Lightweight Turbo-Rankine Power System

Military operations require small engines to convert heavy fuels into mechanical power and electricity. Current engines/generators in the 7.5 kW (10 HP) range are too heavy, inefficient, and noisy for extremely mobile and/or clandestine operations. Fundamental scaling penalties and manufacturing constraints limit the performance of existing technology at this relatively low power level, making incremental advances an unlikely solution. Order-of-magnitude improvements in power density can only be achieved by developing dramatically new technology. Therefore, we propose to develop a miniature turbo-Rankine generator for these applications. The resulting generator will have extremely high power density and efficiency with nearly inaudible acoustic emissions. The system will leverage decades of advances at Creare in the performance and miniaturization of turbomachines and heat exchangers for low power thermodynamic systems such as turbo-Brayton cryocoolers and generators. We will perform design analyses, conduct trade studies, and develop preliminary designs for the components and system during Phase I, followed by fabrication and testing of a breadboard turbo-Rankine power system during Phase II.