Microturbines: The Technology and Applications Behind an Emerging Source of Electric Power

Table of Contents:

I. Executive Summary

II. Introduction

A. What Is a Microturbine?

1. Microturbines Defined

2. Where Microturbines Fit in the Micropower Picture

3. Some Pros, and Some Cons, for Microturbines

B. The Technology

1. Heat Engines

2. Design Options

3. Fuels

4. Hybrids

C. Brief History: a New Twist for an Old Technology

1. Hero's Toy

2. An Age of Discovery: 1830-Early 1900s

a) Michael Faraday and the Generator

b) The First Gas Turbine Engines

3. Microturbines Come on the Scene

4. The Power Utility Regulatory Act (PURPA) of 1978

D. A Survey of Microturbine Applications

1. Distributed Generation

2. Combined Heat and Power

3. Niche Markets

E. Challenges

1. Technical

2. Economic

3. Regulatory

III. The Major Players

A. Companies Manufacturing Microturbines.

1. The ABB Group: Unit to the Market in 2001

2. Capstone Turbine Corp.: Development and Commercialization of Compact Microturbine-Powered Generating Systems

3. Honeywell International Inc./General Electric Co.: Microturbine Technology and Research at Honeywell

a) Honeywell Power Systems: Parallon Turbogenerator, a 75 kW Microturbine for On-Site Power Generation

b) Honeywell Ceramic Components: Silicon Nitride Ceramics for Microturbines

c) Honeywell Advanced Composites Inc.: Continuous Fiber Ceramic Composites

4. Ingersoll-Rand Energy Systems/Independent Power: PowerWorks 70 kW System To Be Available By Mid-2001

5. Ormat Industries Ltd.: Ormat Energy Converter, a.k.a. Closed Cycle Vapor Turbogenerator

6. Solo Energy Corp.: Wireless Energy Microturbine to Supply On-Site Energy

B. Companies Collaborating in the Development of a 400 kW Mini-Turbine

1. Turbo Genset: A 400 kW Rated Unique High-Speed Alternator

2. United Technologies Corp./United Technologies Research Center: UTC Sees Distributed Generation Opportunity for Microturbines

C. Companies Providing Products and R&D for Microturbines

1. Copeland Corp., a Subsidiary of Emerson Electric Co.: Copeland's Scroll Fuel Gas Booster Is Integrated with Capstone Microturbine

2. Howmet Castings/Howmet Corp., an Alcoa Business: Leading Supplier of Investment Castings for Turbine Engine Components

3. Praxair Thermal Spray Products/Praxair Inc.: Thermal Barrier Coatings R&D

D. Companies Using Microturbines

1. Hybrid Applications

a) ISE Research Corp.: Microturbine-Powered Hybrid-Electric Transit Bus

b) Siemens Westinghouse Power Corp.: Solid Oxide Fuel Cell - Turbine Hybrid

c) Solectria Corp.: Components for Hybrid Electric Vehicles

2. Oil and Gas Company Applications

a) Pancanadian Petroleum Ltd.: Microturbines Providing Power At Remote Oilfield

b) Williams Distributed Power Services, a Unit of Williams Co. Inc.: Williams Energy Conversion Unit

IV. Case Studies: Short Reviews of Key Specific Applications of Microturbines

A. Hybrid Vehicles

1. It Started in Chattanooga

2. Several Major US Cities, Christchurch, NZ, and More, Are Breathing Easier

3. More Than Buses in the Future

B. Oil, Gas, and Utilities Industries

1. BP's Sunflower Program Includes Microturbines

2. OAO Gazprom-Operated Natural Gas Pipeline

3. New Jersey Resources Corp. Powers its Headquarters with a Microturbine

4. Japanese Electric Utility Company Tries Microturbines

C. Retail Establishments

1. Peoples Energy Installs Microturbines in Two Locations

2. Nisource Inc. Helps Walgreens Install Microturbine and CHP

3. TXU Energy Services and La Quinta Inn Install Microturbine

V. R&D Labs

A. Clemson University/Clemson University Electric Power Research Association : "Virtual Utility" Demonstration to Include a Microturbine with Heat Recovery

B. Georgia Institute of Technology/School of Mechanical Engineering: Microcogeneration Optimal Design for Service Hot Water Thermal Loads

C. Massachusetts Institute of Technology/Gas Turbine Laboratory: Shirt-Button-Sized Micro Gas Turbines

D. Oak Ridge National Laboratory: Microturbine Materials Program

1. Recuperator Materials

a) Creep Behavior of Advanced Alloys for High-Temperature Microturbine Recuperators

b) Materials Selection for High-Temperature Metallic Recuperators for Improved Efficiency

2. Ceramics for Hot Section Components

a) Development of Silicon Nitride Ceramics for Microturbine Applications

b) Ceramic Hot-Section Components in Advanced Microturbines

c) Reliability Evaluation of Microturbine Components

d) Fabrication of CVD Mullite Corrosion Protection Coatings on Silicon Nitride Turbine Vanes

VI. Highlights of Some Current Research: Short Reviews of Materials Research and Research in Fuels.

A. Material Research

1. Argonne National Laboratory

a) Ceramic Turbine Rotors May Improve Microturbine Efficiencies

b) Endothermic Fuels Heat Transfer

2. Instituto Nacional de Tecnica Aerospacial, Madrid, Spain: Applications of Quasicrystalline Materials as Thermal Barriers

3. Laboratoire de Chime Physique--Matiere et Rayonnement, France: Quasicrystalline Thermal Barrier Studies

4. NASA Glenn Research Center

a) Feasibility of Actively Cooled Silicon Nitride Airfoil for Turbine Applications

b) Studies of Thermal Barrier Coatings

5. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Department of Mechanical Engineering: Enhanced Heat Transfer for Microturbine Recuperators

B. Fuels Research

1. Abo Akademi University, Turku, Finland: Reduction in Nox Emissions From Gas Turbines Using Biomass Derived Gas

2. Biomass Laboratory, Renewable Energy Division, Italian Agency for New Technology: Gasification of Agricultural Residues

3. Lund University, Department of Chemica Engineering: Studies of Biomass Gasification

VII. Conclusions

A. Status of Microturbine Technology

1. What Is Being Done

2. What More Is Needed

B. Microturbine Market Analysis

1. Where Are the Market Strengths?

2. What Are the Market Challenges?

3. What Are the Prospects for the Future?

VIII. Glossary

IX. References and Resources

A. Reading References

1. Books

2. Journals and other Periodicals

B. Professional Organizations

C. Patents

D. Summary of Available Contacts

1. Companies Manufacturing Microturbines

2. Companies Providing Products and R&D

3. Companies Using Microturbines

a) Hybrid Applications

b) Oil and Gas Company Applications

4. R&D Labs

Figures