Microturbine Combined Heat and Power System (Microturbine CHPS)

There is a need for more compact and efficient field equipment that can burn alternative fuels, and supply heat and electric power to field kitchens and other organizational equipment in future combat support operations. Current equipment operates on JP8 and employs separate heat and electric power generation devices. The intent of this program is to screen concepts and complete a preliminary design of an innovative Combined Heat and Power System (CHPS) that employs a microturbine generator with exhaust heat recovery, afterburning, and a thermal fluid heat exchanger, and that can operate on alternative fuel sources, from waste-gasifier process gas to JP8. This design has the potential for achieving significantly improved overall efficiency, fuel flexibility and compact packaging. The recuperated microturbine generator on which this system is based is market-competitive in electric power efficiency and much more compact than other available generation devices rated below 25 KWe. The resultant design is expected to be a compact CHPS module that can operate on a wide range of fuels and that will help standardize the delivery of power to military field units.