Capstone Turbine

[alexit]

Hello,

Has anyone first hand information regarding this capstone microturbine? I wanted to know if power is generated through inverter to high-speed brushless motor or if is using speed reducer and 3600 rpm genset. Also, what is good/bad about this? (I have downloaded for web a cost analysis for one installation in Canada, but there must be someone else using these...)

Thanks,
Alex

 

[waross]

Hi alexit and UKpete
When I saw your figures I had visions of retiring with a million or so before the end of the year. I have a client who uses around 2000 galons a day of diesel fuel. I phoned Capstone. I am afraid your figures are somewhat optomistic.
I understand that consumption is about 3 times your estimates.
Good-by to my dreams of easy street.
It is still a great product with a lot of economically sound applications.
yours

 

[UKpete]

Well, I concede Capstone should know better than me!

 

[alexit]

itsmoked,
Imagine application where mobile unit is positioned distance from anywhere for months, after much construction mains are available (maybe 80% uptime) and connected. Unit sits for more months making only heat (and backup for lost mains) then is relocated another distance away to start again.

waross,
Thanks for checking, I did not get soonest response from Capstone but I contacted via e-mail, maybe they caught me in the spam filter. Capstone is 6l/hr at 30kW electrical (their smallest unit?) Or at only 15kW?

I am starting over on envelope, and maybe having 30kW is not too much but to use 12l/hr would not be possible...does Capstone thottle down in proportion to load?

 

[waross]

Hi alexit
I really like the Capstone even though I only heard about it on this post. I think there are a lot of co-generation applications that would be very cost effective.
I mean co-generation as I originally understood it, a synergy of power, heat, refrigeration, waste energy use, and similar applications, rather than anything that sells power to the utility company, as the term is often used now.
Through this thread I learned about the adsorbtion refigeration systems that work with the Capstone as well as with other waste heat applications. I have a couple of clients that may be interested.
Back to the Capstone. A diesel will give you about 30% more kilowhatt hours per gallon. You have a lot of heat available from both the cooling system and from the exhaust for heating aplications. The cost is much less. I just checked a recent quotation for an 18.9 KW diesel (1800 RPM). Cost per Kilowatt about 1/2 the turbine. Tax advantages could help the turbine. I looked at a quotation from last November for a 35 KW set (1800 RPM), it was less than 40% of a 30 KW Capstone.
Hope this helps your project.
yours

 

[itsmoked]

alexit; Now I see.

Check what I believe is a realistic solution.

A Fischer Panda. They come packaged in a high quality sound attenuation suitcase. They are HIGHLY compact. They are designed for extreme shock and angular operation since their biggest use is sailboats. The case has plumbing fittings as the cooling water is sent to a remote sink, be it a hull cooler or a radiator or domestic heating cores. They come in 8kW, 12kW, 15kW, and 20kW (electrical) They are very efficient since their duty is in a limited fuel availability system(sailboats). Since they are always encased for sound they are designed to put all waste heat into the water which maximizes the "waste" heat concentration for your use.

The A/C generator versions use a water cooled sychronous generator making it about half the size it would normally be.

Give'em a look see.

http://www.fischerpanda.com/html/home.html

http://www.flaminsystems.com

 

[alexit]

waross,
Co-generation is exactly what I saw when I looked to Capstone first time too...power/heat all in one for my application. Unfortunate for me they have 30kW smallest unit.

itsmoked,
I had seen a Fischer before but I thought the turbine would be longer life as fewer wear parts. Also for when only heat needed I think the turbine could run with mains to turn it and only enough fuel to make desired heat output.

I think I will call Fischer to discuss my application.