University of Central Florida Cogeneration Facility: Design and Economic Impact of a Medium Speed Reciprocating Engine Driven Chilled Water System

The University of Central Florida Cogeneration Facility is a state of the art chilled water CHP system using a natural gas fueled high efficiency 60 Hz medium speed reciprocating engine as the prime mover. The facility features one lean burn 5.5 MW 18KU30GSI (MACH II-SI) spark ignition engine, generator, controls, auxiliaries, multi-effect absorption chiller, secondary cooling, and an advanced emissions control system that includes selective catalytic reduction (SCR) system and oxidation catalyst (OC). The cogeneration system is located on a constrained site in Orlando, Florida at the second largest university in the United States with a student enrollment of over 56,000. The site is adjacent to a sensitive environmental area to the east, a main thoroughfare to the south, student dormitories to the west, and a lecture hall to the north. The architecture of the new combined heat and power plant was carefully designed to blend with the surrounding campus architecture and sound attenuation methods were employed to minimize noise pollution from the power plant. The new chilled water system was interconnected to the existing campus chilled water facility, therefore requiring coordination with existing chilled water infrastructure as well as other existing electrical, water, sewer, and storm water utilities on the campus. This paper describes the plant load profile, design criteria, engine performance, chilled water production heat balance, and emissions requirements. The economic benefit to the University is discussed including both the impact of self generating power and augmentation of the existing chilled water system. In addition, the benefits of using modern 3-dimensional design tools are outlined for a brown-field location such as the subject site.