This paper provides insight into the challenges and opportunities that lay ahead when developing cost-effective wellintegrated cooling, heating, and power (CHP) systems for buildings. This includes identifying the technical issues as well as solutions for integrating power generation equipment with heat recovery devices. A combined cooling, heating, and power system with an electric conversion efficiency of 28.5% and a heat utilization efficiency of 53.4% has been designed and installed in an office building on a university campus. A microturbine generates on-site power from natural gas. The exhaust gas drives an absorption chiller and subsequently regenerates a solid desiccant system. The system is integrated with a conventional roof top air-conditioning unit that serves one zone of the office building. Preliminary performance data have indicated a 19% electric conversion efficiency because of parasitic loads and a 59.2% heat utilization efficiency. Total energy utilization from conversion of natural gas was 78.2%. Conversion efficiency of waste heat for cooling is measured at 68% in the absorption chiller (while exceeding expected capacity) and 30% in the desiccant unit. It can reach up to 80% when the suggested improvements for the desiccant unit are implemented.

Units: I-P