recovery system, a cooling system, and an ice-storage air condition
system as shown in Fig. 1 (Wang et al. 2010). In this paper, a cooling storage
system of ice-storage air-conditioning system is selected, which is composed of
double-duty chiller units and ice-storage tank (Al-Abidi et al. 2012). The system
load consists of cooling and electrical load. The solid and dash lines represent the
cooling load flows and the electric power, respectively. PGU which consumes
natural gas produces electricity and heat simultaneously to meet electrical and heat
load demand. If there is excess energy, it will be stored in ice-storage air-condi-
tioning system. If the thermal load is larger than that of the amount PGU provides,
the ice-storage air-conditioning system provides additional energy to the system.
Optimization of a Combined Heat 15

Fig. 1 Energy flow diagram

of CCHP system
Grid

Absorption
PGU
chiller
User

Brine
chiller

Ice bank

3 Model Formulation

3.1 Problem Description

The aim of this paper was to develop a method to generate the optimal operation of
a CCHP system installed with ice-storage system in which the electric grid and a
local thermal network have been considered. The total net present cost is selected as
the evaluating criteria, which is used as the optimal objective to be minimized. An
ice TES unit is used to avoid the discontinuous operation of the CCHP system and
to increase the number of operating hours.
The optimal operations of CCHP problem we want to tackle can be stated as
follows:
Generation units with xed size, performance curves, and start-up/warm-up
times;
Ice-storage tank with xed capacity and constant loss rate;
Time-dependent price of electricity;
Determine the following for each time period of a time T horizon [t0, tf]:
The set of units to be switched on
The value of the operative variables of each unit
The storage tank level
which minimize the operating cost while satisfying the demands of thermal and
electric.
16 C. Cui et al.

3.2 Model Description

A mixed integer nonlinear programming (MINLP) model concerning the afore-

mentioned scenario problems has been developed. The mathematical model is
reported in the following by a set of constraints and an objective.
1. Set the energy optimization scheduling period as [t0, tf], the energy scheduling
interval is T, the scheduling period includes Nt time intervals T, and
ti = [t0 + (i 1)T, t0 + iT], where i = 1, , Nt.
2. Set energy type as j = 1, , Nj, where Nj is the total number of energy types. For
example, set energy type j = 1 for power, energy type j = 2 for heating, and
energy type j = 3 for cooling in CCHP system.
3. Set device number as k = 1, , Nk. Set Nk represents all the devices, including
Ns represents the number of types of energy conversion devices, Nc represents
the number of complementary multi-energy devices, Nm represents the number
dynamic energy devices, and Nn represents the number of the energy storage
devices.
4. Set U as the devices, and Q as the energy generating or using by the devices. For
a device, it can be expressed as Uk. The generating or using energy can be
represented as Qk,j. For example, the internal combustion engine can be
expressed as U1; when generating electric power, it is represented as Q1,1, when
generating heat, it is represented as Q1,2; and when generating cooling, it is
represented as Q1,3.

3.2.1 Parameters and Variables

1. Time-varying parameter
Time-varying parameters are the parameters that may change over time periods
as demand fluctuations or the ambient temperature. Therefore, they have dif-
ferent values for each time period t:
pj(i): the energy demands at time t;
pbj i: the energy purchase price at time t;
psj i: the energy sale price at time t;
2. Constant
cmk,j: device maintenance costs, which is proportional to the amount of
energy produced;
csk: start-up costs, which is proportional to the number of starts;
chk,j: the loss of energy storage devices, which is proportional to the length
of time;
Optimization of a Combined Heat 17

3. Continuously variable
Qk,j(i): the energy j supply or consumption of device k at time I;
DQk;j i represents the amount of energy j stored in the energy storage device
variation between time i and i 1;
Sk,j(i): the energy j stored in energy storage devices k at time i;
4. Binary variable
zk(i): the state variables of device k at time i;
mj(i): state variables represent whether energy j is purchased;

3.2.2 Objective

The objective is shown as follows:

X
Nt X
Nt X
Nt X
Nt
min Cb i  Cs i Con i Cl i:
i1 i1 i1 i1

Cb(i) is the energy cost of all the devices during time i. It is given by the sum of
the amount of fuel each device is utilizing multiplied by its specic cost.

