Cogeneration Technology

New federal and state laws providing tax credits and markets to independent producers of electricity have created widespread interest in the development of small, dispersed power plants using cogeneration processes, waste, or renewable resources. Recent legislation also promotes decentralized electricity production by allowing unregulated, non-util

If there are two phrases we have come to know very well, they are 'environmental awareness' and 'credit crunch'. The world is looking for ways to decrease the emission of CO2 into the atmosphere, without incurring major costs in doing so. By increasing efficiencies up to about 90 per cent using well-established and mature technologies, cogeneration represents the best option for short-term reductions in CO2 emission levels.

This book presents a comprehensive, integrated treatment of cogeneration technologies and systems. Also called combined heat and power (CHP), cogeneration is the use of a power station to deliver two or more useful forms of energy (e.g. generating electricity and heat at the same time). All conventional, fuel-based plants generate heat as by-product, which is often wasted. Cogeneration captures part of this heat for delivery to consumers. The book gives a tour of the available cogeneration technologies and their features. It provides plenty of instructive examples of cogeneration projects to illustrate key concepts, and also covers the relevant regulatory and legal frameworks. It is an ideal text/reference for anyone working in power systems and energy engineering. Topics covered include: * Benefits of cogeneration * Cogeneration technologies * Electrical engineering aspects * Applications of cogeneration * Fuels for cogeneration systems * Thermodynamic analysis * Environmental impacts of cogeneration * Reliability and availability * Economic analysis of cogeneration systems * Regulatory and legal frameworks * Selection, integration and operation of cogeneration systems * Simulation and optimisation * Synthesis, design and operation * Examples of cogeneration projects * Research and development of cogeneration * Summary and conclusions

"Cogeneration, also called combined heat and power (CHP), refers to the use of a power station to deliver two or more useful forms of energy, for example, to generate electricity and heat at the same time. All conventional, fuel-based plants generate heat as by-product, which is often carried away and wasted. Cogeneration captures part of this heat for delivery to consumers and is thus a thermodynamically efficient use of fuel, and contributes to reduction of carbon emissions. This book provides an integrated treatment of cogeneration, including a tour of the available technologies and their features, and how these systems can be analysed and optimised. Topics covered include benefits of cogeneration; cogeneration technologies; electrical engineering aspects; applications of cogeneration; fuels for cogeneration systems; thermodynamic analysis; environmental impacts of cogeneration; reliability and availability; economic analysis of cogeneration systems; regulatory and legal frameworks; selection, integration and operation of cogeneration systems; simulation and optimisation; synthesis, design and operation; examples of cogeneration projects; research and development of cogeneration; summary and conclusions. This book is intended for instructors and students at advanced undergraduate as well as graduate level, for professional engineers who design, build and operate cogeneration systems, and for researchers on analysis and optimisation of energy systems."--Provided by publisher.

The introduction of micro CHP – the simultaneous production of heat and power in a single building based on small energy conversion units such as Stirling and reciprocating engines or fuel cells – is of increasing political and public interest. This book introduces into micro CHP systems and technologies, and presents the results of the first such investigation carried out by four German research bodies.