Experimental analysis of a micro-trigeneration system composed of a micro-cogenerator coupled with an electric chiller

Micro-trigeneration is one of the most promising technologies allowing the simultaneous production of electricity, heat and cooling on a small-scale basis, with a potential contribution to significant primary energy saving and greenhouse gas emission reduction if compared with the conventional separate energy production. The on-site performance of a micro-trigeneration plant serving the Built Environment Control Laboratory of Second University of Naples (south of Italy) during summer were measured and analyzed; the system was composed of a 6.0 kW natural gas-fueled reciprocating internal combustion engine-based micro-cogeneration unit feeding a 7.5 kW electric air-cooled water chiller. The experimental data were compared with the performance of conventional systems based on separate energy production in order to assess the feasibility of the proposed system; the comparison was performed according to the Italian scenario by estimating the potential savings in terms of primary energy consumption, operating costs and carbon dioxide equivalent emissions.