In this paper, a systematic method based on mathematical programming is proposed for the design of environmentally conscious absorption cooling systems. The approach presented relies on the development of a multi-objective formulation that simultaneously accounts for the minimization of cost and...

In order to achieve the reduction in greenhouse gases committed in the Kyoto Protocol, countries must establish control policies and encourage industries to reduce their emissions. Two main options arise in a cap and trade framework: (i) buying/selling emission allowances; and (ii) reducing...

In recent years, there has been a growing increase of the cooling demand in many parts of the world, which has led to major energy problems. In this context, solar assisted absorption cooling systems have emerged as a promising alternative to conventional vapor compression air conditioning...

Multi-objective optimization (MOO) is increasingly being used in a wide variety of applications to identify alternatives that balance several criteria. The energy sector is not an exception to this trend. Unfortunately, the complexity of MOO grows with the number of environmental objectives....

This paper addresses the optimal design of desalination plants that integrate reverse osmosis, a Rankine cycle, parabolic trough solar collectors and thermal energy storage (TES). A multi-objective mixed-integer nonlinear programming model (MINLP) is developed to model such an integrated system...

World electricity generation is expected to strongly increase over the next 25years, mainly due to the demand of the emerging economies. In this context, coal is likely to remain as one of the most important energy sources. Several pollution control devices have been proposed so far as Best...

This work addresses the optimal design of heat exchanger networks (HENs) considering economic and environmental concerns. The design task is posed in mathematical terms as a multi-objective mixed-integer non-linear programming (MINLP) problem, in which life cycle assessment (LCA) principles are...

The use of oxy-combustion is an attractive alternative to amine based absorption of CO2 to retrofit coal-fired power plants. The aim of this work is to compare these two carbon capture technologies taking into account environmental and economic criteria. To this end, we have developed a rigorous...