Combined cold, heat and power system, based on an organic Rankine cycle, using biomass as renewable heat source for energy saving and emissions reduction in a supermarket

Abstract Supermarkets are recognized worldwide as great energy consumers, especially in developed countries. Typically, energy consumptions are due to cold, heat and electricity requirements. So a Combined Cold, Heat and Power (CCHP) system (also called trigeneration system) can be used to reduce energy demands and, hence, greenhouse gas emissions to the atmosphere. In this way, this work proposes a small-scale Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) CCHP application in a supermarket. The ORC has been designed to be used with a biomass boiler, and to produce electricity and useful heat at two different temperature levels related to an absorption chiller and supermarket heating demand. With this in mind, this work conducts the experimental characterization of the CCHP system in a test bench. Thereby, the experimental results obtained are used to predict the expected performance of the system under the supermarket conditions, as well as to quantify the energy, environmental and economic benefits of the application.