gas microturbines

[nibot]

Gas microturbines. Harbec Plastics. Rochester, NY. February 17, 2006.

Harbec Plastics uses a lot of energy. The energy that doesn't come from the wind comes from these gas microturbines. Each unit looks kind of like a front-loading laundry machine yet contains a scaled-down version of a jet engine, coupled to an electrical generator. Each one generates thirty thousand watts of power. Each one has only one moving part, and is virtually maintenance-free. The exhaust gas—550 degrees Fahrenheit— is collected and run through a heat exchanger; the captured heat is used in the industrial process, for heating, and, counterintuitively, for cooling too, via an absorption chiller [link?] (on the right). The result is vastly improved efficiency. Lower costs. Less pollution.

The process of generating heat and electricity simultaneously (or utilizing the "waste heat" from electrical generation) is known as Cogeneration. The bizarre thing is that it is 2006 and this is still considered a novel idea.

Comments

[nanomonkey.livejournal.com]

Nice. I've been in the process of building a cogeneration plant for my father's house. I'm using a stirling engine instead. A microturbine would be an awesome alternative.

I agree, it is bizarre that cogeneration plants are so obscure and novel...every pizza place should be producing their own power as their ovens produce heat. And on the other hand, the home radiators of each town could be the cooling units of the local factories or powerplants.

hmmm...

[caerglas.livejournal.com]

No, YOU'RE a gas turbine.

Sorry, that childish jibe just had to be said. :)

[lert.livejournal.com]

I was just reading in PopSci about a CAR that basically uses cogen. It is too heavy right now (since there is basically a little steam engine inside), but BMW (!) thinks it'll be road-ready within a decade.