Finite time analysis of a tri-generation cycle

Brian Agnew*, Sara Walker, Bobo Ng, Ivan C.K. Tam

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

A review of the literature indicates that current tri-generation cycles show low thermal performance, even when optimised for maximum useful output. This paper presents a Finite Time analysis of a tri-generation cycle that is based upon coupled power and refrigeration Carnot cycles. The analysis applies equally well to Stirling cycles or any cycle that exhibits isothermal heat transfer with the environment and is internally reversible. It is shown that it is possible to obtain a significantly higher energy utilisation factor with this type of cycle by considering the energy transferred during the isothermal compression and expansion processes as useful products thus making the energy utilisation larger than the enthalpy drop of the working fluid of the power cycle. The cycle is shown to have the highest energy utilisation factor when energy is supplied from a low temperature heat source and in this case the output is biased towards heating and cooling.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)6215-6229
Number of pages15
JournalEnergies
Volume8
Issue number6
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2015

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2015 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.

Keywords

  • Carnot cycle
  • Combined cooling heat and power cycles (CCHPC)
  • Finite time
  • Tri-generation

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment
  • Fuel Technology
  • Engineering (miscellaneous)
  • Energy Engineering and Power Technology
  • Energy (miscellaneous)
  • Control and Optimization
  • Electrical and Electronic Engineering

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