Smart Operation of CHP Units

This paper describes a model based optimizer that allows a CHP unit to supply backup power to a Smart Grid on the one hand and minimize the cost for heat and power supply on the other hand. The model of the CHP unit is lean but nevertheless accurately represents the thermal behavior of the storage as well as the aging effect of engine starts. Thanks to the small model dimension we can solve the optimal dispatch problem efficiently using dynamic programming. Two selected soft- and hardware in the loop tests are discussed to demonstrate the performance of the approach.