Nj X
X Nk
Cs i ps iQk; j i
j1 k1

Con(i) is the start-up cost of all the devices during time i. It is given by the extra
cost associated to the start-up procedure.

X
Nk
Con i csk iZk i
k1

Cs(i) is calculated by multiplying the amount of electric energy hourly purchased

or sold to the grid.

Nj X
X Nk
Cs i ps iQk;j i
j1 k1
18 C. Cui et al.

3.2.3 Constraints

1. Energy load balance constraint

The balance constraint ensures that customer requirements of energy are always
fullled by devices generating this energy j during time i as follows:

X
Ns X
Nc X
Nm X
Nn
Qj;k i Qj;k i Qj;k i DQj;k i Pj i;
k1 k1 k1 k1

where Qk; j i is the energy j generated or consumed by device k and DQj;k i is

the variation of energy j stored in device k during time i.
To make it easy to satisfy the constraints, a slack variable slj is introduced to
solve the constraints.

X
Ns X
Nc X
Nm X
Nn
Qj;k i Qj;k i Qj;k i DQj;k i slj Pj i
k1 k1 k1 k1

2. Device start-up constraint

The start-up constraints are used in order to set a maximum number of start-up
procedures that can be tolerated by each device in order to avoid damages.

X
NT
DTk;i  Nk
i1

To ensure that the variable has value 1 at time i if, and only if, device k was off
at time i, we introduce the following constraints

DTk;i  Zk i  Zk i  1
DTk;i  1  Zk i  1
DTk;i  Zk i

3. Performance constraint
The performance constraint ensures the performance of the device. For each
device, the input variables (consumed fuel and electricity) are related to the
output variables (generated heat, electricity, cooling) by a performance function.
(a) Gas turbine
As the prime mover, the performance of gas turbine will directly affect the
performance of CCHP systems. The main factors that affect the perfor-
mance of the gas turbine are temperature, absolute humidity, altitude, air
inlet pressure loss, and exhaust port back part load rate. For the sake of
simplicity of the model, the gas turbine power output, fuel consumption,
Optimization of a Combined Heat 19

and the corresponding heat exhaust of recyclable are considered in this

paper. The model coefcients are tted by gas turbine operating data.
Fuel consumption constraints:

X
m
Qk;0 i anj Qnk; j i


a2j Q2k;j a1j Qk;j i bj :
j1

Heat recycling constraints:

Qk;j0 i cnj Qnk;j i


c2j Q2k;j i c1j Qk;j i bj :

(b) Chiller
In the CCHP system, chiller system is operated at part load at most time.
Different device load will case a different performance coefcient. The
dual-mode chillers are modeled by the electricity consumed, where the
model is divided into a cooling condition and an ice conditions model. The
regression coefcients of each model are different from each other.

Qk;j0 i an Qnk;j i


a2 Q2k;j i a1 Qk;j i b

(c) Ice-storage system

The ice-storage air-conditioning device is different from the conventional
air-conditioning device. The ice bank is not a power device, but the per-
formance of ice melting has a great impact on the operation of the ice-
storage system. For simplicity, the maximum ice-melting efciency is a
constant in this paper.
Ice-storage constraint:

Qmin;j  Qk;j i  Qmax;j

where Qk;j i is the ice stored in the device during time i, Qmin;j and Qmax;j
are the minimum and maximum value of ice stored in the device.
Melting rate constraint:

Qk;j i  Qk;j i  1  DQmax;j

where DQmax;k;j is the max melting rate between time i and time i 1;
Variation constraints:

Qk;j i Qk;j i  1 DQk;j i

where DQk;j i is the variation of ice between time i and time i 1;

All the performance functions are tted by a polynomial curve tting
method.
20 C. Cui et al.

3.2.4 Solving Method

The model is written in the YALMIP algebraic modeling language (Lofberg 2004)
and the resulting MINLP is solved with Bonmin optimizer.

