determining the optimal size and operation sensitivity analysis of a cchp system implemented in a residential unit in tehran

abstract: implementing a combined cooling, heating and power system(cchp) to cool, heat and produce electricity is growing rapidly due to its efficiency and low emissions. in this paper, using economic analysis, the size and operation detail of the required gas engine and the specific electricity, cooling and heating load curves for a one year operating period has been determined. the proposed cchp system meets thermal demands of the facility and has been evaluated under such strategy. net annual profit (nap) has been introduced as an objective function to be maximized through a developed nonlinear mixed integer programming software. the operation strategy and the payback period of the chosen system have also been determined. a study with the purpose of including or excluding subsidy prices has been carried out. furthermore, a sensitivity analysis was elaborated in order to show the dependency of optimal solutions to some key contributing factors such as fuel price, electricity buying price and electricity selling price. results show that, these parameters have significant effect on the system’s performance.