Analysis for the Thermoeconomic Diagnosis of Energy Systems

Abstract

Thermoeconomic diagnosis is aimed at the detection of malfunctioning components in energy systems and the quantification of additional fuel consumption caused by each malfunction. A formulation is proposed based on: i) the use of enthalpy, entropy and flow rate for the characterization of flows within a system; ii) the linearization of restrictions; and, iii) the application of standardized indicators for variations in components behavior, set-points and system product. The approach allows one to introduce the concepts of thermoeconomic analysis (irreversibility and cost) to describe the process of fuel impact formation, without losing the capability of describing accurately the physical behavior of the system. A simple example is developed to illustrate the ideas presented. This paper is an updated version of a paper published in the ECOS'08 proceedings.