BIOENERGY-combined heat power and cooling-SUPPLY

Status

completed

Summary

A big disadvantage of biomass-fired power plants is the missing heat demand in summer. The present research project aims to find a solution to this problem. Since this missing heat demand constitutes an economic drawback for biomass-fired plants the present research project will examine the effects of the upgrade of three biomass-fired heat and power plants to heat-power-cooling-plants.

The main purpose of the research project is the creation of heat demand in summer in order to increase the capacity of these plants. Heat-powered cooling-devices, so-called sorption-chilling-devices, could increase heat demand in summer. Thus the planned upgrade would improve the efficiency of the power plant. A further advantage of the planned upgrade will be the possibility for customers to satisfy their whole energy-demand (heating and cooling) from one supplier. One of the positive consequences would be decreasing energy-costs for customers.

A plant upgrade needs to be planned very well, because other parameters apart from the low heat-demand in the summer affect the economical operation of the plant. Therefore a further focal point of this project is the development of tools that support plant operators when making decisions. With these tools plant operators will be able to assess the energetic, economic and environmental effects of this plant upgrade.

The development of these tools and models requires extensive research and the collection and processing of data in order to set up an extensive data base. We are therefore going to devise a questionnaire for our private customers. For the two other customer groups, namely major customers and housing co-operatives, we are going to organize a meeting to collect data like heat-demand, cooling-demand, building specifications and so on. The plant operators will also be invited to attend this meeting. The results will help us to evaluate the requirements of both groups (suppliers and customers). The project partners KLG-Austria (executive contractor) and the engineering firm Riebenbauer (planner) are also involved in our project to support us with their practical experience concerning the adaptation of buildings.

In the second phase of the research project we are going to develop a tool which will enable the plant operator to assess the regional cooling demand. In a meeting with the major customers, the housing co-operatives and the plant operators we are going to collect the necessary data. A questionnaire will help us to evaluate the requirements of the private customers.

The focus of the third phase will be the technical investigation of the heat and power plants and the necessary adjustments for the upgrade. The phase should result in the development of a tool that allows the plant operator to estimate the technical feasibility of the planned upgrade. A further focus of this phase will be the investigation of the state of the art of heat-powered cooling-devices.

In our fourth work phase the main focus will be the evaluation of the upgrade systems. The outcome of this phase will be a model that allows the energetic, economic and environmental evaluation of the planned systems. A further aim of this step will be the optimization of the interface between the supplier and the customer.

The fifth work phase is designed to create a specific contracting model that supports the plant operator and increases the acceptance of this kind of technology by customers.

Project management

Prof.(FH) Dipl.-Ing. Dr. Richard Krotil
Fachhochschulstudiengänge Burgenland GmbH

Project or cooperation partner

• BEGAS Kraftwerk GmbH
• Bioenergie Burgenland Service GesmbH
• Burgenländische Elektrizitätswirtschafts Aktiengesellschaft
• Burgenländische Krankenanstalten-Gesellschaft m.b.H.
• KLG-Austria GmbH
• Moklerei Oberwart
• Oberwarter gemeinn. Bau-, Wohn- und Siedlungsgenossenschaften
• Technische Büro Ing. Leo Riebenbauer GmbH
• Umweltdienst Burgenland GmbH

Prof.(FH) Dipl.-Ing. Dr. Richard Krotil
Steinamangerstraße 21
7423 Pinkafeld
Tel.: +43 (3357) 45370 - 1122
Fax: +43 (3357) 45370 - 1010
E-Mail: richard.krotil@fh-burgenland.at
Internet: www.fh-burgenland.at