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Session: New applications: Domestic CHP
Session starts: Tuesday 08 October, 09:00
Presentation starts: 09:00
Room: Willem Burger Zaal

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Kuanrong Qiu (CanmetENERGY-Ottawa)
Erik Horsteinson (CanmetENERGY-Ottawa)
Skip Hayden (CanmetENERGY-Ottawa)

Abstract:
Micro-combined heat and power (micro-CHP) is an effective approach to achieving high energy efficiency for buildings. Rising energy costs, volatile fuel prices, electricity blackouts and increasing environmental concerns have accelerated acceptance of the micro-CHP concept. Micro-CHP is particularly attractive for areas with a long heating season and remote communities where connection to the grid is not cost-effective. Micro-CHP appliances are beginning to emerge. In this paper, a prototype organic Rankine cycle (ORC)-based micro-CHP system was investigated for use in residential buildings. The ORC uses an organic fluid as the cycle working medium. Its advantages include clean and automatic operation, low maintenance, enhanced part-load characteristics and long lifetime. The micro-CHP system provides not only its function of electricity generation, but also space heating and hot water production for an individual dwelling on site. The ORC studied in this work consists of a gas combustion chamber, evaporator, scroll expander, condenser, organic fuild pump and a regenerator. The ORC produces shaft power that runs a generator in the integrated micro-CHP system. Besides, the shaft power may directly drive the compressor of a cooling system. This method could find applications in certain situations. The experimental micro-CHP unit has an electric power capacity of 1.2 kW and can rapidly start up and shotdown. The integration of this micro-CHP unit with a home heating system was explored as well. An overall system efficiency of 90% could be achieved. The values of such an integrated system provided to the consumer would be both the heating system reliability and a reduction in electric power consumption. Thermodynamic calculations of the ORC were made to determine the systems’ performance under various conditions. Overall power outputs and energy conversion efficiencies have been obtained using the established model.