High Temperature Heat Research Articles

Hydrogen Production from Natural Gas Using Hot Blast Furnace Slag: Techno-economic Analysis and CFD Modeling

A process for thermal decomposition of methane to hydrogen and solid carbon is presented and examined. It utilizes the high-temperature heat from the slag by-product of blast furnace ironmaking to drive a thermal decomposition reaction, making it a waste-heat-to-hydrogen technology. This is accomplished via dry granulation of molten slag that feeds a fluidized bed reactor to effect methane–slag contact. First, the proposed process and the heat and mass balances are presented. It is found that it could produce an amount of hydrogen that is equivalent to about 20% of the reductant, depending on the iron-to-slag ratio. Then, a techno-economic analysis investigates the capital and operating costs of the process, compares the hydrogen production cost to that of other processes, and examines cost sensitivity to the prices of process inputs and outputs. This analysis suggests that the process would be suitable for on-site hydrogen production and use within a plant. In addition, using the hot slag to drive the methane decomposition would reduce hydrogen production cost by 15% compared to combusting a portion of the natural gas itself. Finally, a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling study of the fluidized bed reactor examines the thermal decomposition of methane and its dependence on reaction kinetics as well as reactor design and operation. The bed operated in the bubbling regime at an average temperature between 1020 and 1060 °C and resulted in as high as 82% conversion of the methane to hydrogen, with additional optimization still possible.Graphical

Innovative biomass waste heat utilization for green hydrogen production: A comparative and optimization study of steam and organic rankine cycles

Today, designing a green hydrogen production process under an optimal, efficient, and economical configuration is one of the priorities of energy systems engineers. This research aims to explore the application of electricity produced by the steam Rankine cycle (S/RC) and Organic Rankine cycle (ORC) through biomass-based waste heat utilization in an alkaline electrolyzer (AE) system for the production of green hydrogen. The S/RC unit utilizes high-temperature waste heat, while the ORC system utilizes medium to low-temperature ones from the S/RC to improve overall system efficiency and hydrogen output. The study developed eight distinct configurations of the combined system, employing two organic fluids across four ORC designs. It aimed to assess the influence of integrating a recuperator or/and an OFOH (open feed organic heater), as well as varying the organic fluids, on the ORC unit's hydrogen production capability. A detailed thermodynamic, thermo-economic, and eco-economic analysis was conducted to assess key metrics. The environmental analysis quantified the carbon dioxide (CO2) emission reductions achieved through hydrogen production, using the emission rate from the steam methane reforming method as a benchmark. This approach underscored the environmental benefits of the AE system for hydrogen production. Further, the study quantified the financial gains from CO2 reduction, referred to as carbon credit gain (CCG), through an eco-economic analysis. From the outcomes, the highest hydrogen yield and the lowest LCOH (levelized cost of hydrogen) value were 94.65 tons/year and 1.724 US$/kg, respectively, related to Case (IV)-a (biomass waste heat-based S/RC- Regenerative& recuperator ORC system-AE system under R245fa). Lastly, optimization process for maximizing hydrogen production via the optimization methodology was established.

Integrated solar system for hydrogen production using steam reforming of methane

Integrating renewable technologies has emerged as a promising option in pursuing sustainable and efficient energy solutions. The primary source of industrial hydrogen is steam methane reforming (SMR); however, this process is based on fossil fuels with massive carbon byproduct emissions. The solar thermal tower appears to be a suitable renewable source for powering SMR by providing high temperature heat to drive the process reactions. This approach aims to harness the abundance of solar energy for natural gas reforming to produce hydrogen at minimum environmental impact. This research establishes the viability of combining external central receiver concentrated solar power with SMR integrated with thermal energy storage (TES), revealing general insights into the system energy and exergy performance. The analysis of the current system is performed using the thermodynamic and thermochemical approaches to conduct a parametric study. A 543 MW central receiver is first modeled with a high-temperature molten salt as a working fluid. The SMR process model is then developed, considering both reforming and shift reactions, and solved using Engineering Equation Solver (EES). The subsystem models are validated before being integrated into the overall system model. The performance of the SMR reactor is found to affect the overall system performance considerably. The results also show that when increasing the temperature above 760 ° C, no remarkable improvement in the reforming process is observed. In contrast, the higher the temperature in the water gas shift reactor, the lower the system's performance. Moreover, the impact of wind velocity on the overall system is considered due to the large central receiver surface area. The overall system performance in terms of energy, exergy, and effectiveness is evaluated for one day of operating through charging and discharging operations. In charging mode, the overall energy and exergy efficiencies are 46.5% and 57.2%, respectively, while the overall effectiveness is 61.8%; on the discharging operation, the overall energy efficiency and effectiveness have a similar definition with a value of 82.4% and the overall exergy efficiency achieves a value of 78.7%. Additionally, the amount of hydrogen produced at a central receiver of 543 MWth capacity is about 7.3 kg/s at a 2.1 steam-to-carbon ratio. This integration mitigates a minimum of 12 kg/s of CO2 emissions that would be generated due to methane combustion.

