SBIR-STTR Award

Advanced Gas Turbine Engine Exhaust Waste Heat Recovery System
Award last edited on: 10/25/2018

Sponsored Program
SBIR
Awarding Agency
DOD : Navy
Total Award Amount
$849,116
Award Phase
2
Solicitation Topic Code
N103-229
Principal Investigator
Emanuel Papandreas

Company Information

Candent Technologies Inc

6107 West Airport Boulevard Suite 190
Greenfield, IN 46140
Location: Single
Congr. District: 06
County: Hancock

Phase I

Contract Number: N00167-11-P-0196
Start Date: 3/9/2011    Completed: 1/31/2013
Phase I year
2011
Phase I Amount
$147,589
Navy ships use of gas turbine engines for both main propulsion and electrical power generation. With typical simple cycle thermal efficiencies of around 32-35%, a great deal of energy is lost as exhaust waste heat from the gas turbines. Clearly there is a need to develop systems that can recover as much as possible of this waste energy, and as stated in the program goal, achieve at least a 20% reduction in fuel consumption. Also important is the avoidance of steam systems and machinery, due to their high maintenance characteristics, hence non-aqueous solutions only are to be considered. To meet these program requirements, Candent Technologies proposes to investigate a waste heat recovery system utilizing an air (Brayton) bottoming cycle with the requisite heat exchangers and turbomachinery, and also to conduct trade studies to determine the most advantageous configuration, as well as to further define the system by carrying out a preliminary design effort. The baseline system chosen will be the 501K17/K34, since the characteristics of their exhaust are well suited for the effort, and the resulting matching energy recovery system should make for a reasonable size and cost in a follow on Phase II and Phase III programs.

Benefit:
The proposed waste heat recovery, bottoming cycle power system will provide increased energy efficiency for Navy ships and directly reduce the cost of power generation, as well as provide increased mission effectiveness and capability. This bottoming cycle power system is truly a dual use product, with substantial commercial production potential. In addition to both civil and military ships, derivatives would be used in power generation applications, including distributed power/co-generation systems and portable electrical power generation systems, civil and military. This market versatility represents a substantial production base which will result in significant cost savings to the Government when compared to systems designed solely for military applications.

Keywords:
gas, gas, waste, heat, advanced, Technology, recovery, Turbine

Phase II

Contract Number: N00024-13-C-4517
Start Date: 1/23/2013    Completed: 1/23/2014
Phase II year
2013
Phase II Amount
$701,527
Navy ships use of gas turbine engines for both main propulsion and shipboard electrical power generation. With a typical simple cycle gas turbine nearly 65% of the energy consumed is typically lost as waste heat. Safely and efficiently recovering electrical power from this source of energy equal to an amount of power to provide a 20% reduction in fuel consumption is the program goal. Also important is the avoidance of systems that are expensive, maintenance intensive or systems that employ working fluids that could be dangerous if they were to be released inside the closed confines of a ship. To meet these program requirements, Candent Technologies is developing a waste heat recovery system utilizing an air (Brayton) bottoming cycle with the requisite heat exchangers and turbomachinery. This system has the potential to exceed the program goal of 20% fuel savings, as well as remain low cost and safe for the crewmembers. The Phase I program performed thermodynamic analysis, system trade studies and the preliminary design of a waste heat recovery system for the Rolls-Royce 501K17/K34 engine used for auxiliary power on destroyers and cruisers. The Phase II program performs the final design, hardware fabrication and test of a full scale bottoming cycle engine.

Benefit:
The proposed waste heat recovery, bottoming cycle power system will provide increased energy efficiency for Navy ships and directly reduce the cost of shipboard power generation, as well as provide increased mission effectiveness and capability. This bottoming cycle power system is truly a dual use product, with substantial commercial production potential. In addition to both civil and military ships, derivatives would be used in power generation applications, including distributed power/co-generation systems and portable electrical power generation systems, civil and military. This market versatility represents a substantial production base which will result in significant cost savings to the Government when compared to systems designed solely for military applications. The fuel savings amounts to approximately 350 pounds of fuel per hour in a destroyer and more in a cruiser. Over a year the fuel savings can easily be greater than one million dollars per ship recovering the heat from the power generation system alone.

Keywords:
Waste Heat Recovery, gas, Turbine, Advanced Technology, High efficiency