Capstone demonstrates turbine compliant with 2010 EPA and CARB diesel standards
Capstone Turbine Corporation, maker of the micro turbines that are being used as a power source in some hybrid buses, has announced that they have demonstrated that their 30 kW microturbine is compliant with the new EPA and CARB standards that will come into effect in 2010. Makers of some internal combustion diesel engines have been having some difficulty meeting the criterion without the implementation of lots of expensive add-ons, usually exhaust treatment systems. These additions will add to running costs even as the price of the fuel is dipping below that of gasoline in places.
The C30 microturbine use "lean premix combustion technology" to burn gaseous and liquid fuels and now CTC's engineers have altered the way the fuel is is injected. This allows for a cleaner burn without having to pre-treat fuel or require exhaust aftertreatment. While the 30 kW (40 hp) engine may not have the output to move an eighteen-wheeler over hill and dale, it seems a good match for the Designline hybrid buses (now with Altairnano batteries) it is being used in. Hit the jump for the official press release.
[Source: Green Car Congress]
PRESS RELEASE:
Capstone Successfully Demonstrates CARB 2010 Diesel Engine Emissions
CHATSWORTH, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Mar. 30, 2009-- Capstone Turbine Corporation (NASDAQ:CPST), the world's leading clean technology manufacturer of microturbine energy systems, today announced that it has demonstrated with its 30kW microturbine emission levels compliant with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and California Air Resources Board (CARB) 2010 requirements for Heavy Duty Diesel Engine (HDDE). Tests were conducted at Capstone's development test facilities in Van Nuys, California.
Internal combustion diesel engine manufacturers have been challenged for the last several years to develop technology improvements that reduce emissions to levels specified by the EPA and CARB 2010 standards. Many manufacturers are incorporating exhaust aftertreatment which increases both upfront equipment costs, life cycle costs and may reduce overall engine efficiency.
Capstone microturbines incorporate lean premix combustion technology which offers clean burning exhaust emissions operating on gaseous and liquid fuels. To achieve the emissions improvements, Capstone's team of engineers developed new fuel injection methods that resulted in significantly lower emissions. Testing demonstrated compliant nitrogen-oxide (NOx) and carbon-monoxide (CO) emissions from part load to full load operation. The proposed EPA and CARB 2010 standards reduce nitrogen-oxide (NOx) emissions over 80% from the current EPA and CARB 2007 standards. The resulting system requires no fuel pretreatment or exhaust aftertreatment to meet these stringent standards.
"We are excited about the applications this technology breakthrough opens up for the Capstone microturbine product," said Jim Crouse, Capstone's Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing. "We look forward to the results of third party test evaluation and ultimately certification which is planned for later this year."
"With today's announcement, Capstone solidifies its position at the forefront of eco-friendly power generation. The new 2010 compliant turbine is the next step in the long-standing Capstone/DesignLine partnership. DesignLine currently employs the CARB 2007 Capstone turbine to produce a hybrid vehicle that lowers emissions, improves fuel economy and reduces noise pollution. The 2010 compliant Capstone turbine further reduces our emission profile while maintaining its other advantages and will serve as the centerpiece of our efforts going forward," said Brad Glosson, DesignLine's Chief Executive Officer.
About Capstone Turbine
Capstone Turbine Corporation (www.capstoneturbine.com) (NASDAQ:CPST) is the world's leading producer of low-emission microturbine systems, and was the first to market commercially viable microturbine energy products. Capstone Turbine has shipped more than 4,000 Capstone MicroTurbine(R) systems to customers worldwide. These award-winning systems have logged millions of documented runtime operating hours.
Capstone Turbine is a member of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Combined Heat and Power Partnership, which is committed to improving the efficiency of the nation's energy infrastructure and reducing emissions of pollutants and greenhouse gases. A UL-Certified ISO 9001:2000 and ISO 14001:2004 certified company; Capstone is headquartered in the Los Angeles area with sales and/or service centers in the New York Metro area, Mexico City, Milan, Nottingham, Shanghai, Singapore and Tokyo.
"Capstone Turbine Corporation" and "Capstone MicroTurbine" are registered trademarks of Capstone Turbine Corporation. All other trademarks mentioned are the property of their respective owners.
