SCE Microturbine Generator Testing

Program

Stephanie L. Hamilton, SCE

DOE Peer Review of Microturbine &

Industrial Gas Turbine Programs
March 13, 2002
Fairfax, VA
 SCE Microturbine Generator (MTG)
Testing Program
Goal & Objectives:
Goal: determine the performance, reliability, operability,
availability, maintainability, and overall characteristics of
commercially available MTGs.
Objectives: compare MTGs’ actual performance to
performance specifications and industry/other standards,
such as emissions.

Accomplishments:
• $3.0 million program in progress since 1996
• 12 MTGs tested or in test
• Two to four more MTGs expected for testing
• Completed machine performance tests on 8 MTGs
• Completed initial electrical behavior testing
• Over 44,000 hours of testing
• Implemented “live” browser enabling technology

DOE Program Manager: Debbie Haught

SCE Program Manager: Stephanie Hamilton
 SCE’s MTG Program
Goal & Objectives:
Goal: determine the performance, reliability, operability, availability,
maintainability, and overall characteristics of commercially available MTGs.
Objectives: compare MTGs’ actual performance to performance
specifications and industry/other standards, such as emissions.

Collaborations: DOE, CERTS, EPRI, CEC, CERA, UCI, Connected Energy,

GE, SNL, ORNL, MTG mfgrs.

Accomplishments:
• $3.0+ million program in progress since 1996; results have driven
improvements to MTGs and program builds public awareness
• 12 MTGs tested or in test; two to four more MTGs expected for testing
• Over 48,000 hours of testing
• Completed machine performance tests on eight MTGs
• Completed initial electrical behavior testing
• Numerous site tours, presentations, papers
SCE MTG Test Bed at University of
California at Irvine (UCI)
• 4 test bays
• 400 amp 480 volt service
• 100 psig natural gas with ability
to blend for lower Btu testing
• Cogen heat dissipation ability
• 80 kW load banks for stand
alone and “micro grid” testing
• Electronic data acquisition and
instrumentation for gas & electric
• Veteran two-person testing crew
• Standardized testing procedures
• Ability to do specialized/custom
testing
Desirable Attributes vs. Test Parameters
• ATTRIBUTES • TEST PARAMETERS
– Heat rate 12,000 to 16,000 – Overall unit efficiency
BTU/kWh
– Net Power Output
– Good Part Load Performance
– Emissions
– Emissions < 9 ppm
– Power Quality
– Power Quality < IEEE 519
– Noise
– Noise < 70 dBa
– Endurance
– Endurance = 40,000 hours
– Ease of Installation
– Installation = Easy & Cheap
– Operability
– Maintainability
 Data Acquisition System
Parameter Measuring Instrument
• Electrical Energy Produced • 3-phase electrical meter with pulse
output module
• Fuel Consumed (Gas Flow) • Gas flow meter
• Fuel Temperature • Resistance Thermal Detector (RTD)
• Gas Pressure • Pressure transducer
• Water Flow • Water flow meter
• Boiler Air Temperature – • Thermocouple
Inlet and Outlet
• Water Temperature – Inlet • RTD
and Outlet
• BMI 7100 and BMI 8010 power
• Power Quality Snapshots quality meters
• Ambient Temperature • Temperature Probe
• Relative Humidity • Solid State IC
• Barometric Pressure • Barometric pressure
transducer
Testing Schedule & Status: 03/01/02
Capstone "B" 30 kW Jan-97 958 Completed
Capstone "B" 30 kW Jan-97 967 Completed
Capstone 10 Pack Apr-97 26 Completed
Capstone "C" 30 kW May-97 3,794 Completed
Capstone "C" 30 kW Jul-97 2,079 Completed
Bowman 35 kW Feb-99 100 Completed
Bowman 60 kW Jun-99 60 Completed
Capstone HP 30 kW Apr-99 18,881 Operating
Parallon 75 kW Jun-00 5,806 Completed
Capstone LP 30 kW Aug-00 12,341 Operating
Bowman 80 kW Jun-01 3,424 Operating
Total 48,436
Capstone 30 kW Description
™ Model 330 rated output: 30 kW at ISO
™ 480 VAC, 3-phase, 60 Hz
™ Recuperated single stage radial flow
compressor and turbine on a single
shaft, integrated with generator
™ Equipped with a low NOx combustor
™ Not equipped with a waste heat
recovery boiler
™ Fourth generation unit
™ One unit only capable of grid connect
™ One unit capable of stand alone and
grid connect operation
 Capstone 28 kW Results
™ Several overspeed trips were resulting from flame control
algorithm; Capstone remotely downloaded revised control
system software; no overspeed trips since software revised
™ Reliable operation following resolution of overspeed
™ Comparing manufacturer’s efficiency and heat rate claims
with test results converted to a common basis, resulted in
testing results consistent with claims as shown below
@ 70°F, about sea level, and LHV:
(tested) (claimed)
Efficiency 23.7% ± 0.45% 24.5% ± 0.5%
Heat rate 14,415 BTU/kWh 13,931 BTU/kWh
 Capstone 28 kW Results
¾ Total Harmonic Distortion (THD) requirements specified by IEEE
519 were met:
• Voltage THD: 1.6% measured average < 5% IEEE 519
• Current THD: 5.87% measured average < 8% IEEE 519
¾ Noise measurement taken at 2m due to site conditions, e.g.
obstructions and site compressor noise. Noise measured 70 dBA
@ 2m, consistent with manufacturer’s claim, 65 dBA, 10m.
¾ Emissions test results met SCAQMD requirements:

