Performance and cost results from a DOE Micro-CHP demonstration facility at Mississippi State University

Cooling, Heating, and Power (CHP) systems have been around for decades, but systems that utilize 20 kW or less, designated as Micro-CHP, are relatively new. A demonstration site has been constructed at Mississippi State University (MSU) to show the advantages of these micro scale systems. This study is designed to evaluate the performance of a Micro-CHP system as opposed to a conventional high-efficiency Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) system that utilizes electrical power from the existing power grid. Raw data was collected for 7 months to present the following results. The combined cycle efficiency from the demonstration site was averaged at 29%. The average combined boiler and engine cost was $1.8 h−1 of operation for heating season and $3.9 h−1 of operation for cooling season. The cooling technology used, an absorption chiller exhibited an average Coefficient of Performance (COP) of 0.27. The conventional high-efficiency system, during cooling season, had a COP of 4.7 with a combined cooling and building cost of $0.2 h−1 of operation. During heating mode, the conventional system had an efficiency of 47% with a fuel and building electrical cost of $0.28 h−1 of operation.

► We examine the cost and performance results of a Micro-CHP demonstration facility.
► Evaluation includes both summer and winter performance.
► Evaluation in comparison to a conventional HVAC system using grid power.
► Influence of improperly sized equipment.
► Influence of natural gas prices on the viability of CHP projects using that fuel.