CHP for heat and CO2 production for greenhouse applications can pay back in a remarkably short time, ranging anywhere from 1.5 to 3 years in favorable conditions says Stefan De Witt of Cummins Engine. Gas-fueled generator sets are highly suitable for this application because of their excellent environmental characteristics and their efficient production of heat and electricity. When implementing a solution, the designer must consider a number of points. For the dimensioning of the CO2 equipment such as tubes and fans, for example, it is important to keep in mind the excess air factor, defined as the amount of air admitted divided by the minimum amount of air required for the complete combustion of a fuel. The amount of air for complete combustion of a fuel depends on the composition of the fuel. Combustion of approximately 35 cubic ft of natural gas at normal temperature and pressure (1 N m³) needs approximately 8.5 N m³ of air. Lean-burn engines operate at a high excess air factor (above 1.5) to keep NOx production to a minimum. Consequently, a CHP unit produces a larger volume of exhaust gases than a burner.

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