Vapor-compression refrigeration

Engineering

Reliability engineering

Fuel cells

Selection (genetic algorithm)

Computer science

Chemical engineering

Heat exchanger

Waste management

Mechanical engineering

Nuclear engineering

Automotive engineering

Process engineering

Environmental science

Artificial intelligence

Capital cost

Heat pump

Refrigerant

Electrical engineering

Energy Reports

In this paper, a new multi-objective technique has been proposed for optimal analysis of three different candidate heat pump solutions including the vapor compression cycle (VCC), trans-critical R744 cycle, and Peltier device to determine which one gives the best configuration and better performance on a hybrid heat pump and fuel cell-based micro-CHP system. Here, a sunflower optimization algorithm is utilized to provide two different objectives: minimizing the combined yearly maintenance and capital costs and maximizing the performance of the hydrogen energy consumption. Simulation results show that using the VCC, according to its efficient and low-cost characteristics for cell stack and lithium battery maintenance, gives the best solution for the presented hybrid system.

Multi-objective optimization for the proper selection of the best heat pump technology in a fuel cell-heat pump micro-CHP system