Analysis and Optimization of Cooling Water System Operating Cost under Changes in Ambient Temperature and Working Medium Flow

Peng Wang, Jinling Lu, Qingsen Cai, Senlin Chen and Xingqi Luo
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Peng Wang: State Key Laboratory Base of Eco-Hydraulic Engineering in Arid Area, Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower, Xi’an University of Technology, Xi’an 710048, China
Jinling Lu: State Key Laboratory Base of Eco-Hydraulic Engineering in Arid Area, Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower, Xi’an University of Technology, Xi’an 710048, China
Qingsen Cai: State Key Laboratory Base of Eco-Hydraulic Engineering in Arid Area, Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower, Xi’an University of Technology, Xi’an 710048, China
Senlin Chen: State Key Laboratory Base of Eco-Hydraulic Engineering in Arid Area, Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower, Xi’an University of Technology, Xi’an 710048, China
Xingqi Luo: State Key Laboratory Base of Eco-Hydraulic Engineering in Arid Area, Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower, Xi’an University of Technology, Xi’an 710048, China

Energies, 2021, vol. 14, issue 21, 1-19

Abstract: The circulating cooling water system is widely used in various industrial production fields, and its operating cost largely depends on external factors, such as ambient temperature and working medium flow. Considering the relative elevation of the heat exchanger, this study establishes a total system operation cost analysis and optimization model based on the superstructure method. The model uses ambient dry bulb temperature, ambient wet bulb temperature, and working medium flow as random variables. Water supply temperature is adopted as the decision variable, and the minimum operating cost of the system is used as the objective function. An analysis of the effect of the three random variables on the operation cost shows that the effect of ambient dry bulb temperature on the operation cost is negligible, and the effect of ambient wet bulb temperature and working medium flow on the operation cost is significant. In addition, a control equation of water supply temperature is established to determine the “near optimal” operation, which is based on the correlation among ambient wet bulb temperature, working medium flow, and optimal water supply temperature. Then, the method is applied to a case system. The operating cost of the system is reduced by 22–31% at different times during the sampling day.

Keywords: circulating cooling water system; operating cost; ambient temperature; working medium flow; optimization model; optimal water supply temperature (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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