STM Stirling Engine-Generators

Three Biogas-Fueled Installations

1012773

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10648028
STM Stirling Engine-Generators
Three Biogas-Fueled Installations
1012773

Technical Update, March 2007

Cosponsors

National Rural Electric Cooperative Association

Cooperative Research Network
4301 Wilson Boulevard
Arlington, VA 22203-1860
Project Manager
E. Torrero
Tri-State G&T Association, Inc.
1100 West 116th Avenue
Westminster, CO 80234
Project Manager
M. McCoy
California Energy Commission
1516 9th Street
Sacramento, CA 95814-5512
Project Manager
A. Soinski
Colorado Governor’s OEMC
225 E. 16th Avenue, #650
Denver, CO 80203
Project Manager
E. Lewis

EPRI Project Manager

D. Thimsen

ELECTRIC POWER RESEARCH INSTITUTE

3420 Hillview Avenue, Palo Alto, California 94304-1338 ▪ PO Box 10412, Palo Alto, California 94303-0813 ▪ USA
800.313.3774 ▪ 650.855.2121 ▪ [email protected] ▪ www.epri.com

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DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTIES AND LIMITATION OF LIABILITIES
THIS DOCUMENT WAS PREPARED BY THE ORGANIZATION(S) NAMED BELOW AS AN
ACCOUNT OF WORK SPONSORED OR COSPONSORED BY THE ELECTRIC POWER RESEARCH
INSTITUTE, INC. (EPRI). NEITHER EPRI, ANY MEMBER OF EPRI, ANY COSPONSOR, THE
ORGANIZATION(S) BELOW, NOR ANY PERSON ACTING ON BEHALF OF ANY OF THEM:

(A) MAKES ANY WARRANTY OR REPRESENTATION WHATSOEVER, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, (I)

WITH RESPECT TO THE USE OF ANY INFORMATION, APPARATUS, METHOD, PROCESS, OR
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FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, OR (II) THAT SUCH USE DOES NOT INFRINGE ON OR
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PROPERTY, OR (III) THAT THIS DOCUMENT IS SUITABLE TO ANY PARTICULAR USER'S
CIRCUMSTANCE; OR

(B) ASSUMES RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY DAMAGES OR OTHER LIABILITY WHATSOEVER

(INCLUDING ANY CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF EPRI OR ANY EPRI REPRESENTATIVE
HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES) RESULTING FROM YOUR
SELECTION OR USE OF THIS DOCUMENT OR ANY INFORMATION, APPARATUS, METHOD,
PROCESS, OR SIMILAR ITEM DISCLOSED IN THIS DOCUMENT.

ORGANIZATION(S) THAT PREPARED THIS DOCUMENT

Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI)

New York Power Authority

This is an EPRI Technical Update report. A Technical Update report is intended as an informal report of
continuing research, a meeting, or a topical study. It is not a final EPRI technical report.

NOTE
For further information about EPRI, call the EPRI Customer Assistance Center at 800.313.3774 or
e-mail [email protected].

Electric Power Research Institute, EPRI, and TOGETHER…SHAPING THE FUTURE OF ELECTRICITY
are registered service marks of the Electric Power Research Institute, Inc.

Copyright © 2007 Electric Power Research Institute, Inc. All rights reserved.

10648028
CITATIONS

This report was prepared by:

Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI)

3420 Hillview Avenue
Palo Alto, CA 94304

Principal Investigator
D. Thimsen

New York Power Authority

123 Main St
White Plains, NY 10601-3104

Principal Investigator
W. Louer

This report describes research sponsored by the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), the
NRECA-Cooperative Research Network (CRN), Tri-State G&T Association, the California
Energy Commission (CEC), and the Colorado Governor's Office of Energy Management and
Conservation (OEMC).

This publication is a corporate document that should be cited in the literature in the following
manner:

STM Stirling Engine-Generators: Three Biogas-Fueled Installations. EPRI, Palo Alto, CA;
NRECA-CRN, Arlington, VA; Tri-State G&T Association, Westminster, CO; CEC, Sacramento,
CA; Colorado Governor’s OEMC, Denver, CO: 2007. 1012773.

