Optimal tariffs of resources and users scale size for a combined Cooling, Heat, power and water (CCHP-RO) system from Energy, Economic, and environmental point of view

The most practical guidelinefor the combined cooling, heat, power, and water generation by means of reverse osmosis (CCHP-RO) system is identified in this study utilizing a novel methodology in terms of energy, economics, and environment (3E). The proposed hybrid system's key components are then examined using TRNSYS software and response surface method (RSM), including the electricity purchase tariff, electricity selling tariff, natural gas pricing, water tariff, number of households, and inflation rate. The CCHP-RO system is made up of a desiccant wheel (DW) system for dehumidifying cooling/heating supply air to zones, PVT collectors for electricity and thermal energy for domestic hot water and DW regeneration, a heat pump (HP) for cooling/heating of living spaces, a fuel cell system for generating power and heat, an electrolyzer subsystem for generating hydrogen needed in fuel cell stacks, and a reverse osmosis (RO) system for potable water, and domestic hot water are all supplied for a residential area. Thenumber of households in the targeted community is chosen as a decision variable to determine the ideal community size for the hybrid system to operate at its best 3E functionality. The TRNSYS environment simulates the system continually. After the RSM determines the optimal sets of the decision variables, the optimal conditions are compared to three diverse scenarios; namely, high electricity sale to purchase tariff ratio, high natural gas tariff, and low inflation rate (SC#1), low electricity sale to purchase tariff ratio and high inflation rate (SC#2), and high water tariff with large apartment community (SC#3). According to the findings, increasing the price of natural gas from 0.001 to 0.365 USD/kWh significantly reduces payback period by 85.2%, decreasing its duration from 8.8 to 1.3 years. The results indicate that a high electricity sale-to-purchase tariff ratio and low inflation rate lead to lower expenditures during the CCHP-RO system's lifetime and increase investment profitability.