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ORG/RESOURCES/MICROTURBINES

MICROTURBINES  
by Barney L. Capehart, PhD, CEM
College of Engineering, University of Florida
Updated: 
12-22-2016

INTRODUCTION
WITHIN THIS PAGE
 Introduction
 Description
 Application
 Relevant Codes and Standards
 Additional Resources

Microturbines are a relatively new distributed generation technology being used for
stationary energy generation applications. They are a type of combustion turbine that
produces both heat and electricity on a relatively small scale.
Microturbines offer several potential advantages compared to other technologies for small-
scale power generation, including: a small number of moving parts, compact size,
lightweight, greater efficiency, lower emissions, lower electricity costs, and opportunities to
utilize waste fuels. Waste heat recovery can also be used with these systems to achieve
efficiencies greater than 80%.
Because of their small size, relatively low capital costs, expected low operations and
maintenance costs, and automatic electronic control, microturbines are expected to capture
a significant share of the distributed generation market. In addition, microturbines offer an
efficient and clean solution to direct mechanical drive markets such as compression and air-
conditioning.
  
Microturbines work like jet engines but produce electricity instead of thrust.
Photo Credit: Capstone Turbine Corp.

DESCRIPTION
A. WHAT IS A MICROTURBINE?

MICROTURBINE OVERVIEW

Commercially Available Yes (Limited)

Size Range 25-500 kW

Fuel Natural gas, hydrogen, propane, diesel

Efficiency 20-30% (Recuperated)

 MICROTURBINE OVERVIEW

Environmental Low (<9–50 ppm) NOx

Other Features Cogeneration (50–80°C water)

Commercial Status Small volume production, commercial prototypes now.

(Courtesy of California Distributed Energy Resources Guide on Microturbines)

Microturbines are small combustion turbines approximately the size of a refrigerator with
outputs of 25 kW to 500 kW. They evolved from automotive and truck turbochargers,
auxiliary power units (APUs) for airplanes, and small jet engines. Most microturbines are
comprised of a compressor, combustor, turbine, alternator, recuperator (a device that
captures waste heat to improve the efficiency of the compressor stage), and generator. The
figure below illustrates how a microturbine works.
How a microturbine works.
Courtesy of slimfilms.com

B. TYPES OF MICROTURBINES
Microturbines are classified by the physical arrangement of the component parts: single
shaft or two-shaft, simple cycle, or recuperated, inter-cooled, and reheat. The machines
generally rotate over 40,000 revolutions per minute. The bearing selection—oil or air—is
dependent on usage. A single shaft microturbine with high rotating speeds of 90,000 to
120,000 revolutions per minute is the more common design, as it is simpler and less
expensive to build. Conversely, the split shaft is necessary for machine drive applications,
which does not require an inverter to change the frequency of the AC power.
Microturbine generators can also be divided into two general classes:
 Unrecuperated (or simple cycle) microturbines—In a simple cycle, or
unrecuperated, turbine, compressed air is mixed with fuel and burned under constant
pressure conditions. The resulting hot gas is allowed to expand through a turbine to
perform work. Simple cycle microturbines have lower efficiencies at around 15%, but
also lower capital costs, higher reliability, and more heat available for cogeneration
applications than recuperated units.
 Recuperated microturbines—Recuperated units use a sheet-metal heat exchanger
that recovers some of the heat from an exhaust stream and transfers it to the incoming
air stream, boosting the temperature of the air stream supplied to the combustor.
Further exhaust heat recovery can be used in a cogeneration configuration. The
figures below illustrate a recuperated microturbine system. The fuel-energy-to-
electrical-conversion efficiencies are in the range of 20 to 30%. In addition,
recuperated units can produce 30 to 40% fuel savings from preheating.
Recuperated microturbine
Photo Credit: Capstone
View enlarged diagram
Courtesy of EPRI
Cogeneration is an option in many cases as a microturbine is located at the point-of-power
utilization. The combined thermal electrical efficiency of microturbines in such cogeneration
applications can reach as high as 85% depending on the heat process requirements.

MICROTURBINE EFFICIENCY

Configuration Efficiency

Unrecuperated 15%

Recuperated 20–30%

With Heat Recovery Up to 85%

(Courtesy of California Distributed Energy Resources Guide on Microturbines)

Advanced materials, such as ceramics and thermal barrier coatings, are some of the key
enabling technologies to further improve microturbines. Efficiency gains can be achieved
with materials like ceramics, which allow a significant increase in engine operating
temperature.

