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Thermo
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Thermodynamic Analysis and Optimization of Energy Systems
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Thermodynamic Analysis and Optimization of Energy Systems

A special issue of Thermo (ISSN 2673-7264).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 August 2026 | Viewed by 896

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Muhammad Faizan Tahir

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Robotics and Intelligent Systems Control Laboratory (RISC Lab), New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi 129188, United Arab Emirates
Interests: renewable energy integration; demand response; load management; power system optimization; integrated energy system planning; exergy analysis; PV power forecasting and machine learning applications
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Luca Cimmino

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Naples Federico II, 80125 Naples, Italy
Interests: thermal solar; photovoltaic and photovoltaic-thermal; dynamic simulations of energy systems; renewable polygeneration systems; district heating and cooling; sustainable mobility; optimization techniques; geothermal energy; biofuels; synthetic fuels; fuel cells; hydrogen storage systems; power to X
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Francesco Calise

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Naples Federico II, 80125 Naples, Italy
Interests: fuel cells; advanced optimization techniques; solar thermal systems; concentrating photovoltaic/thermal photovoltaic systems; energy saving in buildings; solar heating and cooling; organic Rankine cycles; geothermal energy; dynamic simulations of energy systems; renewable polygeneration systems
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The rise in global energy demand is driving extensive transformations across worldwide energy systems, motivated by the urgent need for decarbonization, energy security, and sustainable development. Thus, replacing finite fossil fuels with renewable energy sources and deploying integrated energy systems increases overall system complexity, introduces intermittence issues, generates multi-carrier energy interactions, and requires advanced coordination of generation, storage, and demand-side assets. This necessitates advanced thermodynamic analysis and optimization methodologies to ensure efficient, reliable, and cost-effective operations. This Special Issue aims to bring together cutting-edge research on the thermodynamic assessment and optimization of modern energy systems, encompassing both conventional and renewable technologies.

We invite authors to submit contributions addressing thermodynamic analysis, optimization, and system integration strategies. Both theoretical and practical implementations are welcome, including case studies. Areas covered include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Thermodynamic performance evaluation of energy systems;
  • Exergy, exergoeconomic, exergoenvironment analysis and optimization;
  • Multi-objective optimization of integrated energy systems;
  • Renewable energy integration with power grids and microgrids;
  • Demand response mechanisms and intelligent load management;
  • Energy efficiency improvement strategies and waste heat recovery;
  • Combined heat and power and polygeneration systems;
  • Thermodynamic modeling of multi-carrier energy systems;
  • Data-driven modeling, forecasting, and optimization;
  • Machine learning and intelligent control applied to energy systems.

Dr. Muhammad Faizan Tahir
Dr. Luca Cimmino
Prof. Dr. Francesco Calise
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Thermo is an international peer-reviewed open access quarterly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1200 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • thermodynamic analysis

  • energy system optimization

  • exergy analysis

  • renewable energy integration

  • demand response and load management

  • sustainable energy technologies

  • integrated energy systems

  • machine learning applications in energy

  • energy storage systems

  • combined heat and power (CHP)

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

50 pages, 13766 KB  
Article
Thermodynamic Optimization of a Combined Cycle Cogeneration System for Petroleum Refinery Applications
by Martín Salazar-Pereyra, Ladislao Eduardo Méndez-Cruz, Wenceslao Bonilla-Blancas, Raúl Lugo-Leyte, Sergio Castro-Hernández and Helen D. Lugo-Méndez
Thermo 2026, 6(1), 22; https://doi.org/10.3390/thermo6010022 - 23 Mar 2026
Viewed by 508
Abstract
Cogeneration system optimization in refineries confronts the challenge of simultaneously integrating design parameter selection and topological configuration. The literature typically addresses these aspects separately: parametric optimization with fixed topology or configuration optimization for specific nominal conditions. This work develops a comprehensive methodology integrating [...] Read more.
Cogeneration system optimization in refineries confronts the challenge of simultaneously integrating design parameter selection and topological configuration. The literature typically addresses these aspects separately: parametric optimization with fixed topology or configuration optimization for specific nominal conditions. This work develops a comprehensive methodology integrating exhaustive parametric exploration with superstructure-based optimization through mixed-integer nonlinear programming (MINLP), applied to the Miguel Hidalgo refinery in Tula, Mexico. The systematic procedure generates superstructures considering all viable expansion and tempering routes under steam quality restrictions (x≥0.88), evaluating 84–105 combinations of generation pressure (PHRSG=70–140 bar) and superheater outlet temperature (Ts4=500–560 °C). The analysis reveals three topologically distinct configurations identified as generating maximum power under different operating conditions and characterizes how transitions between high-performing configurations occur at discrete thermodynamic thresholds that correlate with constraint activation contradicting the conventional assumption of continuous parameter-configuration relationships. Multi-criteria evaluation positions Configuration 1 as the recommended design, generating 25% increase in electric generation, 11% improvement in utilization factor (UF: 0.640→0.710) and 20% reduction in specific fuel consumption (SFC: 0.259→0.207 kg/kWh). The methodology is directly generalizable to other refineries through universal thermodynamic principles, with a systematic five-step procedure applicable to any multi-pressure steam demand profile. The characterization of discrete transition phenomena and the associated methodology for their thermodynamic explanation challenges the conventional assumption of continuous parameter–configuration relationships in optimization approaches, with immediate implications for the design of flexible cogeneration systems in refineries worldwide. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Thermodynamic Analysis and Optimization of Energy Systems)
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