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PRODUCT DESCRIPTION

Stirling engines have recently been introduced to the distributed generation market. This project
summarizes the experience of three projects implementing Stirling engine-generators from one
manufacturer in applications where they are fueled with digester gas.

Results and Findings

This report chronicles the experience of three sites in designing, installing and commissioning
the first commercial Stirling engine-generator widely offered in the US for distributed generation
applications.

Challenges and Objectives

This report will be of interest to utility planners concerned with emerging generator technology
and how the technology might be implemented by utilities or by utility customers.

Applications, Values, and Use

STM, the supplier of the 55 kWe Stirling engine-generators which are the subject of this report,
was not able to sustain commercial viability of their business; the projects were not able to
collect significant operating data. Their experience did, however, surface several plant
design/installation considerations which will be of concern to any future projects that seek to
exploit Stirling engine technology.

EPRI Perspective
It is unfortunate that STM was not able to sustain commercial viability. Their technology proved
workable during beta testing and several units not part of this project were able to accumulate
significant operating hours. Nonetheless, the lessons learned in these projects will be useful for
planning future Stirling engine-generator projects if and when they come about.

Approach
This report chronicles the design and installation of 55 kWe STM Stirling engine-generators at
three different sites, all fueled with digester gas. The report was prepared from periodic site visits
and other project reports.

Keywords
Stirling Engine
STM
Colorado Pork
IEUA
Owl’s Head
Digester Gas

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ABSTRACT

STM of Ann Arbor, Michigan began shipping commercial 55 kWe Stirling engine-generators in
2004 following successful field tests of a 25 kWe beta version of the engine. Along with other
interested parties, EPRI developed three projects at which these generators were installed to burn
digester gas. These include:
• The Inland Empire Utility Agency, Chino, California where mixed dairy manure digester gas
and wastewater treatment plant sludge digester gas is available.
• Colorado Pork, Lamar, Colorado where hog manure digester gas is available.
• The Owl’s Head wastewater treatment plant in Brooklyn, New York where sludge digester
gas is available.

STM encountered two technical challenges which delayed commissioning and routine operations
of these plants. The first was migration of hydrogen (the internal working fluid) through Inconel
625 tubing after a tubing supplier changed their production to minimize an oxide layer (which
was serving to prevent hydrogen migration). The remedy for this challenge was fairly simple;
tubing was supplied from previous production equipment. The second challenge was more
difficult to meet. STM discovered that, after 500-800 hours of operation, hydrogen leakage past
sliding seals was unacceptably large. This required redesign of the ring seal which took over a
year. A new ring sealing design was being implemented when STM announced in February 2007
that they were ceasing operations and would liquidate the business.

Modest operating hours only were logged at the Inland Empire and Colorado Pork sites. The
design challenges described above along with specific challenges at each site served to limit
operating hours. The design-implementation experience of the three projects is described in this
report along with conclusions which bear on any future attempts to field Stirling engine-
generator power plants.

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10648028
CONTENTS

1 INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................1-1
Stirling Engine Technology Assessment ...............................................................................1-1
Previous Laboratory Testing .................................................................................................1-3
Demonstration Project Objectives and Host Sites.................................................................1-4
Inland Empire Utilities Agency, Chino, California .............................................................1-4
Colorado Pork, Lamar, Colorado......................................................................................1-5
Owl’s Head Wastewater Treatment Plant, Brooklyn, New York .......................................1-6
Report Structure ....................................................................................................................1-6

2 STM STIRLING ENGINE TECHNOLOGY AND HISTORY....................................................2-1

Principles of Stirling Engine Operation..................................................................................2-1
STM 55 kWe Generator Set Description ...............................................................................2-3
The Power Head...............................................................................................................2-3
Electrical Generator..........................................................................................................2-6
Combustion System .........................................................................................................2-7
Hydrogen Make-up System ..............................................................................................2-7
Heat Recovery/Radiator ...................................................................................................2-8
STM Corporate History..........................................................................................................2-8

