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Capstone MicroTurbines Surpass 10 Million Operating Hours
29 September 2005
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| The CARB-certified Capstone MicroTurbine HEV engine. |
The installed fleet of the Capstone Turbine’s MicroTurbine energy systems has surpassed the 10-million-hour mark—equivalent to more than 1,000 years of continuous operation—in documented runtime operation.
Although the large majority of the more than 3,200 units in the field function in on-site power generation or combined heat and power applications, some have been installed as gensets in series-hybrid mass transit applications.
In such an application, the microturbine replaces the conventional combustion engine used as a generator to power the electric drive motor(s) and recharge the energy storage system.
Some of Capstone’s hybrid vehicle partners have been or are:
eBus
ISE Research/ThunderVolt
Designline, (a New Zealand company also serving Japan)
AVS
Capstone has configured a 30-kW microturbine power system for use in hybrid electric vehicles. The C30 HEV microturbine can burn natural gas (CNG, LNG, LFG), propane, diesel or kerosene.
The electronics of the system support grid-connect (i.e., a plug-in hybrid configuration). Stand-alone battery support and automatic grid/stand-alone switching are options.
The system incorporates a compressor, recuperator, combustor, turbine and permanent magnet generator. The rotating components are mounted on a single shaft that rotates at up to 96,000 rpm and is supported by air bearings.
The generator is cooled by intake air flow, eliminating the need for liquid cooling.
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Air is compressed and injected into the recuperator where its temperature is elevated by the exhaust gases expelled from the turbine. This process increases the system efficiency. The heated compressed air is mixed with fuel and burned in the combustion chamber. The combusted hot gases expand through the turbine, providing the rotational power. Patented techniques in the combustion process result in the extremely low emission exhaust stream.
The output of the generator is variable voltage, variable frequency AC power. Integrated power electronics convert this to 250–700V DC for hybrid vehicle applications.
The microturbines reduce emissions well below the levels of conventional CNG or diesel engines.
Although hybrid vehicle applications of the microturbine have been few, perhaps this may change as the market gains more experience with the pros and cons of the series hybrid configuration in general, and a microturbine genset in particular.
September 29, 2005 in Engines, Hybrids | Permalink | Comments (7) | TrackBack (0)
Comments
Posted by: Schwa | September 29, 2005 at 07:55 PM
Efficiency (from the Capstone data sheets) seems to be ~26% + hot exhaust. This doesn't seem so good compared to diesel for transit applications, although the simplicity and low emissions are attractive.
Posted by: Nick | September 29, 2005 at 10:09 PM
Schwa-
Thanks for the efficiency figures. Leave it to the media not to include much useful info.
I'll be keeping my diesel car then...
-mt
Posted by: marshall | September 30, 2005 at 03:36 PM
Thank Nick for the figures
If that 26% figure includes generator and electronic losses, that's actually not bad, considering the much lower emissions. Mechanical efficiency is probably around 35%, but since it's sole purpose it to generate electric power it would be useless to rate the mechanical efficiency. If they can somehow bring the cost of these down to a consumer level appliance level these would make great central heating units that would provide power to the house and grid while operating for heat and during power failures it would be able to provide off-grid power backup.
Posted by: Schwa | October 01, 2005 at 12:07 AM
With or without the regenerator (recuperator), the efficiency of the gas turbine can be greatly increased through cogeneration, sometimes over 30%. The only problem is - you have to fill up the water tank.
The benefits are more power, a big decrease in exhaust gas temp and even more reduced pollution in the atmosphere.
Think about it! How much choice do you have in the fuel you buy "right now?"
The Gas Turbine can run on anything combustible! Anything that burns! Never any oil changes! No cooling system or antifreeze! No ignition timing or fuel Pre-detonation! Much less air pollution! No reciprocating mass, less vibration, and could out last 10 piston engines! Auto makers don’t want that!
Never any tune-ups! Only one spark plug, it fires only to get the engine started! Plus when this technology is adapted and becomes the norm in our vehicles all kinds of new fuels will hit the market (oil company’s don’t want this and that is why it has not happened yet!) Then the massive R&D that an opened market will give us will take the gas turbine way, way far out where no piston could ever passably go, after all air travel hasn't used this ancient tech for years and years.
Posted by: Harry | January 09, 2007 at 02:58 PM
According to one of Capstones most recent publications, they have achieved 62% efficiency with the recuperator
Posted by: Charles | January 10, 2008 at 01:13 AM
This technology is the best hing I've seen to reduce our dependance on oil sold by dictators and monarchs. I want one in the back of my truck right now!
Posted by: Chris Sanchez | October 06, 2008 at 10:46 AM
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After reading about their application the the busses, it seems they might have some issues when used in a moving vehicle because of their bearings, and they has also been positioned with air intake from the ground causing them to eventually fail from dirt consumption.