Optimal Management of a Multi-Energy Hub with Efficient Utilization of Storage Systems

This paper presents a management framework for a multi-energy hub (MEH), which is considered one of the vital components of modern energy networks. An energy hub (EH) consists of a set of energy conversion technologies and energy storage units, acting as a transfer node in the system. In this study, an EH comprising a combined heat and power unit (CHP), an electric heat pump, an electrical energy storage system, and a thermal energy storage system is investigate .A novel modeling approach for the EH is proposed, which differs from traditional methods based on the basic concept of an energy hub and focuses on practical applications. The optimal operation and management of the proposed EH components are formulated as a mixed-integer nonlinear programming (MINLP) problem, with the objective of minimizing energy consumption costs, and solved using MATLAB software. Furthermore, to better reflect real-world conditions, the optimization of the electrical energy storage system accounts for battery lifetime degradation, where the cost of battery lifetime reduction is considered equivalent to the cost of the daily loss of stored energy. Simulation results indicate that the proposed model is more cost-effective than traditional models, and that the maximum depth of discharge (DOD) has little impact on battery lifetime, although it affects operational costs. The model optimally schedules energy purchases and manages costs associated with battery lifetime reduction, operating in a stable manner with lower operational costs compared to conventional energy hub models, and significantly lower than traditional energy networks.