Tri-generation - combining cogeneration and cooling

By Mr Magnus b !oged" #enior $nergy %lanner" &'( Tec)nical Data T)e analyses s)owed t)at installation of a small local &H% was feasible" and a gas-fired &H% was ta2en into o+eration at t)e end of 1**4. T)e electric ca+acity of t)e +lant is 330 2(" w)ile t)e t)ermal ca+acity is 400 2(. T)e +lant is installed in t)e basement of t)e building. To o+timise t)e electricity +roduction to t)e actual Danis) 5-ste+ electricity tariff" )eat storage facilities were establis)ed in connection wit) t)e &H% +lant. Due to limited s+ace in t)e building/s basement" t)e )eat storage is di-ided on two +ressure tan2s" eac) 5 wit) a -olume of 26 m and t)e normal tem+erature set is *0/60 &. oT)e )eat is su++lied to two 4-storeyed buildings" and wit) a direct connection of t)e )eat storage tan2s to t)e )eat system 7wit)out )eat e8c)angers9" it was not +ossible to use +ressureless tan2s. T)e main +art of t)e )eat is used for s+ace )eating in offices. Due to )ig) )eat loads from com+uters" lig)ts and em+loyees" in combination wit) good insulation" t)ese offices need additional )eat su++ly only during t)e winter +eriod 75-4 mont)s9. n t)e lig)t of t)ese facts" t)ere was a discussion about t)e +ossibility of using )eat in an absor+tion c)iller for +roduction of c)illed water for air-condition and t)e central com+uter installations. T)e financial analyses documented t)at t)e in-estors/ normal re,uirements to new in-estments were fulfilled: Mr Hans %eter ;<rgensen 7Danica !orsi2ring9" w)o was res+onsible for t)e daily o+eration of t)e +lant" )ad e8+eriences wit) ot)er absor+tion c)illers 7o+erated wit) su+er)eated o water of 130 &9 and )e could recommend t)e tec)nical solution wit)out )esitation. n 1**6" t)e absor+tion c)iller was installed. T)e ca+acity is a++ro8imately 600 2( c)illed water" wit) a tem+erao ture set of 3/12 &. T)e )eat consum+tion at ma8imum load on t)e absor+tion c)iller is a++ro8. 400 2(" corres+onding to t)e )eat ca+acity of t)e &H% +lant. T)e absor+tion c)iller is interconnected wit) two traditional com+ressor c)illers used in +ea2 load +eriods. T)e tri-generation system is illustrated in figure 1. '+erational e8+eriences =fter some minor start-u+ +roblems" t)e function of t)e entire system )as become -ery satisfactory. T)e +lant )as now been in o+eration for si8 years. During t)ese si8 years" t)e main +roblems )a-e been as follows> ? during t)e first winter" -ery low tem+eratures damaged t)e cooling tower located on t)e to+ of one of t)e buildings. T)is +roblem was sol-ed wit) electric tracing of some +i+es t)e &H% engine was +lanned for t)e rat)er )ig) return tem+erature 760 - 30 o &9 from t)e absor+tion +lant. Howe-er" after four year t)e engine/s cylinder )eads were damaged due to t)e )ig) return tem+erature. T)e engine su++lier +aid for t)e needed reconstruction.

Mr Hans %eter ;<rgensen" $ngineer" Danica !orsi2ring

n t)e beginning of t)e 1**0s" as a +art of t)e Danis) $nergy +olicy" all owners of boiler )ouses wit) an installed ca+acity )ig)er t)an 1 M( were re,uested to analyse t)e +ossibility of con-ersion to combined )eat and +ower +roduction. 'ne of t)ese boiler )ouses was owned by t)e insurance com+any Tryg" su++lying t)eir own main office" now rented by anot)er insurance com+any named Danica" as well as +art of &'( /s main office in 0yngby" situated in t)e nort)ern +art of 1reater &o+en)agen.

T)e daily maintenance is limited to c)ec2ing t)e -acuum le-el in t)e absor+tion +lant only" and sometimes to start t)e -acuum +um+ for a few minutes. $-ery s+ring" t)e su++lier c)ec2s t)e c)iller before it is ta2en into o+eration. &onclusion T)e a-erage coefficient of +erformance 7&'%9 )as been a++ro8. 30@ and t)e +roduction of c)illed water in t)e summer 2001 was a++ro8imately 500 M(). To +roduce t)is amount of c)illed water" 440 M() of )eat was used. T)e result of t)is o+eration is an additional 300 )ours of o+eration of t)e &H% +lant on ma8imum load. News from DBDH 4/2001

!igure 1> T)e tri-generation system com+rising &H% +lant" absor+tion c)iller and )eat storage tan2. T)e energy flow in t)e tri-generation +lant is illustrated in t)e energy flow diagram s)own in figure 2.

!igure 2> $nergy flow diagram for t)e tri-generation +lant. Due to t)e im+lementation of energy sa-ings in t)e older of t)e two 4-storeyed buildings" sur+lus )eat ca+acity was a-ailable" and new office buildings were connected to t)e )eat system in t)e winter of 2000/ 2001. T)e ca+acity of t)e cooling system was fully utilised: conse,uently" t)e new office buildings were e,ui++ed wit) se+arate cooling systems. T)e additional +roduction of electricity is a++ro8. 400 M() and t)e sa-ed electricity for o+eration of com+ressors 7&'% A 59 is a++ro8. 100 M(). T)e additional consum+tion of natural gas for o+eration of t)e engine is a++ro8. 1000 M(). T)e conclusion is t)at t)e total conce+t in t)e summer 2001 B+roducedC an additional 600 M() electricity in t)e electricity systems +ea2 and )ig) load +eriods wit) an efficiency of 60@. $comony T)e demand for cooling is concentrated on t)e wor2ing )ours in t)e office buildings e,ual to t)e +ea2 and medium load +eriods in t)e electricity system" w)ere t)e +rice of electricity +urc)ased to t)e +ublic grid is )ig) 7a++ro8. 46/ D0 $EF/M()9. (it) t)ese +rices" t)e sale of electricity +ays all costs of running t)e &H% +lant" meaning t)at t)e cost of t)e additional )eat +roduction is low and sometimes e-en negati-e"

Principle Diagram for Combined Heat & Power Plant

Natural Gas
Heat Exc&anger Flue Gas (approx. !!"C#

Cogeneration

C&illed 'ater ,-"C

Flue Gas (approx. *!"C#

Engine
DH $uppl) (approx. *!"C#

Generator

("C

DH +eturn (approx. !"C#

Cooling %ower

Heat $torage
%ransformer

C&iller

resulting in a feasible o+eration of t)e absor+tion c)iller. !or furt)er information +lease contact> &'( &onsulting $ngineers and %lanners =tt.> Mr Magnus b !oged %arallel-eG 2 DH-2400 Hgs. 0yngby

%)one I46 46 *D 22 11 !a8 I46 46 *D 22 12 mifJcowi.d2 Danica !orsi2ring =tt.> Mr Hans %eter ;<rgensen %arallel-eG 1D DH-2400 Hgs. 0yngby %)one I46 46 25 25 25 )aGrgeJdans2eban2.d2

News from DBDH 4/2001