Centralized Networked Micro Water-Energy Nexus with Proportional Exchange Among Participants

Abstract: This paper proposes a Networked Micro Water-Energy Nexus (NetMicroWEN) capable of co-optimizing and simultaneously supplying water and energy to local consumers in nearby communities. The system manages different water and energy inputs of different communities in a local network to cooperatively meet their demands. This paper considers a centralized network topology that connects all members of the network under one control system. This paper also proposes a Proportional Exchange Algorithm (PEA) that allows members to benefit equally from exchanging both resources among other members of the NetMicroWEN and the main water and power distribution systems. The co-optimization model is a mixed-integer linear program, involving all necessary power and water related constraints for the network to achieve a feasible and practical solution. The economic benefits of the NetMicroWEN are illustrated by a comparison with separate Micro Water- Energy Nexus (MWEN) systems meeting their own demands individually. The case studies demonstrate that the proposed NetMicroWEN achieves substantially lower operating costs compared to the operation of separate MWEN systems.