Drying kinetics and energy efficiency of Y2O3–CeO2 co-doped ZrO2 powder under microwave heating

Zirconia has important application prospects in the field of ceramics. However, during a high-temperature heating process, pure zirconia will undergo martensite transformation, which seriously affects its service performance. Metal oxides, such as Y2O3–CeO2 doping ZrO2, effectively improve the toughness and fire resistance of the material. Thus, the drying of Y2O3–CeO2 co-doped ZrO2 powder is an essential step before practical application. The study employs contemporary microwave drying techniques. The results of the experiment show that the average microwave drying rate increases with an increase in mass, water content, and microwave heating power. When the initial mass was 30 g, the initial moisture content was 12 %, microwave power was 720 W, and the drying rate was the fastest. We used four dynamic models: Modified Page, Quadratic, Wang and Singh, and Page to fit the experiment data. The best model was Modified Page, which describes the kinetic process most accurately. Fick's second law describes how, in the drying process, when microwave power is 720 W, initial mass is 15 g and initial water content is 8 %, the effective diffusion coefficient is 5.25 × 10−16 m2/s. Fourier Transforms of the infrared spectrum of the samples before and after drying were analyzed, the intensity of the O–H absorption peak located at 3442.03 cm/s, and O–H–O absorption peak located at 1594.48 cm/s. Both decreased significantly after drying. To discuss the relationship between the microwave power and the diffusion coefficient, the activating energy of microwave heating was 32.01 W/g. The experimental results show high heating efficiency and selective heating of the microwave method. This study provides a theoretical basis and research data for microwave drying of Y2O3/CeO2 co-doped ZrO2 powder in industry.

Energy storage comparison of chemical production decarbonization: Application of photovoltaic and solid oxide electrolysis cells

The fossil fuel driven chemical production leads to significant greenhouse emission, and the low-carbon emission technologies are necessary for carbon neutrality. The integration of solid oxide electrolysis cells (SOEC) and H2-O2 combustion can replace the fossil fuel and supply high-temperature heat for reactions. However, the energy demand keeps consistent but the renewable energy fluctuates with time. Therefore, energy storage is important for such a change. Clean fuel replacement and electrification are applied in a case study of ethylene plant, which requires 147 MW of clean fuel and 91.36 MW of grid power. Photovoltaic (PV) solar energy drives SOEC and liquefied H2, compressed H2, compressed air energy storage (CAES) are compared. A mixed integer nonlinear programming model is proposed to evaluate decarbonization effect and cost, which are balanced by multi-objective optimization. The results show that the liquefied H2 is superior to other choices because of the high efficiency. The hydrogen of 126.27 MW is the optimal point, which requires 415 MW SOEC and PV panels. Also, this study proposes that the power grid should communicate with energy consumers such as chemical plants to ensure the energy storage method, or supply renewable energy directly, which avoids energy loss and unreasonable energy transition.

Spatial Identification and Risk Assessment of High-Temperature Heat Wave Disasters in Mountain Cities: A Case Study of Chongqing

Spatial Identification and Risk Assessment of High-Temperature Heat Wave Disasters in Mountain Cities: A Case Study of Chongqing

Investigating thermal runaway propagation characteristics and configuration optimization of the hybrid lithium-ion battery packs

