Inherited system
 
Inherited Tri-generation Prototype
The tri-generation system inherited achieves its objective of producing heat, refrigeration and electri
city from a single source an internal combustion engine. The entire system is composed of four main subsystems. An internal combustion engine, a generator, a water-heating unit and a refrigeration unit. Each of the four subsystems are discussed below.
 
Internal Combustion Engine (Power Source)
The p
ower source is a Kawasaki FD501D 16 hp liquid-cooled engine. This delivers the exhaust gas that powers the refrigeration unit and the water-heating unit. The engine is coupled to a generator the provide electrical power. The exhaust gas heat is transferred to other subsystems via 1” nominal type L copper tubing.
 
 
Generator
A VOLTmaster AB60 AC generator is coupled to the engine and supplies 5 kW of continuous electrical power.
 
Refrigeration Unit
A Dometic RM2193 absorption refrigeration unit provides a cool space. An absorption refrigerator is different than most home refrigerators in that a thermal compressor replaces a mechanical vapor compressor. A conduction circuit, made from a copper rod,  transfers the heat from the exhaust gas to the refrigerator’s boiler.
 
Water-Heating Unit
The water-heating unit consists of a
20 galloon water reservoir made from reinforced fiberglass. The heat is transferred from the exhaust gas to the water by a Polar Power Inc. Model 30 exhaust heat exchanger.
 
Water Reservoir
Tri-generation Prototype History Tri-generation is an integration of cogeneration and absorption chilling. Tri-generation systems, also denoted as CHCP (combined heating, cooling, power) systems, are able to produce heating, cooling and power from a single source. During the 2005-2006 four mechanical engineering students from FAMU-FSU college of engineering collaborated with two mechanical engineering students from UFPR to fabricate a tri-generation prototype. Together the students built a system that successfully produced heating, cooling and electricity from a single source. The system was composed a four major systems: an internal combustion engine, a generator, an absorption refrigerator and a water-heating unit.
History
 
Tri-generation System
A system that concurrently produces heating, cooling and power from a single source.
 
Major System Components
  1.  Internal Combustion Engine
  2.  Absorption Refrigerator
  3.  Water-heating Unit
  4.  Generator
Cogeneration
Also called CHP (combined heat and power) uses a single source to provide heat and power.