Optimal system management of a water pumping and desalination process supplied with intermittent renewable sources

Abstract

This paper aims at defining energy management strategy for a water pumping and desalination process which would be powered by a hybrid (solar PV & wind) renewable generation system. Several pumping subsystems for well pumping, water storage and desalination are coupled. The particularity of the proposed architecture with its management deals with the absence of electrochemical storage, only taking benefit of hydraulic storage in water tanks: in such an autonomous device, given a certain level of intermittent power following wind and sun irradiation conditions, and given hydraulic characteristics of water pumping subsystems, this study puts forward the prime importance of a water and power flow management optimization. For this purpose, both dynamic and quasi static models are proposed before stetting the management strategy based on optimal power dispatching. Subsequent results are analyzed in terms of robustness and performance.