C. CHARACTERISTICS OF MICROTURBINES
Some of the primary applications for microturbines include:

 Distributed generation—stand-alone, on-site applications remote from power grids

 Quality power and reliability—reduced frequency variations, voltage transients,
surges, dips, or other disruptions
 Stand-by power—used in the event of an outage, as a back-up to the electric grid
 Peak shaving—the use of microturbines during times when electric use and
demand charges are high
 Boost power—boost localized generation capacity and on more remote grids
 Low-cost energy—the use of microturbines as base load or primary power that is
less expensive to produce locally than it is to purchase from the electric utility
 Combined heat and power (cogeneration)—increases the efficiency of on-site
power generation by using the waste heat for existing thermal process.

Microturbines offer many potential advantages for distributed power generation. Selected
strengths and weaknesses of microturbine technology are listed in the following table from
the California Distributed Energy Resources Guide on Microturbines.

MICROTURBINES

Strengths Weaknesses

Small number of moving Low fuel to electricity efficiencies

parts

Compact size Loss of power output and efficiency with higher ambient
temperatures and elevation

Lightweight  
 MICROTURBINES

Good efficiencies in  
cogeneration

Low emissions  

Can utilize waste fuels  

Long maintenance intervals  

No vibrations  

Less noise than  

reciprocating engines

Strengthens energy security  

Accessible: N/A
Aesthetics:

 Improves sightlines and views with off-the-grid systems, which eliminate the need for
overhead power lines

Cost-Effective: (See Section F: Economics of Microturbines)

 Enables cost savings by reducing the peak demand at a facility, therefore lowering
demand charges
Functional:

 Provides better power reliability and quality, especially for those in areas where
brownouts, surges, etc. are common or utility power is less dependable
 Provides power to remote applications where traditional transmission and distribution
lines are not an option such as construction sites and offshore facilities
 Can be an alternative to diesel generators for on-site power for mission critical
functions (e.g., communications centers)
 Possesses combined heat and power capabilities
 Reduces upstream overload of transmission lines
 Optimizes utilization of existing grid assets—including potential to free up
transmission assets for increased wheeling capacity
 Improves grid reliability
 Facilitates faster permitting than transmission line upgrades
 Can be located on sites with space limitations for the production of power

Productive:

 Provides high-quality power for sensitive applications

 Responds faster to new power demands—as capacity additions can be made more
quickly
 Facilitates less capital tied up in unproductive assets—as the modular nature of
microturbines means capacity additions and reductions can be made in small
increments, closely matched with demand, instead of constructing central power plants
sized to meet estimated future (rather than current) demand
 Stand-by power decreases downtime, enabling employees to resume working
 Produces less noise than reciprocating engines

Secure/Safe:

 Strengthens energy security

 Stand-by power provides quick recovery after an event

Sustainable:

 Produces the lowest emission of any noncatalyzed fossil fuel combustion system
 Has a small footprint, minimizing site disturbance
 Reduces or defers infrastructure (line and substation) upgrades
 For recuperated microturbine, possesses higher energy conversion efficiencies than
central generation
 Enables more effective energy and load management

D. ECONOMICS OF MICROTURBINES
Microturbine capital costs range from $700–$1,100/kW. These costs include all hardware,
associated manuals, software, and initial training. Adding heat recovery increases the cost
by $75–$350/kW. Installation costs vary significantly by location but generally add 30-50%
to the total installed cost.
Microturbine manufacturers are targeting a future cost below $650/kW. This appears to be
feasible if the market expands and sales volumes increase.
With fewer moving parts, microturbine vendors hope the units can provide higher reliability
than conventional reciprocating generating technologies. Manufacturers expect that initial
units will require more unexpected visits, but as the products mature, a once-a-year
maintenance schedule should suffice. Most manufacturers are targeting maintenance
intervals of 5,000-8,000 hours.
Maintenance costs for microturbine units are still based on forecasts with minimal real-life
situations. Estimates range from $0.005–$0.016 per kWh, which would be comparable to
that for small reciprocating engine systems.