This press release contains "forward-looking statements," as that term is used in the federal securities laws, about compliance with certain governmental regulations, expanded market opportunities and the environmental advantages of our product. Forward-looking statements may be identified by words such as "expects," "objective," "intend," "targeted," "plan" and similar phrases. These forward-looking statements are subject to numerous assumptions, risks and uncertainties described in Capstone's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission that may cause Capstone's actual results to be materially different from any future results expressed or implied in such statements. Capstone cautions readers not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this release. Capstone undertakes no obligation, and specifically disclaims any obligation, to release any revisions to any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this release or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.
Source: Capstone Turbine Corporation
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Apogee 5:01PM (3/31/2009)
People argue about range extenders for BEVs, but if that extender was a turbine that would run a wide variety of fuels (e85, biodiesel, gas, propane) and solely used for charging the EV system, the size of the range extender and emissions could be greatly reduced.
You might not want a range extender, but many people do not want another car around simply for road trips. As battery technology improves, the range extender will become obsolete, but in the meantime, the more electric vehicles in use, the more vehicles in traffic that will be emission-less.
It's a great system to get people into electric.
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BoneHeadOtto 1:59PM (4/01/2009)
For anyone considering an electric car you would be nuts to not consider a range extender. Use it on road trips and dont the range extending in town. Best of both worlds.
While i agree that a turbine would be a great choice for range extending, i wonder how it compares to the free piston engine. That seems like the proper choice for range extending (you listening GM?)
http://nextbigfuture.com/2008/09/free-piston-engine-could-be-twice-as.html
Apogee 5:20PM (3/31/2009)
More:
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://carnewsarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/1214802985_1963_chrysler_turbine.jpg&imgrefurl=http://carnewsarticles.com/2008/06/30/whatever-happened-to%25E2%2580%25A6-the-gas-turbine-engine/&usg=__VbbdKEOOl9iqRKZJ0nvhIIEe76U=&h=336&w=369&sz=26&hl=en&start=4&um=1&tbnid=6ucGBRryiLx_rM:&tbnh=111&tbnw=122&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dford%2Bturbine%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Doff%26sa%3DN%26um%3D1
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jharlan 8:00PM (3/31/2009)
Very interesting! This is real news. Who knows, there may be an easier path forward.
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jzj 8:15PM (3/31/2009)
microturbine pros:
1 small
2 light
3 low maintenance
4 multi-fuel capable
5 very low emissions
microturbine cons:
1 not good for start-stop or low power operation
2 approx. 28% efficiency at best operating levels
3 expensive (at low volume)
4 hot exhaust
For a steady-state EV range extender or series EV, a microturbine would probably be great. It would be really great if it could be paired with some sort of bottom cycle, such as a stirling or a heat-based electricity-generating device, but these would make it even much more expensive (and with a stirling probably also unacceptably bulky for a car).
I think the folks at Capstone (and a couple who've left but are still working on microturbines) have excellent experience with them and good ideas on how they can best be used. I suspect the initial cost is the biggest barrier and for serial EV buses and city trucks that will travel many miles the long-term capital investment may pay off.
I'd love to see an overall cost-comparison between a microturbine and a fancy-ass diesel -- high-pressure common rail, direct piezoic injection, twin turbos, some advanced form of emissions scrubbing -- over the vehicle life-time (say, 500,000 miles) for various fuel cost-points ($3.00/gal, $4.00/gal, $5.00/gal.)
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!!D 7:12PM (4/01/2009)
@jzj: Good list! Here is what I'd add:
Pros += Capstone's air bearing reduces losses due to friction (less waste heat).
Pros += The turbine is potentially transportable between vehicles.
Cons += The rotational kinetic energy of the turbine increases potential danger in a collision.
Cons += The rotational inertia of the turbine affects the dynamics of the vehicle.
jzj 8:21PM (3/31/2009)
All that being said, I still think the Rosen brothers (founders of Capstone and Pentadyne flywheel electrical storage) had the right idea by pairing a microturbine with a flywheel and a battery pack: flywheel for power, batteries for energy, microturbine for juice. Too bad it was too hard a nut to crack in '90's -- maybe with today's batteries, you wouldn't need the expensive (yet excellent) flywheel for power and regenerative braking energy absorption.
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SD 6:34AM (4/01/2009)
That is awesome, now I can build a replica Batmobile.
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Robert 5:47PM (4/03/2009)
Keep in mind, the smallest engine Capstone offers is about $30,000.
This technology is applicable to large vehicles only, like the Designline bus they are already in.
I think the crux of this article was to indicate that they now have the technology to meet the Carb 2010 levels, not that they will be showing up in your favorite Ford pickup.
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