Posted by Tim on March 25, 2008, 11:18 am
Hello all
This is my first time here and was wondering if anyone here has come
across anyone who has built a natural gas turbine/ generator for home
use. A few years ago i came across a guy that did but didnt mark his site.
He used a home built gas tubine like the kind you use for a model jet
airplane to run some kind of generator. From what i remember he said it
paid for itself in 3 years or so. He also was able to get heat for his
home and hot water as well all from the exhaust gases of the turbine.
What are the thoughts he guys?
Thanks
Tim
Posted by Charles Foot on March 25, 2008, 4:44 pm
Tim wrote:
> Hello all
>
> This is my first time here and was wondering if anyone here has come
> across anyone who has built a natural gas turbine/ generator for home
> use. A few years ago i came across a guy that did but didnt mark his site.
>
> He used a home built gas tubine like the kind you use for a model jet
> airplane to run some kind of generator. From what i remember he said it
> paid for itself in 3 years or so. He also was able to get heat for his
> home and hot water as well all from the exhaust gases of the turbine.
>
> What are the thoughts he guys?
>
> Thanks
>
> Tim
Hi Tim,
a New Zealand company makes a unit called a Whispergen. Not however, a
turbine.... it is a Stirling engine which runs off natural gas, produces
a couple of kW of electric power and hot water as well. They also make
an 800 watt diesel fired version for marine use.
See http://www.whispergen.com/
Posted by Vaughn Simon on March 25, 2008, 5:46 pm
> a New Zealand company makes a unit called a Whispergen. Not however, a
> turbine.... it is a Stirling engine which runs off natural gas, produces a
> couple of kW of electric power and hot water as well. They also make an 800
> watt diesel fired version for marine use.
> See http://www.whispergen.com/
And Honda teams with another company to make an ICE version of that idea:
http://www.climate-energy.com/Products/wasystem.asp
Be aware that the small model engine turbines that you asked about have short
TBOs (time between overhauls) and will likely produce far more heat than power.
Lower technology (such as a clean ICE engine) seems like a better fit for
home-sized applications. These CHP (Combined Heat & Power) concepts seem to
make sense only in a climate where the waste heat is usually useful. Us folks
in south Florida need not apply.
Vaughn
Posted by Mike on March 26, 2008, 7:02 am
On Tue, 25 Mar 2008 21:46:10 GMT, "Vaughn Simon"
>> a New Zealand company makes a unit called a Whispergen. Not however, a
>> turbine.... it is a Stirling engine which runs off natural gas, produces a
>> couple of kW of electric power and hot water as well. They also make an 800
>> watt diesel fired version for marine use.
>> See http://www.whispergen.com/
> And Honda teams with another company to make an ICE version of that idea:
> http://www.climate-energy.com/Products/wasystem.asp
> Be aware that the small model engine turbines that you asked about have
short
>TBOs (time between overhauls) and will likely produce far more heat than power.
>Lower technology (such as a clean ICE engine) seems like a better fit for
>home-sized applications. These CHP (Combined Heat & Power) concepts seem to
>make sense only in a climate where the waste heat is usually useful. Us folks
>in south Florida need not apply.
Excess heat can also be used in hot climates to chill water, all it
takes is a little thought.
On the subject of TBO, Capstone units have an extremely extended
service life
http://www.capstoneturbine.com/prodsol/products/index.asp
--
Posted by Tim on March 26, 2008, 9:10 am
Mike wrote:
> On Tue, 25 Mar 2008 21:46:10 GMT, "Vaughn Simon"
>
>
>>
>>>a New Zealand company makes a unit called a Whispergen. Not however, a
>>>turbine.... it is a Stirling engine which runs off natural gas, produces a
>>>couple of kW of electric power and hot water as well. They also make an 800
>>>watt diesel fired version for marine use.
>>>See http://www.whispergen.com/
>>
>> And Honda teams with another company to make an ICE version of that idea:
>>http://www.climate-energy.com/Products/wasystem.asp
>>
>> Be aware that the small model engine turbines that you asked about have
short
>>TBOs (time between overhauls) and will likely produce far more heat than
power.
>>Lower technology (such as a clean ICE engine) seems like a better fit for
>>home-sized applications. These CHP (Combined Heat & Power) concepts seem to
>>make sense only in a climate where the waste heat is usually useful. Us folks
>>in south Florida need not apply.
>
>
> Excess heat can also be used in hot climates to chill water, all it
> takes is a little thought.
>
> On the subject of TBO, Capstone units have an extremely extended
> service life
> http://www.capstoneturbine.com/prodsol/products/index.asp
>
>
Ya I know about the TBO but im not looking to power a city or anything
lol Just wanted to know certain key things like for example how much
continuos KW is need to run a house of average size with say standard
100 amp fuse panel and the normal amount of appliances including air
conditioner?
We live in Canada and the winter can get cold and we need the heat for
hot water as well so the heat part of it is useful. I have looked at
capstone and they use a modified turbo charger as their turbine but they
are built for industrial peak shaving applications, not home use.
Is it even possible to run a turbine off or standard home gas pressures?
Any links anyone has would be great. I think that a system the size of
say a refrigerator would be the perfect system for a hot to replace your
furnace, hot water heater and hydro supply to your house.
Thoughts are welcome.
Tim
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>
> This is my first time here and was wondering if anyone here has come
> across anyone who has built a natural gas turbine/ generator for home
> use. A few years ago i came across a guy that did but didnt mark his site.
>
> He used a home built gas tubine like the kind you use for a model jet
> airplane to run some kind of generator. From what i remember he said it
> paid for itself in 3 years or so. He also was able to get heat for his
> home and hot water as well all from the exhaust gases of the turbine.
>
> What are the thoughts he guys?
>
> Thanks
>
> Tim