3 INSTALLATION AT INLAND EMPIRE UTILITIES AGENCY, CHINO, CA ...........................3-1

Biogas Production and Use at Inland Empire Utilities Agency ..............................................3-1
Stirling Engine-Generator Installation....................................................................................3-2
Location and Physical Environment .................................................................................3-2
Fuel Supply Installation ....................................................................................................3-2
Electrical Interconnection .................................................................................................3-4
Heat Recovery Installation................................................................................................3-5
Operating History ..................................................................................................................3-5

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4 INSTALLATION AT COLORADO HOG PARTNERS, LAMAR, CO......................................4-1
Biogas Production and Use at Colorado Pork.......................................................................4-1
Stirling Engine-Generator Installation....................................................................................4-2
Location and Physical Environment .................................................................................4-2
Fuel Supply Installation ....................................................................................................4-2
Electrical Interconnection .................................................................................................4-3
Heat Recovery Installation................................................................................................4-6
Operating History ..................................................................................................................4-6

5 INSTALLATION AT OWL’S HEAD WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT, NEW

YORK, NY..................................................................................................................................5-1
Biogas Production and Use at Owl’s Head Wastewater Treatment Plant.............................5-1
Facility Description ...........................................................................................................5-1
Project Justification/Objectives/Business Design .............................................................5-1
Owl’s Head Heat and Power Load History .......................................................................5-2
Stirling Engine-Generator Installation....................................................................................5-2
Overall Project Scope.......................................................................................................5-2
Location and Physical Environment .................................................................................5-3
Mechanical Installation .....................................................................................................5-4
Electrical Interconnection .................................................................................................5-4
Heat Recovery Installation................................................................................................5-6
Construction and Operating Permits Required.................................................................5-6
Project History .......................................................................................................................5-6

6 CONCLUSIONS .....................................................................................................................6-1

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LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1-1 Inland Empire Utilities Agency Service Area ............................................................1-5

Figure 2-1 Four Phases of the Stirling Cycle .............................................................................2-2
Figure 2-2 STM 55 kWe packaged gen set (branded energy|now ENX-55 by distributor
DTE Energy Technologies) ................................................................................................2-4
Figure 2-3 STM Power Head Depiction .....................................................................................2-5
Figure 2-4 STM Stirling Engine Power Head .............................................................................2-7
Figure 2-5 STM 55 kWe Induction Generator ............................................................................2-8
Figure 2-6 STM SunDish Solar Product.....................................................................................2-9
Figure 3-1 IEUA Stirling Engine-Generator Installation .............................................................3-2
Figure 3-2 IEUA Fuel Gas Delivery Schematic ..........................................................................3-3
Figure 3-3 IEUA Gas Delivery Train (Generator at left) .............................................................3-3
Figure 3-4 IEUA Stirling Engine-Generator Electrical Interconnection.......................................3-4
Figure 3-5 IEUA Stirling Engine-generator Electrical Components............................................3-5
Figure 4-1 Colorado Pork Powerhouse with service entrance transformer on right and
digester in the background at left. (Looking north) .............................................................4-2
Figure 4-2 Colorado Port Stirling Engine-Generator in Place (The top-mounted radiator
was subsequently relocated to outside the powerhouse wall to the left.)...........................4-3
Figure 4-3 Colorado Pork Digester Gas Handling .....................................................................4-4
Figure 4-4 Colorado Pork Electrical Interconnection One-line...................................................4-5
Figure 4-5 Colorado Pork Heat Recovery Piping Schematic .....................................................4-6
Figure 5-1 Owl’s Head Wastewater Treatment Plant Stirling Engine-generator layout.
The gas conditioning skid is in the northeast corner of the outdoors installation. The
skid and a 10 foot buffer bear an electrical classification of Class 1, Division 2. The
generators and electrical controls are located outside this classified area. .......................5-3
Figure 5-2 Owl’s Head Stirling Installation Gas Piping, Water Piping, and Exhaust. .................5-4
Figure 5-3 Owl’s Head Stirling engine-generator installation electrical one-line. .......................5-5

