Optimal sizing of cogeneration systems

Conference · Mon Jun 01 04:00:00 EDT 1987 · ASHRAE Trans.; (United States)

OSTI ID:6424055

Bullard, C W; Pien, S J

Cogenerators can produce peak and intermediate load electricity if they are designed with enough storage capacity to track daily thermal loads in buildings. The thermal storage would act to buffer any mismatch between thermal loads and electric utility peak periods. Over a wide range of technical performance characteristics and thermal load profiles, it appears that cogeneration systems having installed costs in the /sup 500 to /1500/kW range can be economically feasible if they can be sized to take advantage of peak and intermediate electricity values in the range of 6 to 9 cents/kWh/sub e/. These results are conservatively based on a fuel cost of 2 cents/kWh/sub t/ ($6/MMBtu). The optimal size of such systems is often larger than the building's peak thermal load. The analysis identified several areas where research and development might be focused. The importance of improving the efficiency of exhaust gas heat recovery will increase significantly as gas process rise.

• Research Organization: Univ. of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, IL (US); Univ. of Notre Dame
• OSTI ID: 6424055
• Report Number(s): CONF-870620-
• Conference Information: Journal Name: ASHRAE Trans.; (United States) Journal Volume: 93:2
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
320304* -- Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization-- Industrial & Agricultural Processes-- Waste Heat Recovery & Utilization
ACCOUNTING
BUILDINGS
COGENERATION
COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS
DEUS
DUAL-PURPOSE POWER PLANTS
EFFICIENCY
ENERGY ACCOUNTING
ENERGY ANALYSIS
ENERGY EFFICIENCY
ENERGY RECOVERY
ENERGY STORAGE
ENERGY SYSTEMS
EQUIPMENT
EXHAUST GASES
FLUIDS
GASEOUS WASTES
GASES
HEAT RECOVERY
HEAT RECOVERY EQUIPMENT
HEAT STORAGE
HEATING LOAD
ON-SITE POWER GENERATION
OPTIMIZATION
PEAK LOAD
PERFORMANCE
PLANNING
POWER GENERATION
POWER PLANTS
RECOMMENDATIONS
RECOVERY
SIZING
STEAM GENERATION
STORAGE
THERMAL EFFICIENCY
THERMAL ENERGY STORAGE EQUIPMENT
WASTES