Time-based category of combined cooling, heating and power (CCHP) users and energy matching regimes

Appropriate classification of combined cooling, heating and power (CCHP) users will facilitate the design and analysis of CCHP systems. In this research, a time-based categorizing method was proposed to classify CCHP users. Six representative commercial CCHP users (hospitals, restaurants, hotels, gymnasiums, schools, office buildings) in Beijing were selected and categorized into three categories. Parameters regarding time and load characters were extracted for simplifying load variations of the three categories of CCHP users. To investigate the energy matching between CCHP systems and users, capacity design modes were proposed, and energy matching regimes were constructed based on capacity design mode diagrams. Energy matching regimes for CCHP users of three categories were also discussed. Results show that the three categories of CCHP users have distinguished energy matching performance in the energy matching regime diagrams. Boundaries of the ESR (energy saving rate) in energy matching regimes were also summarized.