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LIST OF TABLES

Table 1-1 Stirling Engine Technology and Product Developers Status as of 2002 ...................1-2
Table 1-2 Pre-commercial Gen Set Energy and Power Test Data during the Steady
State Test...........................................................................................................................1-3
Table 1-3 Steady State Exhaust Emissions (not optimized for low-NOx) ...................................1-4
Table 2-1 55 kWe PowerUnit Specifications (Low-Energy Gaseous Fuels, 400-590
BTU/SCF LHV)...................................................................................................................2-5

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1
INTRODUCTION

The external combustion Stirling engine is a prime mover technology which has recently
emerged from development laboratories for distributed generation (DG) applications. In a
Stirling engine, heat is transferred through the hot-end cylinder walls to a confined working fluid
and is then converted to mechanical work via the Stirling thermodynamic cycle. To complete the
cycle, heat is absorbed from the working fluid through the cold-end cylinder walls by a coolant.
This differs from an internal combustion (IC) engine, which relies on the ignition of fuel within
the engine cylinder to force the piston down with most of heat rejected in the exhaust gas.
Coolant is employed in the IC engine only to protect metal parts from the high temperatures of
the combustion gases.

In principal, Stirling engines can have relatively high thermodynamic efficiencies limited only
by strength of materials at high temperatures. Because they require only heat input, Stirling
engines also permit high fuel-flexibility and allow for better control of emissions. However,
regardless of these benefits, the IC engine has still become the incumbent prime-mover
technology for transportation and stationary power generation applications, while the Stirling
engine has yet to reach full commercialization. This is likely due to size and weight benefits of
the IC engine combined with several other design and operational advantages.

Recent interest in distributed generation has sparked a high level of activity in Stirling
technology development. Stirling engines are being positioned as a potential competitor to other
on-site power generation technologies, particularly the mature IC engine and emerging
technologies like microturbines and fuel cells.

Stirling Engine Technology Assessment

In 2002 EPRI conducted an assessment of research, development and commercial activities

focused on Stirling engine technology1. The developers surveyed are listed in Table 1-1 with the
status of their development in 2002. In the interim since 2002, only STM in the U.S., Solo-
Stirling in Germany, and WhisperGen in the U.K. have shipped significant numbers of
commercial units. Stirling Energy Systems is also preparing for mass production of a 25 kWe
solar dish Stirling engine-generator.

Brake mean effective pressure (BMEP) is a common measure of the power density of IC
reciprocating engines. As the Stirling engine is also a reciprocating engine, the concept of BMEP
can be applied. A preliminary assessment of the various commercial Stirling engines being

1
Stirling Engine Assessment. Electric Power Research Institute, Palo Alto, CA: 2002. 1007317.

1-1
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 Introduction

shipped indicated that they operate at BMEP only a little lower than spark-ignited internal
combustion engines and compression ignition engines. This bodes well for the prospect that
further development activities can raise BMEP and lower corresponding manufacturing costs per
unit output as power density increases.

Table 1-1
Stirling Engine Technology and Product Developers Status as of 2002

Company Country Technology Engine System Product

Developer Product Product Status
(See Notes)
ADI Thermal Power Corp. US 9 9 1
BG Group
UK 9 3
(Sunpower technology)
BSR Solar Technologies Germany 9 9 1
External Power
US 9 1
(Sunpower technology)
Kockums Sweden 9 9 4
Quiet Revolution Motor
US 9 9 1
Company
Sigma Elektroteknisk Norway 9 9 2
SOLO Kleinmotoren
Germany 9 3
(Kockums technology)
Stirling Advantage US 9 9 1
Stirling Energy Systems
US 9 2
(Kockums technology)
Stirling Technology
US 9 9 2
Company (now Infinia)
STM Power US 9 9 2
Sunpower US 9 9 3
Sustainable Energy Systems UK 9 9 1
Tamin US 9 9 1
Uwe Moch Germany 9 9 9 1
Whisper Tech New Zealand 9 9 3

1 - Design, single development unit

2 - Multiple (<10) early units in testing
(alpha)
3 - Many (10-20) pre-production prototypes
in the field (beta)
4 - In commercial production

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 Introduction

Previous Laboratory Testing

A 25 kWe pre-commercial packaged Stirling engine-generator CHP unit was acquired from STM
in 2004 and tested at EPRI’s Power Electronics Application Center in Knoxville, TN2. Table 1-2
summarizes the overall performance of this unit measured during a 3-week test period while
fueled with natural gas. Table 1-3 summarizes the emissions from this pre-commercial unit. The
unit performed “as advertised.”

