A market and engineering study of a 3-kilowatt class gas turbine generator

Market and engineering studies were performed for the world's only commercially available 3 kW class gas turbine generator, the IHI Aerospace Dynajet. The objectives of the market study were to determine the competitive requirements for small generators in various U.S. applications, assess the unit's current suitability for these applications, and recommend ways to modify performance or marketing practices to make it more competitive. Engineering study goals included developing an accurate cycle model and assessing the potential for performance improvement. The market study found that the current high selling price precludes competitiveness in most segments of the U.S. civil market. One potential exception may be the marine market, where price sensitivity is less of an issue and a premium is paid for quiet operation, a distinct advantage of the Dynajet. A gas turbine generator solution has more potential in the military market, where the difference from incumbent prices is smaller than in the civil market. The Dynajet is also an appealing military solution because of its high reliability and quiet operation. The market study concluded that increasing power output and efficiency while reducing purchase price would be the most effective approach to improved competitiveness. Alternatively, the current strengths could be leveraged by adapting it for use with an absorption cooler and by emphasizing its superior emission characteristics to consumers and regulators. The engineering study discovered that cycle performance is degraded by secondary nonidealities including flow leakage, heat leakage, and thermal flow distortion. Although these nonidealities are present to some degree in all gas turbines, their impacts are larger in small-scale engines.

Department dc:contributor.department

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Aeronautics and Astronautics.

Grantor dc:publisher

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

2003

Author dc:creator

• Monroe, Mark A. (Mark Alan)

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Alan H. Epstein.

• Aeronautics and Astronautics.

Statement dc:rights

• M.I.T. theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission.

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/42200

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/42200