Integrated systems for trigeneration and district energy: modelling, optimization and improvement

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The use of integrated central heating and/or cooling plants to provide heating and/or cooling services for communities or regions is referred to as district energy (DE). Cogeneration is the simultaneous production of electricity and product heat. A trigeneration system also generates cooling capacity. Systems for trigeneration can be beneficially combined with district energy systems. The benefits are especially notable when such combined systems incorporate absorption chillers, as such chilling devices are predominantly heat driven and thus provide an additional use for cogenerated heat. Although some separate applications of DE and trigeneration systems exist or are planned, there are few integrated systems that combine the technologies. One reason is that the optimization and improvement of trigeneration-based DE systems is complex, and requires that system components be integrated appropriately. However, methods for improving existing designs and achieving optimal configurations are in general still not widely available. The proposed research aims to improve existing and planned designs for integrated trigeneration-based DE systems in hopes of achieving optimal systems and configurations. The following principal factors will be accounted for: efficiency, economics and environmental impact. It is anticipated that the proposed research will result in numerous benefits, including improved and optimal designs and configurations for trigeneration-based DE systems, where efficiency, economic and environmental factors have been appropriately accounted for; increased applications of such systems; the provision to society of heating, cooling and electrical services with increased efficiency, economic viability, reliability and safety, and with decreased environmental impact and degradation; and expanded economic growth and employment in this sector of Canada's economy.