Diesel genset 20-30KW required for bus transit concept

[ATBradbury]

I'm looking for commercially available small diesel generators that can supply from about 15-30KW of power, and I'm also looking not only for light weight but also for maximum efficiency. At present the best systems, based on APU's from trucks, appear to do no more than 25% efficiency. I'm also exploring DC generators for charging of battery pack systems, and also battry packs, as well as alternatives to diesel engines that may be emerging over the next few years.

Can anyone help here? Many thanks

 

[cranky108]

The numbers I've always heard is 1/3 of energy on the shaft, 1/3 in the cooling system, and 1/3 in the tail pipe. If there was some way to capture the heat.

To gain more efficency it's going to add to cost and size.

There was a product, and it might have worked well, that used thermal couples to generate dc from the thermal differences of a stove and the air. Haven't seen it in a few years.

 

[ATBradbury]

yeah I think I have seen that, it adds about 5% or so, on truck exhaust systems.

 

[waross]

My rule of thumb is 13 kWHr per US gallon of diesel fuel.
You will get variations with newer more efficient numbers and heavier than standard diesel fuel. (One manufacturer had the competition beat for fuel economy until you read the fine print and discovered that they were using heavier than standard fuel for their test runs.)
But, if 13 kWHrs per gal won't get your project in the economic ball park, you won't get there.

Bill
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"Why not the best?"
Jimmy Carter