Optimal Operation of Integrated Energy Systems Subject to Coupled Demand Constraints of Electricity and Natural Gas

This paper proposes a hybrid multi-objective optimization and game-theoretic approach(HMOGTA)to achieve the optimal operation of integrated energy systems(IESs)consisting of electricity and natural gas(E&G)utility networks,multiple distributed energy stations(DESs),and multiple energy users(EUs).The HMOGTA aims to solve the coordinated operation strategy of the electricity and natural gas networks considering the demand characteristics of DESs and EUs.In the HMOGTA,a hierarchical Stackelberg game model is developed for generating equilibrium strategies of DESs and EUs in each district energy network(DEN).Based on the game results,we obtain the coupling demand constraints of electricity and natural gas(CDCENs)which reflect the relationship between the amounts and prices of electricity and cooling(E&C)that DESs purchase from utility networks.Furthermore,the minimization of conflicting costs of E&G networks considering the CDCENs are solved by a multi-objective optimization method.A case study is conducted on a test IES composed of a 20-node natural gas network,a modified IEEE 30-bus system,and 3 DENs,which verifies the effectiveness of the proposed HMOGTA to realize fair treatment for all participants in the IES.

Concentrating aqueous hydrochloric acid by multiple-effect membrane distillation

Multiple-effect membrane distillation （MEMD） using a hollow fiber-based air-gap membrane distillation module was experimentally examined for concentrating dilute aqueous hydrochloric acid. The effects of the hot and cold feed-in temperatures, and the feed-in volumetric flow rates on the performance of the MEMD process were studied. The performance was evaluated using the performance ratio （PR）, the average selectivity of water over HCl （βavg） and the permeation flux （N）. Two types of porous fibers made from polypropylene were used to fabricate the MEMD modules. The experimental data indicated that hollow fibers with high porosity were preferred for the MEMD process. The PR, βavg and N all decreased as the feed concentration increased. When the feed concentration was below 12 wt-%, the PR was 6.0 - 9.6 and βavg was 10 190. When the concentration of HCl reached 18 wt-%, the PR and βavg were about 4.4 and 2.3, respectively. However, βavg sharply decreased to around 1.0 when the feed was further concentrated. During an operational stability test that lasted for 30 days, the performance of the MEMD modules remained good.

Detoxification and concentration of corn stover hydrolysate and its fermentation for ethanol production

Environmental and energy concerns have increased interest in renewable energy sources, particularly biofuels. Thus the fermentation of glucose from sulfuric acid-hydrolyzed corn stover for the production of bioethanol has been explored using a combined acid retardation and continuous-effect membrane distillation treatment process. This process resulted in the separation of the sugars and acids from the acid-catalyzed hydrolysate, the removal of most of the fermentation inhibitors from the hydrolysate and the concentration of the detoxified hydrolysate. The recovery rate of glucose from the sugar-acid mixture using acid retardation was greater than 99.12% and the sulfuric acid was completely recovered from the hydrolysate. When the treated com stover hydrolysate, containing 100 g/L glucose, was used as a carbon source, 43.06 g/L of ethanol was produced with a productivity of 1.79 g/(L· h) and a yield of 86.31 %, In the control experiment, where glucose was used as the carbon source these values were 1.97 g/(L·h) and 93.10% respectively. Thus the integration of acid retardation and a continuous-effect membrane distillation process are effective for the production of fuel ethanol from com stover.