Thermoeconomic Simulation of Cascade and Integrated Absorption-Vapor Compression Refrigeration Systems
Refrigeration. Multiobjective optimization. Thermoeconomic analysis.
The present work is composed by a comparative thermoeconomic analysis between two refrigeration systems: Vapor Compression Cascade Refrigeration System (SRCCV) and Integrated Refrigeration System by Absorption and Vapor Compression (SIRACV). The thermoeconomic analysis compares the systems under energy, exergic, economic and environmental aspects. The development of mathematical models for each of the systems is performed through the EES (Engineering Equation Solver) program. The optimized functions are exergy destruction and total cost rate (sum of cost rates for investment, operation, maintenance and carbon credits) by minimizing these functions. The optimization method used is the weighted sum of the objectives, which consists in transforming the multiobjective problem into a mono-objective problem by assigning weights for each objective, this can be achieved by assigning different weights for each goal, then a new function that represents the linear relationship between all the objectives is found. In present case the two objective functions are exergy destruction and total cost rate. In multiobjective optimization, the process of choosing among optimized solutions involves the definition of an equilibrium point, also called the ideal point. In order to achieve a real solution of the minimum values of the described functions simultaneously one must determine which is the smallest distance from the ideal point to the curve that defines the optimized solutions.