Sizing Optimization of a Stand-Alone Multi-Energy Complementary Water Pumping System for Hose-Drawn Traveler in Typical Regions of China

Hose-drawn traveler (HDT) is a significant type of sprinkler irrigation equipment in China. In arid and remote areas, where grid power is unreliable or unavailable, the water pumping system of the HDT typically depends on a complementary power supply (CPS) system integrating batteries, photovoltaic (PV) panels, and gasoline generators. However, the configuration of the CPS system is often determined empirically, which can lead to increased costs and compromised operational reliability. This paper aims to optimize the configuration of the CPS system based on the power demand of the water pumping system in HDT. We propose an optimization model for component sizing that considers both the annual costs and reliability of the power supply system. An improved particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm, incorporating a penalty function, is employed to determine the optimal configuration of the CPS system. The proposed optimization approach is then applied to an HDT operating in three typical regions in China: Golmud, Beijing, and Harbin. Finally, a comparative analysis of the configurations and annual cost of two CPS systems, PV-battery (PVB) and PV-battery-gasoline (PVBG), is conducted. Results show that for a given region, season, and power of water pump, the PVBG system needs a smaller PV panel area and lower battery capacity than the PVB system. For a fixed region and season, increasing power of water pump leads to a more significant rise in the annual cost of the PVB system than in that of the PVBG system. At high pump power levels, the PVBG system is more cost-effective, resulting in a lower annual cost than the PVB system. In Golmud, under identical seasonal and pump power conditions, both systems have lower annual cost than in Beijing and Harbin, suggesting that Golmud is a more suitable region for deploying CPS systems. The proposed method provides a reference for designing power supply systems of HDT irrigation.