Organic Rankine Cycle- and Photovoltaic/Thermal-Solar Assisted Heat Pump-Based Micro-Trigeneration Systems: Comparative Performances in Canadian Condition

As the energy demand for heating and cooling requires a significant quantity of residential energy consumption in nearly all nations, there is a need for performant and cost-effective energy systems for cooling, heating and power generation. On noteworthy applicability, this paper investigates the combination of an organic Rankine cycle (ORC) system in parallel with a solar-assisted heat pump (SAHP) with flat plat collectors (FPCs). A dynamic simulation model has been created in TRNSYS software to assess the performance of the micro-trigeneration system. The feasibility of this hybrid energy system along with its comparison with a combined photovoltaic/thermal (PV/T)-SAHP is examined for utilisation in residential buildings. Simulation results show that both systems are viable solutions for trigeneration application. These systems are able to supply cooling, heat, and power for a residential house in Ottawa (Ontario, Canada). Especially, the proposed ORC-SAHP system could efficiently substitute the PV/T equivalent system from the perspective of power generation effectiveness, demonstrating its potential advantages and utilisation in micro-trigeneration.