Abstract:

Combined cooling, heating and power (CCHP) system is a new type of distributed energy supply technology, which is small scale and close to users. It can avoid the energy loss during long-distance energy transmission process, and has the characteristics of flexibility, high efficiency and environmental protection. It is an important supplement to large-scale and centralized energy supply. Small and medium-scale power generation devices are the core of CCHP system, and both refrigeration and heating are carried out around the surplus heat of power generation devices. The basic working principle, thermal performance and related research progress of two types of small and medium-scale power generation devices for CCHP system were reviewed. One type is those using fossil fuels as energy input, including micro-turbines, internal combustion engines, small gas turbines and fuel cells. The other type is those using surplus heat from power generation devices or other heat sources such as concentrated solar heat, including organic Rankine cycles (ORC), power/cooling cogeneration cycles and thermoacoustic generators. Finally, the advantages and disadvantages of the two types of small and medium-scale power generation devices were compared and analyzed, which provided a reference for the selection of small and medium-scale power generation devices and system design of CCHP system.

Key words: distributed energy supply system, fossil fuels, concentrated solar heat, combined cooling, heating and power (CCHP), small and medium-scale power generation devices