Diesel-Fueled Stirling Micro-Cogeneration System (SMCS) for Military Mobile Kitchens

Recent advances in Army field feeding equipment offer improved kitchen efficiency and personnel usability. Inherently loud, noxious, complex, and over-sized diesel generators are still required to provide small amounts of electric power. The Army isseeking quieter, more efficient approaches capable of cogenerating electricity and hot water. Stirling Technology Company (STC) has developed a family of quiet, long-life, maintenance-free Stirling cycle generators. Prototype RG-1000 1 kW(e) Stirlinggenerators, in a cogeneration configuration, are being tested by a European client (ENATEC) who has licensed them for the European residential cogeneration market. ENATEC plans to mass produce these at competitive prices for the individual homeowner,beginning in 2004. STC plans to heavily leverage their ENATEC collaboration to meet Army needs in a high-performance, cost-effective manner. Phase I objectives to demonstrate a diesel-fired radiant matrix burner and to produce a StirlingMicro-Cogeneration System (SMCS) conceptual design were met, and even exceeded by successfully demonstrating two fundamentally different burner concepts. Factors supporting Phase II success and commercial viability include: 1) proven long lifemaintenance-free Stirling engine, 2) simple inexpensive cylindrical heater head, 3) adaptation of proven catalytic diesel burner, 4) leveraging from ENATEC low cost mass production cogenerator, and 5) focus on clearly identified market needs.The STCStirling Micro Cogeneration System (SMCS) will eliminate the need for noisy, dirty, high-maintenance and inefficient internal combustion generators to supply electricity separately from thermal energy. With the small cooling fan as the loudest component,the Stirling cycle generator operates in virtual silence. Without the need for lubricating oil or periodic maintenance of any kind, STC's RG 1000 is very clean and easy to operate, with no harmful or unsanitary fluids to dispose of. It can also be usedin areas where no trained service or maintenance personnel are available. The inherent long life and high reliability of STC's Stirling cycle generator is validated by its recent selection by NASA and DOE for their advanced radioisotope space powergenerators, with high profile missions up to 14 years in duration. Low mass production costs resulting from the European residential cogeneration program, combined with superior fuel efficiency, will make the Stirling very cost-effective to operate andclearly preferable for providing combined heat and power cogeneration. The SMCS can provide heat and power at any time of the day or night, and keep providing continuous heat and electricity for as long as it's needed. Related commercial applicationsinclude off-grid residential power, recreational vehicle power, and residential/light commercial cogeneration. The latter market is driven by the expanding U.S. energy crisis, and is supported by the advanced European residential cogeneration status. Theproposed Phase II program will further expedite entry into these and other markets.