Parametric investigation and optimization of an innovative trigeneration system

- An innovative trigeneration system suitable for buildings is presented and analyzed.
- This system is consisted from an absorption heat pump coupled with a steam turbine.
- By adjusting the parameters properly, this system can be coupled with building loads.
- Four optimization and investigation scenarios are presented in this study.
- Finally it is proved that the maximum exergetic efficiency is about 72%.

The new technological trends are focused on the development of sustainable systems for covering the energy needs in buildings, using renewable energy sources and minimizing the carbon dioxide emissions. In this direction, the development of innovative trigeneration systems is an intelligent solution for creating energy efficient buildings which can satisfy their energy needs. In this paper, an innovative trigeneration system which uses low temperature level heat sources is analyzed and optimized. This system is consisted of an absorption heat pump and a steam turbine which consumes a part of the produced steam in the generator. This system is able to produce electricity, heating, cooling and hot water, covering the typical energy needs of buildings. Various scenarios are examined parametrically in order to present the system performance for various operation conditions. The final results proved that the exergetic efficiency is about 72% and the electrical output close to 9 kW, when a heat input of 100 kW is given. By selecting the proper parameters, the outputs of the system can be distributed according to the building energy demands, something very important for the sustainability of this system. The analysis is performed with the Engineering Equation Solver (EES).