Thermal runaway (TR) and its propagation (TRP) in lithium-ion batteries are critical safety concerns. The emergence of hybrid battery packs, combining different battery types (referred to as AB batteries), has gained significant attention as a potential solution to enhance battery safety. However, there is a lack of evaluation regarding the TRP characteristics of these configurations. In this study, various AB battery configurations, incorporating NCM 811 and LFP batteries, are examined through simulations and experiments to investigate their TRP behavior. The findings reveal that: (1) A well-designed AB battery configuration can effectively suppress TR, achieving a balance between high energy density and safety. The high TR trigger temperature and specific heat capacity of LFP batteries play a vital role in impeding TRP. (2) The 8L8L battery configuration successfully suppresses TRP, while the 88L88 configuration requires the addition of heat-insulating sheets for effective TRP suppression. (3) Increasing the number of LFP batteries proves to be an effective approach in preventing TRP. For instance, configurations such as 88LL88 and 888888LL888888 demonstrate no occurrence of TRP. The study concludes by summarizing the TRP characteristics of different AB battery configurations, offering valuable insights for the design of high-safety battery packs.

Molecular dynamics simulation on thermal and transport properties of LiF-KF

Molten fluoride is considered as an attractive heat transfer and storage medium in advanced energy utilization facilities, but it is short of the necessary thermal and transport properties at high temperature. In this paper, the thermal and transport properties of the binary LiF-KF mixtures at 1073–1473 K are obtained by classical molecular dynamics. The deviation of simulated thermal conductivity of binary LiF-KF at 1073 K from experimental value is less than 19 %. Moreover, the deviation of simulated viscosity of pure LiF at different temperatures from experimental value is around 10 %. It is indicated that reverse non-equilibrium molecular dynamics (RNEMD) is acceptable for describing fluoride salts. An exponential correlation is established between molar fraction of LiF and thermal conductivity at different temperatures. Furthermore, the macroscopic thermal and transport properties correlated with local structure are analyzed, especially the dependence of local structure on temperature and composition of LiF is discussed deeply. With temperature increasing, ion clusters are considered to be formed and overall structure become loose, which leads to reductions in density, thermal conductivity and viscosity. An increase in composition of LiF results in higher specific heat capacity, thermal conductivity and viscosity, which is related to the reduction of Li-Li bond length and the enhancement of interactions between F−. The comparison of properties enhancement of different compositions is completed through the analysis of the synergy coefficient of macroscopic properties. This work provides the basic data for the accurate design of high-temperature heat transfer system.

The Effect of High-Temperature Heating on Amounts of Bioactive Compounds and Antiradical Properties of Refined Rapeseed Oil Blended with Rapeseed, Coriander and Apricot Cold-Pressed Oils.

Cold-pressed oils are rich sources of bioactive substances, which may protect triacylglycerols from degradation during frying. Nevertheless, these substances may decompose under high temperature. This work considers the content of bioactive substances in blends and their changes during high-temperature heating. Blends of refined rapeseed oil with 5% or 25% in one of three cold-pressed oils (rapeseed, coriander and apricot) were heated at 170 or 200 °C in a thin layer on a pan. All non-heated blends and cold-pressed oils were tested for fatty acid profile, content and composition of phytosterols, tocochromanols, chlorophyll and radical scavenging activity (RSA) analyzed by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), and 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) (ABTS) assays. Moreover, the stability of phytosterols, tocochromanols, DPPH and ABTS values was determined in heated blends. All tocochromanols were lost during the heating process, in particular, at 200 °C. However, there were some differences between homologues. α-Tocopherol and δ-tocopherol were the most thermolabile and the most stable, respectively. Phytosterols were characterized by very high stability at both temperatures. We observed relationships between ABTS and DPPH values and contents of total tocochromanols and α-tocopherol. The obtained results may be useful in designing a new type of fried food with improved health properties and it may be the basis for further research on this topic.

High temperature heat flux sensor with ITO/In2O3 thermopile for extreme environment sensing

Hypersonic vehicles and aircraft engine blades face complex and harsh environments such as high heat flow density and high temperature, and they are generally narrow curved spaces, making it impossible to actually install them for testing. Thin-film heat flux sensors (HFSs) have the advantages of small size, fast response, and in-situ fabrication, but they are prone to reach thermal equilibrium and thus fail during testing. In our manuscript, an ITO–In2O3 thick film heat flux sensor (HFS) is designed, and a high-temperature heat flux test system is built to simulate the working condition of a blade subjected to heat flow impact. The simulation and test results show that the test performance of the thick-film HFS is improved by optimizing the structure and parameters. Under the condition of no water cooling, the designed HFS can realize short-time heat flux monitoring at 1450 °C and long-term stable monitoring at 1300 °C and below. With a maximum output thermopotential of 17.8 mV and an average test sensitivity of 0.035 mV/(kW/m2), the designed HFS has superior high-temperature resistance that cannot be achieved by other existing thin (thick) film HFSs. Therefore, the designed HFS has great potential for application in harsh environments such as aerospace, weaponry, and industrial metallurgy.

