A Novel Gas Turbine Product Line for Onsite Generation and Combined Heat and Power Between 400 kW_e and 1.6 MW_e

In theory gas turbines have inherent advantages for on-site power generation and combined heat and power production in the size range from 50 kW_e to 5 MW_e. These include low maintenance costs, low vibration, low emissions impact, and ease of remote operation. They also have the potential for high efficiency and low capital costs. In practice they have failed to seriously challenge reciprocating engines dominant market position, despite many recent attempts by established corporations and innovative start-ups. The authors analyze the reasons for this, and discuss the performance goals that gas turbines (or any other new product) must meet in order to challenge and displace the incumbent technology. They then describe a novel gas turbine product line designed specifically to meet this specification in the size range from 400 kW to 1.6 MW. The design is a “clean sheet” of paper approach uniquely fusing industrial gas turbine and aero engine technologies and practices. Fully commercial, cost effective components and technology are applied throughout. The result is a family of machines, which have efficiencies, capital costs, emissions impact, and operating characteristics that make them directly competitive with reciprocating engines across the board. The authors base the features and operating characteristics of the machines on thermodynamic analysis, and component, and system designs prepared by Salut [Appendix A].