Multiobjective Optimization of Solar Energy Driven Desalination Systems

Solar energy offers a sustainable energy source that can be used as thermal energy and electrical energy. Due to energy resources shortage and cost increase through the world, obvious attention is paid for using solar energy systems especially in the processes that require extensive energy quantities like desalination. Desalination of sea water can be divided into thermal desalination and electrical desalination units whereby solar energy can be used to drive both categories. However solar energy has much low operating cost, it suffers from other defects like dynamic profile availability, expensive initial capital cost, and need to large areas. These are interrelated parameters but conflicting as well. Hence, determining the optimum operating and design variables sound a combination of different conflict variables. Thus multiobjective optimization is introduced to tackle these contradictory parameters and to determine the optimum tradeoffs. The target is to reduce the cost and increase the system performance simultaneously. Different types of solar collectors are considered to provide the energy needed to drive the desalination process. Likewise, different desalination units are tackled. Performance throughout the year is addressed. Case study considering the Egyptian weather condition is given to illustrate the feasibility and applicability of the proposed multiobjective optimization approach.