Exploring the role of hydrogen in decarbonizing energy-intensive industries: A techno-economic analysis of a solid oxide fuel cell cogeneration system

Industry is nowadays one of the most energy-demanding sectors representing a major contributor of global greenhouse gas emissions. The simultaneous need for electricity and high-temperature heat is what makes some industrial processes difficult to decarbonize via current commercially available technologies. As the demand for materials and goods is expected to grow in the upcoming years, it is crucial to define which strategies and technologies will serve as the cornerstone of sustainable development. This study addresses the imperative need for emission reduction of energy-intensive sectors by proposing a novel hydrogen-based cogeneration system in the framework of the paper and pulp industry, with the aim of providing general insights relevant to a broader spectrum of similar applications. The comparative analysis presented in this work focuses on three cogeneration options aimed at satisfying the paper mill energy needs: a conventional natural gas-fuelled gas turbine, a Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) fed with grey hydrogen produced via steam methane reforming, and a SOFC operating using green hydrogen produced on-site. The latter involves an integrated multi-energy system with photovoltaic panels, electrolyzers, compressors, and storage tanks. Indeed, the SOFC potential of supplying electricity and high-temperature heat in the form of pressurized steam for industrial applications has not been well investigated yet and represents one of the main objectives of this work. Building on the real consumption profiles of a paper mill facility, techno-economic analyses are carried out for many system configurations, varying components size and layout to assess their performance with respect to CO2 emissions and two key economic parameters, the Levelized Cost of Hydrogen (LCOH) and the net present cost. An in-house-developed flexible simulation framework is presented and expanded for the purposes of this study, including a detailed model that accounts for design and off-design performance of a SOFC cogeneration unit. Results demonstrate that integrating a SOFC with a heat recovery steam generator result in a 75% reduction in the mass flow of generable pressurized steam in comparison to a gas turbine. Additionally, in the cost-optimal scenario, CO2 emissions are 25% lower than the conventional gas turbine-based configuration, achieving complete independence from the electricity grid and an LCOH of 5.81€/kg without considering revenues from electricity sold.

Experimental Demonstration of a Solar Powered High Temperature Latent Heat Storage Prototype

The challenge of imbalances between renewable energy supply and grid demand underscores the significance of energy storage in microgrids. This research presents an empirical assessment of the operational capabilities of a full-scale Electrical Thermal Energy Storage (ETES) prototype system named Thermal Energy Storage Power On Demand (TES.POD®), in solar-abundant and harsh desert conditions. The system incorporates a high-temperature commercial-scale latent heat thermal energy storage, integrated with a Stirling engine. Over a continuous span of 10 days, from September 26th to October 6th, 2022, the input and output power, as well as the heat transfer fluid temperatures during charging and discharging were monitored to assess the power block and system efficiencies. Results from the experiments reveal that this prototype effectively maintains a near-constant electricity production rate of 10.5 ± 1 kW for a discharge duration of 13 hours. Average cycle efficiency stands at 23%, while power block efficiency reaches 25%. These findings collectively suggest the system's potential for applications involving long duration thermal energy storage.

Impact of Temperature and Optical Error on the Combined Optical and Thermal Efficiency of Solar Tower Systems for Industrial Process Heat

Concentrating solar thermal (CST) power towers can provide high flux concentrations at commercial scale. As a result, CST towers exhibit potential for high-temperature solar industrial process heat (SIPH) applications. However, at higher operating temperatures, thermal radiation losses can be significant. This study explores the trade-off between thermal and optical losses for SIPH applications using a collection of three case studies at operating temperatures that range from 900-1,550 °C. We assume blackbody radiation to represent the thermal losses at the receiver and we use ray tracing to estimate the optical losses. The results show the impact of process temperature on the maximum attainable system efficiency, as well as the higher flux concentration requirements as the temperature increases.

A High-Temperature-Resistant Stealth Bandpass/Bandstop-Switchable Frequency Selective Metasurface.