Table 1-2
Pre-commercial Gen Set Energy and Power Test Data during the Steady State Test

Parameter Test Data

Electric Power Output, kW -22.0 (power flowing from the induction machine)

Electric Power Output, kVAR 27.1 (sink of utility-supplied VARs)

Electric Power Output, kVA 34.9

Power Factor 0.63 leading (55 kWe rated induction generator)

Natural Gas Flow Rate, ft3/h or scfh 252.3 @ 1019 BTU/SCF HHV, 961 BTU/SCF LHV

HHV Heat Rate, BTU/kWh 11,688

LHV Heat Rate, BTU/kWh 11,020

Radiator Coolant Inlet Temperature, oF 100.8

Radiator Coolant Outlet Temperature, oF 93.2

Radiator Coolant Flow Rate, gpm 25.3

Exhaust Temperature, °F 149 (measured on exhaust pipe)

Electrical Energy Output, BTU/h 75,123

Thermal Energy Output, BTU/h 90,120

Fuel Energy Input, BTU/h 257,100 (HHV) 242,400 (LVH)

Electrical Efficiency, % 29.2 (HHV) 31.0 (LHV)

Fuel Use Efficiency, % 64.3 (HHV) 68.2 (LHV)

2
Laboratory Evaluation of a 25-kW Pre-Commercial Stirling Engine-Generator. Electric Power Research Institute,
Palo Alto, CA: 2004. 1008430.

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Introduction

Table 1-3
Steady State Exhaust Emissions (not optimized for low-NOx)

Concentration
Parameter 3
% ppmv ppmV15 mg/m lb/MWh (el) lb/MWh (total)
O2 11.3

CO2 5.6

Excess Air 104.2

CO 25 15.4 17.7 0.45 0.20

NO 43

NO2 3

NOx 46 28.4 53.3 1.35 0.62

Demonstration Project Objectives and Host Sites

In order to demonstrate STM’s 55 kWe commercial offering in the field, EPRI undertook three
projects at which digester gas was available to fuel the engines: Inland Empire Utilities Agency,
Colorado Pork, and Owl’s Head Wastewater Treatment Plant. At each site the objectives were
similar: evaluation of the ability of this emerging generation technology to perform in the field.
Parameters to be measured include electrical yield, thermal yield, emissions and commercial
statistics: availability, maintenance requirements, outage causes/durations/remedies, electrical
production, and thermal production.

Inland Empire Utilities Agency, Chino, California

Inland Empire Utilities Agency (www.ieua.org) is a public agency municipal water district
composed of six local cities and one local water district near Chino, California. The area served
by IEUA is shown in Figure 1-1. IEUA’s mission is to supply imported drinking water and
recycled water, collect, treat and dispose of wastewater, and provide utility-related services in the
Chino, California Basin.

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 Introduction

Figure 1-1
Inland Empire Utilities Agency Service Area

Inland Empire Utilities Agency operates multiple wastewater treatment plant sludge digesters
and dairy manure digesters to fuel power and heat generation equipment from a campus digester
gas pipeline. The Stirling engine-generator demonstration added at this site was funded by the
California Energy Commission Public Interest Energy Research (PIER) program. A single 55
kW STM Stirling engine-generator was installed at this site drawing mixed digester gas from the
campus gas pipeline. California Power Partners distributes STM in southern Californian and was
the design-procure-build contractor for the project with responsibilities that also included
securing air emissions permit and the interconnection permit. Southern California Edison is the
host utility.

Colorado Pork, Lamar, Colorado

The Colorado Pork (CP) project, located south of Lamar, Colorado, houses up to 6,000 sows in
total confinement facilities with pull-plug pits under slatted floors for collecting and temporarily
storing swine manure. It began operation in 1999. It is currently leased and operated by Custom
Swine Partners of Albert Lea, Minnesota.

