Implementation of a cogeneration plant for a food processing facility. A case study

Highlights: • CHP utilization is demonstrated to allow a reduction of primary energy consumption. • The consideration of various investment indexes leads to the determination of different optimal powers. • The choice of a specific investment index to evaluate a CHP is linked to the strategy of the company. - Abstract: The present work presents an investigation regarding the feasibility analysis of a cogeneration plant for a food processing facility with the aim to decrease the cost of energy supply. The monthly electricity and heat consumption profiles are analyzed, in order to understand the consumption profiles, as well as the costs of the current furniture of electricity and gas. Then, a detailed thermodynamic model of the cogeneration cycle is implemented and the investment costs are linked to the thermodynamic variables by means of cost functions. The optimal electricity power of the co-generator is determined with reference to various investment indexes. The analysis highlights that the optimal dimension varies according to the chosen indicator, therefore it is not possible to establish it univocally, but it depends on the financial/economic strategy of the company through the considered investment index.