Cogeneration

Recently, in order to reduce energy consumption in the building sector, many air-conditioning systems have been proposed and applied to real buildings. Of particular note, air-conditioning systems that treat sensible and latent loads separately have been assessed as efficient in hot and humid climates. In this study, a highly efficient desiccant system combined with a cogeneration system and a heat pump desiccant system has been developed.

The combined heat, cooling and power production (CHCP) is one of the most interesting methods toincrease the system global efficiency by supplying electric and thermal power needs both in winter andin summer, and at the same time reducing CO2 emissions.Global efficiency increase is related to the use of waste heat which can be also used to producecooling energy by means of a absorption chillers.A CHCP programme is planned in a specific area in the University City of the University of Rome LaSapienza (approximately 1000.000 cubic meter and an energy bill of some 10 M) and it consists of agas

Generally, a CHP plant coupled with district heating is considered more efficient than traditional local heating systems from an economic and environmental point of view.This is certainly true for municipal waste CHP plants but for plants fuelled by natural gas the important developments intervened in these last years regarding both boilers (premixed and modulating burners, condensing boilers, etc.), mechanical vapour compression and absorption heat pumps can change the traditional view. At the same time also district heating plants improved.