Digester gas from a hog manure digester is used to generate power and provide heat to the
digester. This was an existing digester gas-generation site previously employing an IC engine
and a microturbine. Project funders include the National Rural Electric Cooperatives Association
– Cooperative Research Network, Tri-State G&T, and the Colorado Governor’s Office of Energy
Management and Conservation. A single 55 kW STM Stirling engine-generator was installed at
this site. This host utility is Southeast Colorado Power Association, a member cooperative of Tri-
State G&T. As this is a remote site, no STM distributor support was available. Local personnel
were trained by STM to commission and service the unit.

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Introduction

Owl’s Head Wastewater Treatment Plant, Brooklyn, New York

The New York City Department of Environmental Protection owns and operates fourteen (14)
wastewater treatment facilities in the metropolitan New York area. Each of these plants utilizes
anaerobic digestion to reduce sludge volume and biological activity as part of the treatment
process.

The Owl’s Head wastewater treatment plant is located in Brooklyn, NY. Digester gas is used to
generate approximately 2,250 kWe at the plant using IC engines. The demonstration at this site
was funded by New York Power Authority, New York State Energy Research and Development
Authority, American Public Power Association, and EPRI. Three (3) 55 kW STM Stirling
engine-generators were slated to be installed at this site reducing the amount of digester gas
flared. Northern Power Systems is the design-procure-build contractor. NYPA manages the
project and, in cooperation with the host site, is responsible for procuring the emissions and
interconnection permits. Consolidated Edison of New York is the host distribution utility.

Report Structure

Following this Introduction, Chapter 2 presents a history of STM and a description of their
Stirling engine-generator technology and product. Chapter 3 describes the Inland Empire Utility
Agency project. Chapter 4 Describes the Colorado Pork project. Chapter 5 describes the Owl’s
Head wastewater treatment plant project. Chapter 6 presents conclusions.

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2
STM STIRLING ENGINE TECHNOLOGY AND HISTORY

Principles of Stirling Engine Operation

The Stirling engine is a reciprocating, external combustion engine generally comparable to the
familiar internal combustion engine. In the Stirling engine, external heat is transferred to high
pressure internal working fluid which is then converted to work via expanding the gas inside the
cylinder. Heat is added continuously to the expanding gas. In order to maximize power out for a
given design, a very high heat transfer rate through the cylinder is required, one of the main
technical challenges with the Stirling engine. The conventional, reciprocating internal
combustion engine, by comparison, burns an air-fuel mixture inside the cylinder to generate the
heat and pressure which is converted to work at the crank shaft.

The temperature of the combustion products in internal combustion engines may be quite a bit
higher than the cylinder walls during part of the cycle. In contrast, the Stirling engine walls are
approximately the same temperature as the working fluid. Thus, the peak temperature is limited
by material properties of the walls which must also contain the pressure being exerted on the
piston.

To complete the thermodynamic cycle, a Stirling engine must also be externally cooled to relieve
the pressure on the piston and thus allow it to return it its original position.

The four phases of a generic Stirling engine are illustrated in Figure 2-1. The displacers (low
temperature) and power pistons (high temperature) reciprocate in sealed cylinders filled with a
fixed charge of the working fluid, typically helium, hydrogen, nitrogen, or air. The use of
hydrogen or helium leads to higher efficiencies due to the low viscosities and high thermal
conductivities of these gases. On the other hand, the high diffusivity of hydrogen and helium
molecules makes sealing a more difficult challenge. The lower-diffusivity nitrogen and air
molecules permit the use of more conventional sealing techniques, whereas hermetic seals are
often required on engines that employ hydrogen or helium as the working gas. The higher
viscosity and lower thermal conductivity of air and nitrogen tend to reduce the ability to achieve
high cycle efficiencies.

All external heat is transferred to the working fluid at the cycle maximum temperature and
rejected at the cycle minimum temperature. The regenerator absorbs heat from the working fluid
as it passes from the hot end to the cold end. The heat stored in the regenerator is then returned,
with minimal thermal loss, to the working gas on its return from the cold end to the hot end.

