Small Scale Turbine Compression Question
Small Scale Turbine Compression Question
(OP)
Hi there,
I'm working on some concepts for a clean solar energy collection and storage facility (enough to power a 3rd world village daily). A particular idea of interest is that of compressed air (150-200bar).
How viable would turbine compression be for this application? What sort of efficiency could I expect from the compression stage, and what sort of effciency could I expect using the compressed air to drive a fan/turbine at a later stage?
Help is greatly appreciated! Thanks.
I'm working on some concepts for a clean solar energy collection and storage facility (enough to power a 3rd world village daily). A particular idea of interest is that of compressed air (150-200bar).
How viable would turbine compression be for this application? What sort of efficiency could I expect from the compression stage, and what sort of effciency could I expect using the compressed air to drive a fan/turbine at a later stage?
Help is greatly appreciated! Thanks.





RE: Small Scale Turbine Compression Question
As for your specific question, assuming scale factors are towards the smaller side, you should expect to have overall efficiencies of no more than 15% from compressor input power to power delivered to moving air by the fan.
At 100 psig, specific power is approximately 16 kW/100 cfm to 18 kW/100 cfm.
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"The problem isn't finding the solution, its trying to get to the real question." BigInch
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RE: Small Scale Turbine Compression Question
Why not look at doing it with water? Use the solar to pump the water into a water tower, then run a water wheel powered generator. If the water tower springs a leak, stopping the leak can be pretty low tech (a stick and a rubber patch). Buying a tank that you can put in an elevated location (either on a hill, on a pedestal, or on a support structure) is a lot less expensive than getting pressure vessel rated for 150-200 bar. I don't have the efficiency numbers on a pump/water wheel/generator lash up but my bet is that it is better than you'd get with a compressor and gas turbine.
David Simpson, PE
MuleShoe Engineering
www.muleshoe-eng.com
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RE: Small Scale Turbine Compression Question
Then you've still got to account for motor and fan efficiency to get to actual power delivered to move the air. If that's 0.9 x 0.6, you'd be back to 12% overall (100 psig pressure system) again.
Working with high pressure air, it probably wouldn't be much more than 6% with a throw-together system ... and dangerous. I imagine that you'd probably wind up just using the air to fill tires really fast ... for awhile.
**********************
"The problem isn't finding the solution, its trying to get to the real question." BigInch
http://virtualpipeline.spaces.live.com/