4 Case Study

4.1 Problem Description

In order to validate the proposed mathematical model-based approach, a CCHP

system with ice thermal storage located in the south of China has been taken into
account. A proper dataset including both thermal and electric energy consumptions in
the year 2013 was considered. The system is operated during a day by 1 h. The hourly
power load demand is [300, 300, 300, 300, 320, 320, 662, 852, 852, 980, 972, 972,
972, 972, 862, 760, 665, 654, 495, 423, 300, 300, 300] and the cooling load demand is
[0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 262, 372, 470, 471, 472, 672, 672, 672, 462, 360, 161, 154, 95, 0, 0, 0,
0, 0] ton. The gas price is 2.4 yuan, the electricity prices are 1.287 yuan in peak period
(8:0011:00 and 18:0021:00), 0.817 yuan in normal period (6:008:00, 11:00
18:00, and 21:0022:00), and 0.305 yuan in valley period (22:006:00 the next day).

4.2 Device Model

In the case the cooling load is provided by adsorption chillers or ice-storage systems
and electrical load is supplied by gas turbine generator or the grid, set energy j = 1:3
is electric, cooling, and gas; device k = 1:4 is the gas turbine, dual chiller in cooling,
dual chiller in ice, and ice bank. All the device models are shown as follows:
1. Gas turbine Model
Gas consume:
Q1;4 i 0:333  Q1;1 i 239:2

Heat recycling:
Q1;2 i 2:56039  Q1;1 i 1;546:024

2. Duplex-mode chillers
Cooling mode:
 3  2
Q2;3 i 10 Q2;1 i 280 Q2;1 i 23:64Q2;1 i
0:8392=1:15 Q2;3 i  100
Optimization of a Combined Heat 21

Ice mode:
 3  2
Q3;3 i 0:565  10  Q3;1 i 280  Q3;1 i 23:64Q3;1 i
0:8392 Q3;3 i  100

3. Ice bank
Maximum ice-storage constraint:

Q4;3 i  500

Ice-storage constraint:

Q4;3 i Q4;3 i  1 DQ4;3 i

Maximum melt constraint:

DQ4;3 i  100

4.3 Results and Analysis

The numerical results obtained by the MINLP-based optimization tool of the case
are shown in Fig. 2. The reader can notice that the operation is greatly affected by
the electric price and the demand load in peak and valley price policy. The duplex
system works at ice mode when there is no cooling demand during electric valley

Fig. 2 The operation for the

CCHP with ice thermal
storage
22 C. Cui et al.

price period. The prime mover works under the variable operating conditions if the
cooling load is greater than the economic cooling load during the electricity price
peak and flat period. The prime mover works under the variable operating condi-
tions when the cooling demand is larger than the nominal load of prime mover. The
ice bank system works at melt mode, and it is operating as a supplement to the
prime mover where the cooling load is greater than the nominal load of prime
mover and less than the sum of the nominal load of prime mover and melt load of
ice thermal storage. The ice bank system works at melt mode, and the duplex chiller
works at cooling mode where the cooling load is greater than the sum of the
nominal load of prime mover and melt load of ice thermal storage. They are both
operated as a supplement to the prime mover. They also work at the same mode
when the cooling load is less than the nominal load of prime mover. From the
gure, we can notice that the ice-storage system can reduce the cost of the CCHP
system by a suitable operation.

5 Conclusion

To improve the economics of the energy system, an ice thermal storage system is
introduced to the CCHP system. We also developed a MINLP optimization model
for the systems operation. The MINLP model allows to deal with the system
involving ice thermal storage. The model can handle units with nonlinear perfor-
mance and solved by a MINLP optimizer. The case study shows that suggest that,
under TOU conditions, the ice thermal storage system can effectively improve the
economy of the CCHP system, and make the operation of the system more flexible.

Acknowledgments This work was supported in part by the Chinese Ministry of Housing and
Urban-Rural Development under Grant 2013-K8-25, the Chinese Academy of Sciences Innovation
Engineering under Grant KGCX2-EW-321 and the Strategic Priority Research Program of the
Chinese Academy of Sciences, Grant No. XDA06000000.

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