MICROTURBINE COST

Capital Cost $700–$1,100/kW

O&M Cost $0.005-0.016/kW

Maintenance Interval 5,000-8,000 hrs

(Courtesy of California Distributed Energy Resources Guide on Microturbines)

APPLICATION
Microturbines can be used for stand-by power, power quality and reliability, peak shaving,
and cogeneration applications. In addition, because microturbines are being developed to
utilize a variety of fuels, they are being used for resource recovery and landfill gas
applications. Microturbines are well suited for small commercial building establishments
such as: restaurants, hotels/motels, small offices, retail stores, and many others.
The variety of energy consumers that are already using microturbines is large and growing
fast. For example:
 Landfill gas-fired microturbines installed at the Jamacha Landfill in Spring Valley,
California supply power on-site and back to the grid. More
 A McDonald's restaurant in Chicago, Illinois, gets most of its electricity from a
natural-gas-powered microturbine, cutting $1,500 off its total monthly power bill.
A Parallon 75 microturbine generator power system at The Energy Efficient McDonald's (TEEM) in
Bensenville, Illinois, is able to power the entire store, including lighting, cooking equipment, and HVAC.
Photo Credit: Energy User News
  A textile mill in Lawrence, Massachusetts, ensures continuous operation by getting
its power from microturbines.
 The Chesapeake Building on the University of Maryland campus, College Park,
Maryland has a cooling, heating, and power (CHP) system consisting of microturbines,
chiller, and stack that uses waste heat to cool and heat the building, significantly
increasing system efficiency.

Chesapeake Building CHP system, University of Maryland—College Park, MD

The development of microturbine technology for transportation applications is also in
progress. Automotive companies are interested in microturbines as a lightweight and
efficient fossil-fuel-based energy source for hybrid electric vehicles, especially buses.
Other ongoing developments to improve microturbine design, lower costs, and increase
performance in order to produce a competitive distributed generation product include heat
recovery/cogeneration, fuel flexibility, and hybrid systems (e.g., fuel cell/microturbine,
flywheel/microturbine).

RELEVANT CODES AND STANDARDS

 Executive Order 13693, "Planning for Federal Sustainability in the Next Decade"
 National Energy Policy . Report of the National Energy Policy Development Group,
May 2001.
 IEEE Standards Association IEEE 1547a - Standard for Interconnecting Distributed
Resources with Electric Power Systems, Amendment 1
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
WBDG
BUILDING TYPES / SPACE TYPES
Applicable to all building types and space types

DESIGN OBJECTIVES
Aesthetics, Cost-Effective, Functional / Operational, Productive, Secure / Safe, Sustainable

BUILDING COMMISSIONING
Building Commissioning

TOOLS
Energy Escalation Rate Calculator (EERC), Energy Plus, Facility Energy Decision System
(FEDS)

STATE AND FEDERAL AGENCIES

 California Energy Commission (CEC)
 Department of Energy (DOE)
o Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE)
o DOE EERE High Efficiency Microturbine with Integral Heat Recovery
Program

ASSOCIATIONS AND ORGANIZATIONS

 California Communities for Advanced Distributed Energy Resources (CADER)—
Serves as an information clearinghouse on efficient technologies and infrastructure
systems that improve the quality, reliability and security of community energy supplies,
while reducing energy costs and environmental impacts associated with power
generation.
 CHP Association—An association that brings together diverse market interests to
promote the growth of clean, efficient CHP in the United States. Its mission is to create
a regulatory, institutional, and market environment that fosters the use of clean,
efficient CHP as a major source of electric power and thermal energy in the U.S.
(Formerly U.S. Clean Heat and Power Association (USCHPA))
 World Alliance for Decentralized Energy (WADE)—Launched by a group of major
companies and national industry associations to accelerate the development of high
efficiency cogeneration and decentralized energy (DE) systems which will deliver
substantial economic and environmental benefits worldwide.
MANUFACTURERS
There are more than twenty companies worldwide that are involved in the development and
commercialization of microturbines for distributed generation applications. Below are links
for five of the leading microturbine manufacturers.

 Bowman Power Systems—A U.K. company that develops 80-kW microturbine power
generation systems for DER and mobile power applications.
 Calnetix Technologies—A premier manufacturer of microturbines for use in
distributed generation, combined heat and power (CHP), biogas and offshore
applications.
 Capstone Turbine Corporation—Based in Chatsworth, CA, Capstone is a leader in
the commercialization of low-emission, high-reliability microturbine power generators.
The company offers 30-kW and 60-kW systems for DER applications.
 Ansaldo Turbec— In late 2012 Ansaldo Energia acquired Turbec. The company
offers a 100-kW microturbine power generator for commercial DER applications.