The Key Role of Advanced Mathematical Methods for the Optimal Design of Polygeneration Systems

In the last decades, the growing concerns about global warming and climate changes effects led to specific Directive, especially in Europe, promoting the use of primary energy saving techniques and renewable energy systems. The increasingly stringent requirements for carbon dioxide reduction led to a more widespread adoption of distributed energy systems. In particular, besides renewable energy systems for power generation, one of the most effective technique to face the energy saving challenges is the use of polygeneration systems for simultaneous heating, cooling and electricity production. In this way, a substantial increase in overall efficiency and cost savings and a simultaneous reduction of greenhouse gas emissions can be achieved. However, the use of small scale polygeneration systems does not ensure the achievement of this mandatory, but sometimes conflicting, aims without a proper sizing and operation of the plant. Therefore, advanced mathematical methods such as vector optimization algorithms could play a key role to identify optimal solutions even when conflicting goals are pursued. This paper provides, after a detailed description of these techniques, some specific applications to the study of CHP and of ORC plants fundamental to exploit renewable energy, thus highlighting the potential of the proposed methods and the main results achieved