FeasibilityofanewdomesticCHPtrigenerationwith heatpump:I.Designanddevelopment J.L.M  ıguez,S.Murillo,J.Porteiro,L.M.L opez * E.T.S. Ingenieros Industriales, Universidad de Vigo, Campus Lagoas-Marcosende, 36200 Vigo, Spain Received17November2003;accepted9January2004 Availableonline12February2004 Abstract Anewsmall-scaletotalenergysystemisproposedandstudied.Thesystemmainlyconsistsofarecip- rocating internal combustion engine moving an electric generator and a heat recovery system. Simulta- neously,theenginedrivesaheatpumpcompressor.Theheatpumpisreversibleandmeetsthesummer refrigeratingloadandhelpstomeetthewinterthermaldemand.Suchasystemisabletoprovideelectricity, heating,hotwaterandrefrigerationautonomouslyoverthewholeyear.Theanalysisofitsperformanceis presented. Ó 2004ElsevierLtd.Allrightsreserved. Keywords: Cogeneration;HVACsystem;Domestic;Heatpump;Totalenergy 1. Introduction Cogeneration or combined heat and power have proven interesting as a solution when increasing an energy production systemÕs global efficiency, thus reducing carbon dioxide emis- sions. Therefore, central governments and official agencies are promoting its development and application.ItisalsoincludedintheECWhitePaperonEnergy[1].However,duetoitstechnical complexity and its higher purchase and maintaining costs, it is not so competitive in sectors characterizedbylowconsumptionsuchasdomesticandsmallcommercialmarkets. The introduction of cogeneration systems in the domestic sector requires the development of compact, cost efficient, noiseless, easy to install and low maintenance systems, capable of * Correspondingauthor.Address:DepartamentodeIngenier  ıaMeca ´nica,UniversidaddeLaRioja,C/LuisdeUlloa, 20,26004Logro~ no(LaRioja),Spain.Tel.:+34-941-299-536;fax:+34-941-299-478. E-mail addresses: jmiguez@uvigo.es (J.L.M  ıguez),luis-maria.lopez@dim.unirioja.es(L.M.L opez). 1359-4311/$-seefrontmatter Ó 2004ElsevierLtd.Allrightsreserved. doi:10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2004.01.008 AppliedThermalEngineering24(2004)1409–1419 www.elsevier.com/locate/apthermeng