M anufacturer Claim SCAQ M D Standard Test R esu lts

(R ule 1303)
NO x: < 9ppm NO x: 0.2 lb/hr 0.0031 lb/hr
(0.023 lb/hr)
No Claim CO : 11.0 lb/hr 0.11 lb/hr
Grid Impact Testing

• Uncovers problems potentially hindering

grid interconnection of DG
• Testing needed to determine:
– Power quality
– Protection/ anti-islanding issues
– Interconnection standards/rules
– Dynamic behavior so simulation models
can be built
Capstone Voltage & Current Waveforms

Voltage Waveform Snapshot Current Waveform Snapshot

Model 7100 Snapshot Waveform Three Phase Wye Model 7100 Snapshot Waveform Three Phase Wye
450.0V 50.0A 450.0V 50.0A
1V
1A
2V
2A
3V
3A

0.0V 0.0A 0.0V 0.0A

Phase A Voltage - THD 1.6% Phase A Current - THD 7.33%

Phase B Voltage - THD 1.6% Phase B Current - THD 6.98%
Phase C Voltage - THD 1.6% Phase C Current - THD 5.64%

-450.0V -50.0A -450.0V -50.0A

0sec 833.33 us/div 16.67ms
0sec 833.33 us/div 16.67ms
06/22/99 01:20:51:190 PM
06/22/99 01:20:51:190 PM
 Dynamic Testing
• Tests to observe the behavior of MTGs when
interconnected with the utility grid
• Tests conducted at the SCE test bed
• Power ramping tests in both grid-connected and
stand-alone modes (slow dynamics)
• SCE working with ORNL, SNL and GE to define
additional testing to obtain data for fast dynamic
models
• Data helps build models to simulate operation of
the MTGs in a distribution system
 Capstone Grid Connect Tests
Capstone 30 kW MTG

35000 120000

30000 100000

Shaft Speed (RPM)

25000
80000
Power (W)

20000
60000
15000
Power Demand (W) 40000
10000
Output Power (W)
5000 Engine Speed (rpm) 20000

0 0
0
40
80
120
160
200
240
280
320
360
400
440
480
520
560
600
640
680
720
760
800
840
880
920
960
1000
1040
Seconds
“New” Capstone 30 kW from “Old”
Capstone 28 kW
• DPC [digital power controller] was
HP Capstone Model 330 upgraded Oct 2000 – this MTG
Op History
became a different machine:
Average Power & Efficiency (HHV)

35.0

30.0 – Higher net power output by

25.0

20.0
2 kW max, just over 7%.
15.0
– Increased machine efficiency
10.0

5.0 • Two DPCs have been replaced on

0.0
this machine due to failure. In both
Apr '99

Jun
Aug (725 HHV)

Feb

Apr
Jun

Aug

Feb
Apr

Jun (Load Bank)

Aug
Oct

Oct

Oct
Dec

Dec

cases, failure was due to too high

Month
Average Pow er kW
Average Efficiency (HHV) power supply voltage 16+ vs.
nominal is 13.8 VDC. Capstone
Average Tamb Deg C

reports no other similar failures.

