Techno-economic analysis of the cogeneration process on board ships

Combined heat and power (CHP) is a facility which uses one energy source to produce both electricity and thermal energy at the same time. CHP has an advantage when compared to conventional power plants which produce only electricity or thermal energy because it is much more efficient - it minimizes the usage of its primary energy source, grid losses and greenhouse gas emissions. CHP’s big advantage lies in its applicability: it is highly compatible with existing technologies already in use in different power systems across the industry, agriculture, business and residential sector. This paper describes the cogeneration in general, its application, classification and characteristics. It also describes various cogeneration plants on board, their principle and the advantages and disadvantages of individual processes. This paper contains analysis of cogeneration systems and their comparison, especially on board ships. The paper uses results of other authors to analyze on board systems and to suggest optimal solutions for various ship types. The papers aim to became one of the tools for project engineers and operation engineers.