Development and evaluation of a micro-cogeneration prototype for residential applications
- Ferreira, Ana C. M.
- Madureira, Francisco
- Leão, Celina Pinto
- Nunes, Manuel L.
- Teixeira, J. C. F.
- Martins, Luís Barreiros
- Teixeira, S. F. C. F.
DOIAbstract
Combined heat and power (CHP) units use heat that would otherwise be wasted in a conventional power plant, and may reach an overall efficiency above 90% (LHV), which is well above to the 40% achieved by reference plants. This paper presents the design and development of a micro- cogeneration prototype (<6kWe) for single-family households. The unit is based on a commercially available internal combustion engine (ICE) and generator, optimized and modified to be fuelled by natural gas, coupled to a two-step exhaust heat recuperating system. The work starts with the thermodynamic analysis of the ICE operating cycle and the assessment of thermal energy that can be recovered from the exhaust gases and through the engine cooling system. The analys...
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