We propose a bandpass/bandstop-switchable frequency-selective metasurface (FSM) designed for high-speed vehicles that generate high temperatures during flight, based on a high-temperature-resistant dielectric substrate and liquid metal (LM). We fabricated a cavity structure by utilizing a high-temperature-resistant dielectric substrate to form a metal FSM element by introducing LM, enabling specific electromagnetic functions. The flow state of the LM can be controlled to achieve the switching of the FSM's bandpass/bandstop performance. The bandstop characteristic has a resonance frequency of 6.1 GHz and the bandpass interval is 5.53-6.51 GHz. The bandpass characteristic has a resonance frequency of 5.41 GHz and the bandstop interval is 5.30-5.76 GHz, achieving a bandpass/bandstop switching range of 5.53-5.76 GHz. LM fluidity can aid in high-temperature heat dissipation. When the LM reaches a certain flow rate, the FSM structure's average temperature can be reduced by an order of magnitude from a thousand to less than a hundred degrees. The FSM exhibits low RCS, with 22.35 dB and 36.79 dB reductions in bandstop and bandpass properties, respectively, compared with that of sheet metal. A prototype was developed and tested, validating the design of the FSM structure with high-temperature resistance, bandpass/bandstop switchability, and low RCS characteristics, and is expected to be applied in high-speed aircraft.

Alumina fiber/reduced graphene oxide composite films for high-temperature heating and sensing

Reduced graphene oxide (rGO) and its composite films have aroused intense interest in electrical heating and temperature sensing fields, but the working temperature is usually limited because the internal layer-stacked structure is breakable at high temperature. In order to promote structure stability, a series of Al2O3 fiber/rGO composite films were developed. It is found that gaseous products mainly including CO2 and CO during thermal reduction contribute to pores, bulges and intervals in rGO films, while appropriate Al2O3 fiber has an adhesion effect on rGO sheets and tightens them together, in which case defects can hardly form and the layered structure is significantly compacted. Therefore, the degree of stacking order and tensile strength tend to increase, resulting in the improvement of structure stability and decrease of electrical resistivity. However, excess Al2O3 fiber makes the formation of debris and cracks, causing the deterioration of conductivity and mechanical properties. With 20 wt% Al2O3 fiber, the composite films can bear higher heating voltage than pure rGO films and stabilize at 634.65 °C under 36 V, which also keep a good linearity between resistance and temperature from 25 to 600 °C, exhibiting a considerable temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR) with −1.70×10−3 /°C at room temperature.

Optimization of synthesis parameters for polyamide 610: Strategic tailoring for superior latent heat performance

The study systematically optimizes the synthesis of polyamide 610 with the aim of improving latent heat and melting temperature to meet the demanding requirements of high-temperature heat storage applications using Response Surface Methodology (RSM). The results clarify the critical impact of reaction times, washing solvents, and molar ratios on these vital thermal characteristics. Samples exhibiting exceptional latent heat capacities at various mole ratios were further analyzed using Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA), Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), and X-ray Diffraction (XRD). The TGA assessments were instrumental in determining the thermal degradation behaviors of the materials. At the same time, The DSC analysis was used for the determination of thermal properties of the materials, FTIR provided detailed insights into their molecular structures, and XRD elucidated the crystalline structure of the materials. The findings reveal that a specific mole ratio is essential for achieving superior thermal properties, indicative of the polymer's resilience and structural stability. It was evident that samples with a balanced molar ratio (1:1) and specific reaction time (60 min) showed the best latent heat, surpassing 80 J g-1, and melting temperatures up to 210 °C. A notable aspect of this research is the use of Sebacic Acid instead of the conventional Sebacoyl Chloride for synthesizing polyamide 610. The choice of Sebacic Acid was made due to its lower toxicity and the fact that its byproducts are easier to remove than those from sebacoyl chloride, which produces hydrochloric acid as a byproduct. The presence of HCL can lead to side reactions and negatively impact the reaction process. By using Sebacic Acid, we reduce the risk of such contaminants, thereby enhancing the thermal stability and performance of polyamide 610. This greener approach not only aligns with sustainable practices but also has significant implications for the performance of the polymer. In addition, the integration of RSM with comprehensive characterization techniques has been pivotal in elucidating the critical influence of synthesis parameters on material properties. This enhanced understanding holds the potential for significant contributions to the development of advanced materials for latent heat storage applications, combining sustainability with high performance.

