Wood burning turbine generator

[Gunner]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PfDr-XXuvmo&mode=related&search=

NT/6 Highlights (proposed specifications)
- self starting.
- runs on wood, garbage or bio-mass (or anything else you can stuff into the combustor that burns and gives off good heat).
- totally self sufficient - can be run in remote locations without gas or diesel fuel.
- expected to produce around 2,000W continuous.
- DC output: 24V @ 80A
- AC output: 120 - 240V @ 50-60Hz (AC output will depend upon battery and inverter capacity)
- excellent source of warmth.
- fuel wood consumption: TBA.
- easy to maintain, (change the oil every few months)
- reliable, turbos are simple and last a long time.

More to follow. I have not begun working on the free turbine and generator system yet. (Too busy with other projects!)

 

[PaulyV]

what the hell does it do? I missed it..

 

[Gunner]

generate electricity

 

[Andre B.]

That guy has some fun toys.
http://www.gas-turbines.com/

 

[Gunner]

That guy has some fun toys.
http://www.gas-turbines.com/

He sure does, I'd like one of everything!

 

[webbie]

Stupid question - is this burning wood gas and then using it like a jet, or is it boiling water (steam) to make the turbine spin?

 

[Gunner]

Not a stupid question Craig, in fact a good one. I don't know the answer, just thought it was neat and worth sharing.

 

[restorer]

Gunner:
Ran through the vid a few times. Looks like they started the wood to a good burn and capped the 3"?? line. Seems the fume extractor moves from the pipe stem to the back of the turbine (small box looks like a hand pump. Late in the vid they moved the extractor and the room seems to fill with smoke. I certainly wouldn't want to be close to the turbine as it winds up, seems really noisy. I wonder how much they have invested.

Not a stupid question Craig, in fact a good one. I don't know the answer, just thought it was neat and worth sharing.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

Stupid question - is this burning wood gas and then using it like a jet, or is it boiling water (steam) to make the turbine spin?

I was wondering the same thing.



Matt

 

[PacificGuyInCNY]

I want one.

 

[begreen]

More, better quality videos and details at:
(broken link removed to http://www.gas-turbines.com/nt6/index.html)

It appears to be burning wood gas, from what I tell. I love the turbine, from a late 80's 2.2 liter Dodge. Seems to be a bit away from being independently powered with propane start, electric powered oilpump, compressed air turbo starter. But still pretty cool.

 

[mtarbert]

IF approved safety equiptment were installed you couldnt get within 50feet of that thing....

 

[babalu87]

IF approved safety equiptment were installed you couldnt get within 50feet of that thing....

You only have to stay away from the area where the actual turbine is and to the sides only.
Wrap that rascal in a nice heavy Kevlar blanket and your good to go.
When a turbine/jet engine comes apart it shoots to one side or the other not all over the place.

Sure would be nice to have a small one just to get off grid.

 

[Andre B.]

Stupid question - is this burning wood gas and then using it like a jet, or is it boiling water (steam) to make the turbine spin?

I was wondering the same thing.



Matt

The big metal cylinder holds the wood and is the combustion chamber, nothing fancy and looks like no attempt at separating primary and secondary combustion.
The air from the compressor side of the turbo is divided into two flows each has a valve for some level of control. The first flow feeds the fire, just a jet of air blowing into the wood, he may have a double wall on the cylinder and be doing some preheating of the combustion air first. The cylinder is pressurized to about 12psi, which makes the wood burn like you have never imagined.
The second flow of air is mixed with the combustion gases from the burning wood just as it leaves the cylinder on it's way to the turbine, my guess it is this cools the gases which would otherwise shortly make slag out of the turbo.

The hard part is getting mechanical power out of the turbo to spin a generator which I do not know if he has ever done. What you see in the videos is a high tech way of taking electricity for the oil pump and wood and making a lot of heat and noise. As far as generating electrical power it is never going to be in any way efficient, but when you have a shop like his and a bit of free time making stuff like this is a blast.

Edit; It could be reasonably efficient with a proper turbine and a lot more $$$ but not with a turbo from an old car.


A wiki article describing the brayton cycle engine.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brayton_cycle

Here is a piston engine version burning a liquid fuel.
http://www.todayinsci.com/B/Brayton_George/BraytonGeorgeEngine.htm

Here is an older version burning coal.
http://stirlingengines.org.uk/pioneers/pion3.html

 

[begreen]

Good info Andre. Yes, it was my thought that perhaps it would be easier and perhaps more efficient to just run a generator on wood gas, especially if the generator was water cooled and some of the waste heat was scavenged and reused. That would certainly be lower tech and within my capabities.

 

[MikeS]

yes, hard to take shaft work at the 100Kr/m turbine speed. but there are gearboxes for this. as poster said above, $$

ms