Multi-objective Optimization Based on Transient Simulation Method and Response Surface (RSM) in Energy Production systems

The aim of this research is to optimize the combined system consisting of solar photovoltaic panels and a diesel generator as two independent decision variables and five responses or the optimization objective function, including system electricity consumption, system gas consumption, diesel fuel consumption, the amount of bio-pollutants reduction. The environment and the return on investment are dependent variables of this research; an optimization method is used to achieve the best possible design in Transis software, and the response level method is used to find the best combination of selected factors in the system. The main purpose of the response surface is to estimate and predict the effect of independent variables on the dependent variable after implementing the system in Transis software and optimizing by the response surface method. The results showed that the area of photovoltaic panels in the optimal state is equal to 11770 square meters and the optimal diesel generator power is equal to 984 kW. Also, in optimal conditions, the system has the best performance, and the combined utility is equal to 0.740, which indicates that the performance of the optimal system is close to the ideal state, i.e., one. In terms of energy consumption, the optimal system achieves a total electricity consumption of 1026860 kilowatts, a total gas consumption of 205182 cubic meters, a total diesel fuel consumption of 1338030 liters, an amount of environmental pollutants of 3693.23 kilograms, and an investment return period of 1.679 years. Also, strategy one, which includes the direct purchase of the total electricity demand from the grid and the direct sale of the total electricity produced by the system to the grid, seems to be economically more economical. The results of the simulation showed that the investigated combined system is a suitable solution to simultaneous energy production. It is electric and thermal, and it is capable of producing electric and thermal energy throughout the year.