Butterworth-Heinemann Microturbines: Applications for Distributed Energy Systems

Small-scale gas turbines, known as Microturbines, represent an exciting new development in gas turbine technology. They can run in size from small, human-scale machines down to micro-sized mini-machines that can barely be seen by the naked eye. They also run a great diversity of fuel types, from various types of commercial gases to waste-generated gases. This new book by industry expert Claire Soares will fully describe the various types of microturbines, their applications, and their particular requirements for installation, maintenance and repair. It will explain how a microturbine the size of a refrigerator can power an entire school, hospital or small factory, which is particularly useful for onsite, remote installations. The book will also show how microturbines can be paired with one or more fuel cells to form a hybrid energy source, or can be teamed with any source of distributed power, such as a mall hydro-turbine or a wind turbine. Moreover, the reader will learn how microturbines can run on a variety of fuels that are far cruder than those required by most standard gas turbines; they can be made to run, for instance, using gas from a landfill or biomass source. The reader will find detailed information on costs, specifications, and maintenance and repair guidelines. Ample references and resources will provide the reader with tools for finding manufacturers and product specifications for their own particular needs. Covers major categories of microturbines, including factors common to their design, installation, operation, optimization, maintenance, and repair Invaluable guidance on market factors and economics affecting microturbines and their applications, particularly for distributed power generation Provides current case studies showing microturbines used in hybrid systems with fuel cells and other types of power generation systems