Abstract
An investigation was conducted to perform study of a 150 kW and a 2.6kW microturbine generator set with heat recover system including testing and analyses. As a result of that, we can establish the basis for future microturbine generator engine performance, thermal efficiency, and heat recover system design guidelines. This study will investigate the thermal performance and effectiveness of a 150 kW microturbine regenerator system. Using an infrared thermometer and an infrared camera, we were able to measure the temperature distributions of the shell of a regenerator system. The engine speed, recuperator inlet temperature, exhaust temperature, compressor inlet pressure, and fuel flow rate were measured using the PC-based data acquisition system. The generator set was tested with load bank to establish the baseline performance. A software program (GasTurb) was used to predict the performance of the microturbine generator set at different operating conditions in order to compare with the test results. With the above testing and analysis, we were able to find out the performance of the 2.6 kW gas turbine engine including thermal efficiency, fuel consumption, horsepower, and the performance of the recuperator. Finally, the performance, thermal efficiency, and economic benefits were compared to provide future reference and guidance for the industry.