Comparative analysis of stand-alone co-generation and tri-generation energy centres
Introduction: presently, versatile stand-alone sources of electric energy serve as vehicles used to solve the problem of electric energy delivery to remote customers and to reduce substantial energy losses in the process of its delivery. The main principles underlying energy centres encompass generation, co-generation, and tri-generation.Methods: the author has performed a comparative analysis of the energy centres in operation on different principles. As for electric energy generation, the author has analyzed gas-reciprocating units consuming natural gas as the most economical fuel. The process of electric energy and heat co-generation is exemplified by four types of co-generators. The analysis of energy centres that comprise tri-generators consuming thermal energy, generated by the co-generator to produce cooled water (cold), is based on research into vapour compression refrigerating machines, consuming electric energy, and absorption refrigerating machines, consuming thermal energy. The comparative analysis of performance efficiency demonstrated by versatile energy centres (a co-generation gasreciprocating unit and a tri-generation energy centre, having an absorption refrigerating machine) is based on an annual energy consumption chart of a shopping centre located in central Russia.Results and discussion: the author has identified the strengths and weaknesses of energy generators, using different principles of energy generation; the author has analyzed their process charts and identified their application areas.Conclusion: the author stresses the importance of analytics and comparisons to be applied as part of the energy equipment selection procedure to assure high-quality operation of energy consumers.