Honeywell 75 kW Description

™ ParallonTM 75 kW at ISO
™ 275 AC with Honeywell transformer
option added to boost to 480 VAC, 3-
phase, 60 Hz at site
™ Recuperated single stage radial flow
compressor and turbine on a single
shaft, integrated with generator
™ Not equipped with a heat recovery
boiler – option is available
™ Grid parallel or stand-alone operation
™ Internal gas compressor
Bowman 80 kW CHP Description
™ Bowman 80 kW at ISO
™ 480 VAC, 3-phase, 60 Hz
™ Recuperated single stage
radial flow compressor and
turbine on a single shaft,
integrated with generator
™ Integrated heat recovery boiler
™ In grid parallel operation
™ Will test stand-alone operation
Summary of Testing Results: 3/07/02
• 1997 Testing of Capstone units (Beta, Charlie – pre-commercial)
– Did not meet manufacturer’s expectations
– First & second generation units
– Began testing “next generation” in 1999
• 1998 No MTGs commercially available to purchase and test
• 1999 Testing of Bowman units (pre-commercial)
– Did not meet manufacturer’s expectations
– First generation units;
– Began testing “next generation” in 2001
• 1999 Testing of High Pressure Capstone unit
– Met manufacturer’s claims
– Fourth generation unit
– Began testing “next generation” in 2000
Summary of Testing Results: 03/07/02
(continued)
• 2000
– Capstone high pressure unit’s DPC upgraded and replaced resulting
in higher power output and increased efficiency
– Began testing low pressure Capstone and Honeywell
• 2001
– Initial results for Capstone both LP and upgraded HP
– Honeywell results
– Performed electrical characterization on Capstones and Honeywell
– Began testing Bowman
– Elliot returned to UCI test site and testing to resume
• 2002
– Begin testing of Ingersoll-Rand (I-R)
– Seek other MTGS, such as Capstone 60 kW, Turbec 100 kW CHP
– Test “new models” from Bowman & I-R
– Finalize results for Capstones and Bowman
Future testing -- Elliott 80 kW

™ Elliott 80 kW at ISO
™ 480 VAC, 3-phase, 60 Hz
™ Recuperated single stage
radial flow compressor and
turbine on a single shaft,
integrated with generator
™ Not equipped with a heat
recovery boiler – option is
available
™ Grid parallel or stand-alone
operation
Future testing -- Ingersoll-Rand 70 kW
™ Ingersoll-Rand 70 kW at ISO
™ 480 VAC, 3-phase, 60 Hz
™ A dual shaft recuperated MTG:
™ A radial flow compressor and
gasifier turbine on one shaft
™ A radial flow power turbine on the
other shaft
™ The power turbine drives the
reduction gear and induction
generator for grid parallel-only
operation
™ Heat recovery boiler option
available
™ Internal gas compressor
Future Testing - Capstone 60 kW
Description
™ Capstone 60 kW at ISO
™ 480 VAC, 3-phase, 60 Hz
™ Recuperated single stage
radial flow compressor and
turbine on a single shaft,
integrated with generator
™ Not equipped with a heat
recovery boiler – option is
available
™ Grid parallel or stand-alone
operation
 Selected Quotes regarding program,
tours, presentations
“This is really cool!” Hugh Anderson, Investment
Banker, Banc of America Securities
“No one else is even close!” Don Baker,TVA manager
“Far exceeded our expectations!” Chris Hunter,
Johnson & Johnson, worldwide strategic engineering
manager
“Edison’s contributions to these technological advances
is commendable,” Karen Johanson, ISO BOD
“Your discussion of most recent results was of great
interest to participants,” Gil Rodgers & Steve Taub,
Directors, CERA Distributed Energy Summit
 Blue lines = installed Wiring

Site installation
Router to Internet. Provides VPN
and local IP addresses for
equipment
BTU
2020 CS
3030

Aggregated connections
to MTGs. Typically
mounted inside control
panel. Centralized due
Elliott Capstone
to migration of MTG Capstone
(when LP Bowman
HP
Equipment. available)
“3030” box at SCE MTG Test
Bed
Blue lines = installed Wiring

Site installation
Router to Internet. Provides VPN
and local IP addresses for equipment

BTU
2020 CS
3030

Aggregated connections
to MTGs. Typically
mounted inside control
panel. Centralized due
Elliott Capstone
to migration of MTG Capstone
(when LP Bowman
HP
Equipment. available)
Questions?