Performance Analysis of a Small-Scale Biogas-Based Trigeneration Plant: An Absorption Refrigeration System Integrated to an Externally Fired Microturbine

J. Villarroel-Schneider, Anders Malmquist, Joseph A. Araoz, J. Martí-Herrero and Andrew Martin
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J. Villarroel-Schneider: Department of Energy Technology, School of Industrial Technology and Management (ITM), KTH Royal Institute of Technology, SE-100 44 Stockholm, Sweden
Anders Malmquist: Department of Energy Technology, School of Industrial Technology and Management (ITM), KTH Royal Institute of Technology, SE-100 44 Stockholm, Sweden
Joseph A. Araoz: Facultad de Ciencias y Tecnología (FCyT), Universidad Mayor de San Simón (UMSS), Cochabamba 2500, Bolivia
J. Martí-Herrero: Biomass to Resources Group, Universidad Regional Amazónica Ikiam, Tena 150156, Ecuador
Andrew Martin: Department of Energy Technology, School of Industrial Technology and Management (ITM), KTH Royal Institute of Technology, SE-100 44 Stockholm, Sweden

Energies, 2019, vol. 12, issue 20, 1-30

Abstract: Trigeneration or combined cooling, heat and power (CCHP) systems fueled by raw biogas can be an interesting alternative for supplying electricity and thermal services in remote rural areas where biogas can be produced without requiring sophisticated equipment. In this sense, this study considers a performance analysis of a novel small-scale CCHP system where a biogas-fired, 5 kW el externally fired microturbine (EFMT), an absorption refrigeration system (ARS) and heat exchangers are integrated for supplying electricity, refrigeration and hot water demanded by Bolivian small dairy farms. The CCHP solution presents two cases, current and nominal states, in which experimental and design data of the EFMT performance were considered, respectively. The primary energy/exergy rate was used as a performance indicator. The proposed cases show better energy performances than those of reference fossil fuel-based energy solutions (where energy services are produced separately) allowing savings in primary energy utilization of up to 31%. Furthermore, improvements in electric efficiency of the EFMT and coefficient of performance (COP) of the ARS, identified as key variables of the system, allow primary energy savings of up to 37%. However, to achieve these values in real conditions, more research and development of the technologies involved is required, especially for the EFMT.

Keywords: combined cooling; heat and power; CCHP; trigeneration; dairy farm; refrigeration; efficiency; performance; externally fired microturbine (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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