Integrated combined heating, cooling and electricity system based on triple-effect free-piston Stirling configuration.

• An integrated CCHP system is proposed with one machine synchronously. • A prototype based on a free-piston Stirling configuration was designed and built. • The prototype can obtain the highest values of COPc and COPh of 0.26 and 1.28. • Under typical working conditions, the prototype can achieve an exergy efficiency of 49.3 %. • Compared with the traditional system, the prototype saves at least 39 % of energy consumption. Conventional combined cooling, heating, and power (CCHP) systems, involving multiple energy conversion technologies, are composed of a variety of coupled subsystems with different working principles. To solve the problems of bulky structure, operational complexity, and high initial investment cost, a novel integrated combined heating, cooling, and electricity system based on the same energy conversion technology with a triple-effect free-piston Stirling configuration was proposed. Compared with the traditional system, the novel integrated system can cool, heat, and generate power using one machine without introducing additional devices. Some verification experiments were tested on a built experimental platform to validate the feasibility of the concept of this configuration. The result shows that the system was able to obtain the highest values of COPc, COPh, and the output performance coefficient of 0.26, 1.28, and 1.54, respectively, which can save 39 % of energy consumption compared with traditional independent energy-supplying systems when providing the same cooling and heating capacity and electricity under typical working conditions. It is expected that the reported result can facilitate a practical application in decentralized CCHP systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]