Optimization of a trigeneration cooling, heating, and power system with low-temperature waste heat from 4E points of view

Abstract

Waste heat recovery from buildings and/or industrial processes for generating different kinds of energy such as electricity, cooling, and heating is very effective for achieving higher efficiency of supply, reduced energy consumption, and lower carbon footprint. In this research, a novel waste heat-driven combined Kalina-Organic Rankine Cycle system for simultaneous supply of cooling, heating, and power is proposed, optimized, and investigated. For this, based on a parametric study, the system is analyzed from a 4E (energy, exergy, economic, environmental) perspective. Then, the cycle is optimized by using response surface methodology and taking exergy and economic parameters as the objectives. The simulations are conducted in TRNSYS, and the design of experiments technique is used for finding the best combination of the design variables. The possibility of using the proposed Cogeneration Cooling, Heating and Power System (CCHPS) for providing the energy demand of some buildings in Dubai is investigated. The results reveal exergy efficiencies of 54.16%, a total cost of 23458.07 $/years for the designed cycle.