High-temperature heat treatment of hydrogen-reduced bauxite residue-calcite pellets for iron particles growth and separationTraitement thermique à haute température de boulettes de résidus de bauxite et calcite réduites à l’hydrogène pour la croissance et la séparation des particules de fer

ABSTRACT Bauxite residue characterised as a polymetallic source containing iron, alumina, titanium, calcium, silicon and rare earth elements offers an opportunity for reduced waste volume and the recovery of valuable metals. This study focuses on the agglomeration of bauxite residue with calcite, followed by hydrogen reduction at 1000°C. The resulting iron particles in the reduced pellets were initially very small distributed in a porous oxide matrix, posing challenges for physical separation methods. To address this issue, further heat treatments were conducted on the reduced pellets in an argon atmosphere, ranging from 1100°C to 1550°C. Phase analysis and microstructural examinations were performed using X-ray powder diffraction and scanning electron microscopy, respectively. Experimental findings indicate that the size of iron particles in the reduced pellets increases with higher heat treatment temperatures. Up to 1200°C, the oxide matrix remains a solid state, transitioning to a semi-molten and molten state above this heat treatment temperature and complete separation of iron from the oxide matrix above 1500°C. An alkali-leachable phase is present in the reduced pellets, initially in the form of calcium aluminate (mayenite), while above 1400°C, this phase dissociates to form monocalcium aluminate, and complete conversion at 1500°C. As observed in the microstructural analysis, there is an increase in the particle size of iron in both the solid and semi-molten states with an increasing in temperature from 1100°C up to 1300°C. This comprehensive study sheds light on the transformative effects of varying heat treatment temperatures on the composition and microstructure of bauxite residue-based materials.

Heat Stability Assessment of Milk: A Review of Traditional and Innovative Methods.

It is important to differentiate milk with different thermostabilities for diverse applications in food products and for the appropriate selection of processing and maintenance of manufacturing facilities. In this review, an overview of the chemical changes in milk subjected to high-temperature heating is given. An emphasis is given to the studies of traditional and state-of-the-art strategies for assessing the milk thermostability, as well as their influencing factors. Traditional subjective and objective techniques have been used extensively in many studies for evaluating thermostability, whereas recent research has been focused on novel approaches with greater objectivity and accuracy, including innovative physical, spectroscopic, and predictive tools.

Morphological evaluation of β-Ti-precipitation and its link to the mechanical properties of Ti–6Al–4V after laser powder bed fusion and subsequent heat treatments

The microstructural properties of additively manufactured Ti–6Al–4V depend strongly on the heat treatment after Laser Powder Bed Fusion. Among others the evaluation of morphological characteristics of β-Ti precipitates allows a fast and objective way to distinguish between different metallurgical conditions with different mechanical properties based on an automated analysis of high-resolution SEM images. High temperature heat treatment and hot isostatic pressing improve the mechanical properties while also reducing the scattering of results, leading to better predictable performance. Similar and subjectively not distinguishable microstructural conditions are observed after applying low temperature heat treatments of different sample batches with comparable UTS of app. 1100 MPa but very different elongation at break between 0.3 % and 6.5 %. Advanced classification methods based on machine learning and classical statistics allow a reliable distinction of almost identical microstructural conditions. Their specific characteristics in terms of required expert domain knowledge, general performance and interpretability of their results are discussed.

Small scale CO2 based trigeneration plants in heat recovery applications: A case study for residential sector in northern Italy

This study investigates the potential of trigeneration systems utilizing CO2-based power cycles to harness high-temperature excess heat. Various CO2-based cycles are proposed, comprising pure CO2 and CO2-mixture, emphasizing integration into district heating and cooling networks. Given the non-isothermal heat rejection of CO2-based cycles, performance maps for absorption chillers at different thermal levels and temperature drop of the heat source are generated. These maps are beneficial not only for the current study but also for generic applications. Various cycle layouts are studied, employing strategies to maximize overall electrical efficiency, electrical power output, or thermal production, starting from available high-grade heat above 500 °C. Depending on the specific cycle layout and strategy, the optimal cycle-thermal user coupling is evaluated. The economic and environmental viability of the proposed solution is evaluated in comparison to an existing case-study in northern Italy where the exhaust gases of 10 MWel gas turbines are currently exploited for district heating purposes and centralized vapour-compression chillers meet the residential cooling demand. Compared to the case-study, the adoption of a simple recuperative CO2-mixture bottoming cycle, at a minimum cycle temperature of 70 °C, allows not only a primary energy saving of 16 % but also an 8 % reduction of levelized cost of electricity.