Modeling of micro-CHP (combined heat and power) unit and evaluation of system performance in building application in United States

• Models of CHP systems are developed and validated with experimental results.
• Further simulations are performed using a modeled thermal storage system.
• CHP systems are implemented to a building model to evaluate the feasibility.
• Energy cost analysis is conducted to investigate the economic effect of CHP systems.

In this paper, a model of a micro-CHP (combined heat and power) system is developed and validated with laboratory experimental results. The model is tuned to match steady state experimental test results, and validated with transient experimental results. Further simulations were performed using a modeled thermal storage system, and integrating the CHP system into a building model to evaluate the feasibility of the CHP system in the mid-Atlantic region as well as the Great Lakes region. The transient simulation outputs are within 4.8% of experimental results for identical load profiles during a simulated summer week, and within 2.2% for a spring or autumn week. When integrated with a building model, the results show 21% cost savings on energy in the mid-Atlantic region, and 27% savings in the Great Lakes region. Moreover, energy cost analysis is conducted to investigate the economic effect of CHP systems.