Session: 06-13 Micro-Gas Turbine: Technological Advancements and Market Research

Paper Number: 84017

84017 - Micro-Gas Turbine: Technological Advancements and Market Research 

Gas turbines are prime movers based on the Brayton cycle: the working fluid (usually air) is compressed, thermal energy is added at high pressure (usually through combustion), and the fluid (usually combustion gases) is then expanded in a turbine to drive the compressor and to produce useful shaft power. The term “micro-gas turbine” is often used when the power of this device is lower than 500 kW. MGTs share the same thermodynamic principle as larger units, but there are also some differential features in terms of engine layout and component design. As in GTs, MGT can achieve a high-power density than other prime movers with similar power ratings and they also benefit from fuel and operational flexibility.  

Despite research and development in this field, MGTs still have a relatively low market share. Full potential has not been achieved due to insufficient investment in research and development and to the absence of suitable innovation in commercialisation measures, such as coordination and innovation sharing mechanisms among stakeholders, and probably the lack of influence on the development of energy policy and regulatory framework.  

There is sufficient evidence that MGTs have the potential to become a fast-growing industry in multiple applications with significant contributions to the energy-efficient low-carbon economy and to energy security and resilience of power systems. Therefore, the presenters will focus on introducing the main technological aspects of MGTs and their role in a decarbonised society, acting in relevance fields such as aviation, energy storage, and off-grid power, among others. In addition, the latest trends in biofuels and hydrogen combustion are presented, along with the most recent trends in materials.  Finally, the tutorial provides a comprehensive market analysis including the pros and cons of MGTs against other major players, as well as currently selling strategies to take full advantage of MGTs, suggesting the next steps toward fully deployment of MGTs in a decarbonised, decentralised, and highly efficient energy market. 

Presenting Author: Antonio Escamilla Perejon University of Seville

Presenting Author Biography: Antonio Escamilla is an Early Stage Researcher (ESR) and a Ph.D candidate at the University of Seville (SP) working on an European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme, NextMGT, to develop the next generation of micro-gas turbine. Before joining University of Seville, he worked as a turbomachinery software engineer for 3 years in UK. His research is focused on aerodynamic design of turbomachinery for various applications and power-to-power energy storage systems.

Authors:

Antonio Escamilla Perejon University of Seville
Tine Seljak University of Ljubljana
Jafar Al-Zaili City, University of London
Giuseppe Tilocca University of Seville
David T. Sanchez Martinez University of Seville