Cogeneration: How it Works?

ering.com/solar-thermal-for-home-hot-water/”>heat in a single process at the point of use.

How does it work? Cogeneration uses a single process to produce electricity and heat or cooling. Heat and power demand requirements vary from one place to another. The plant characteristics must be chosen carefully and matched to the local needs. Routine operational performance verifications must be established to match components of the system to demand needs as close as possible.

Cogeneration system is consisted of four elements

1. Primary mover (Engine)
2. Electricity generator
3. Heat recovery system
4. Control system

Cogeneration’s suitability

Many industries have been using cogeneration for a long time already due to its practical propositions for wide range of industries such as process industries, public and commercial sector buildings, and district heating schemes for which all have great heat demand.

Below are renewable fuels than can help the value of cogeneration

1. Pharmaceutical companies
2. Paper and pulp manufacturing
3. Breweries and distilleries
4. Ceramics
5. Brick and cement factories
6. Food, textile, timber and minerals processing
7. Motor industries
8. Glasshouses and horticulture

Buildings and structures

1. Hotels
2. Shopping malls
3. Hospitals and nursing homes
4. Resort and leisure centers
5. O
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6. Residential houses

Renewable energy

1. Poultry and farm sites
2. Woodland
3. Agricultural wastes
4. Sewage treatment works

Energy from waste

1. Hospital waste incinerators
2. Landfills
3. Gasified municipal solid waste
4. Municipal incinerators

The future of cogeneration

It is a well developed technology recognized worldwide as a better and cleaner alternative. Its future

in the global energy market is secured with its capability to offer operational and environmental benefits.

Environmental benefits

1. Reduced carbon dioxide emissions
2. Improved system performance
3. Improved fuel efficiency
4. Zero transmission losses
5. Reduced energy consumed

Operational benefits

1. Supply security
2. Base load electric supply
3. Legislative compliant
4. Increased variety on heating and hot water
5. Trigeneration – uses absorption mechanical chillers for cooling

Cogeneration technology: when to consider it?

1. For increase energy efficiency.
2. When new buildings and other structures are being designed.
3. Power continuity.
4. The re-development of existing sites.
5. The installation of new boiler plants.
6. For positive environmental impact.
7. For improved financial performance.
8. In support to the company’s green image.

Cogeneration systems are available from 33W to 100MG. They run on natural gas and by diesel, biogas or propane. This typical system is consists of an engine, combustion turbine and / or steam turbine. To produce hot water or steam, a waste heat exchange recovers waste heat from the engine and / or the exhaust gas. Cogeneration creates an amount of electric energy and process heat with 10% to 30% less fuel, more efficient that to create the electricity and process it separately.