Title: Energy, exergy, thermoeconomic and sustainability analyses of a building heating system with a combi-boiler

Authors: Hakan Caliskan

Addresses: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Usak University, TR-64200, Usak, Turkey

Abstract: The energy, exergy, thermoeconomic and sustainability analyses are applied to the building heating system with a natural gas-fired combi-boiler. The building area is considered as 90 m². Furthermore, the design and analysis of the natural gas installation of the building are done. Two different methodologies (Fine-HVAC and LowEx analyses) are used for energy analyses (heat loss and demand) of the building. As a result, the energy efficiency of the building is found to be 29.451% using LowEx method. The exergy efficiency of the building is also calculated as 2.906%. The general energy and exergy efficiencies of the combi-boiler are determined to be 94.223% and 12.573%, respectively. Furthermore, it is found that the combi-boiler, which is used in the building as a heating system device, is approximately 11% more sustainable than the building, and thermoeconomic analysis is more beneficial when the exergetic rates are considered.

Keywords: boilers; energy analysis; exergy efficiency; energy efficiency; exergy analysis; exergoeconomic analysis; natural gas installation; sustainability analysis; thermoeconomic analysis; building heating systems; natural gas; combi-boilers.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEX.2014.060282

International Journal of Exergy, 2014 Vol.14 No.2, pp.244 - 273

Received: 13 Mar 2013
Accepted: 29 Mar 2013
Published online: 02 Mar 2015 *

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