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STM Stirling Engine Technology and History

Regenerator Velocity
Hot End Cold End Force

Cold Compression
Cold piston moving up rapidly
Hot piston nearing top

Regenerative Heating
Cold piston nearing top
Hot piston starting down

Hot Expansion
Cold piston starting down
Hot piston nearing bottom

Regenerative Cooling
Cold piston nearing bottom
Hot piston starting up

Figure 2-1
Four Phases of the Stirling Cycle

As the displacer reciprocates, it shuttles the working gas through the regenerator between the hot
and cold regions of the engine. The pressure oscillations created by varying the average working
gas temperature in a fixed volume are applied to the power piston. The displacers and power
pistons are phased so that more work is put into the power piston in the expansion stroke (when
most of the working gas is in the hot space), than the work that the piston returns to the working
gas a half cycle later (to compress the cold working fluid). The net surplus of expansion work
less compression work is extracted as useful work by the power piston.

Stirling engine developers have focused primarily on full load operation. The engines are
challenging to operate at part load. Part load might be achieved by reducing the fuel firing rate
resulting in reduced hot end temperatures. This has two drawbacks, however: 1) Increased
internal leakages from differential thermal contraction, and, 2) reduced thermal efficiency due to

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 STM Stirling Engine Technology and History

cooler high end temperatures. Part load might also be achieved by reducing the mass of working
fluid flowing in the engine while maintaining temperatures. This strategy is not easy to
implement in practice and is not used in any commercial products.

Note that rapid changes in output will be difficult with any Stirling engine due to the thermal
inertia associated with the hot and cold parts. Changing firing rate or cooling rate will change
engine output slowly due this thermal inertia.

STM 55 kWe Generator Set Description

The packaged 55 kWe gen set with top-mounted radiator shipped by STM is shown in Figure
2-2. STM’s specifications for the 55 kWe Stirling-engine generator are listed in Table 2-1. A
modest number of options were offered:
• Fuel Type: Natural gas and Biogas were the only standard options offered.
• Radiator/heat recovery: A radiator was offered (unit-mounted or remote) and a heat recovery
heat exchanger (HRHX) was offered. The unit was also offered with both the radiator and
HRHX.

The Power Head

The STM engine power head is a four-cylinder, double-acting Stirling engine with a swash plate
drive as shown in Figure 2-3. A unique feature of STM’s mechanical design is that the bottom of
a given power piston also serves as the displacer piston for an adjacent cylinder. At the heart of
the engine are four independent gas enclosures each comprised of the volume under a piston
(compression volume), the volume above the adjacent piston (expansion volume), a series of
three heat exchangers connecting these two volumes, a cooler adjacent to the compression
volume, a heater adjacent to the expansion volume and a regenerator between the heater and the
cooler.

The four pistons are arranged symmetrically around a swash plate that forces the reciprocating
motion of any two neighboring pistons to be 90º out of phase. The gas enclosures are charged
with high-pressure hydrogen that serves as a working fluid. The reciprocating motion of the
pistons causes the volume of hydrogen to increase and decrease alternately. The expansion
spaces are maintained at a high temperature by continuous combustion of fuel or some other
source of heat (waste heat) outside the tubes of the heaters. The compression spaces are
maintained at a low temperature by liquid cooling of the coolers. Therefore, the temperature and
the pressure of the hydrogen during expansion are higher than during compression.

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STM Stirling Engine Technology and History

Exhaust

Unit-mounted radiator

Gen set controls

Fuel Nozzle

Unit-mounted heat
recovery heat
exchanger

Figure 2-2
STM 55 kWe packaged gen set (branded energy|now ENX-55 by distributor DTE Energy
Technologies)

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 STM Stirling Engine Technology and History

Table 2-1
55 kWe PowerUnit Specifications (Low-Energy Gaseous Fuels, 400-590 BTU/SCF LHV)

Parameter Specification

55 kWe, 480 VAC, 3-phase, 60 HZ

Electric Power Output
(1800 RPM induction generator)

Electrical Efficiency 28% (LVH)

Electrical Heat Rate 12,186 Btu/kWh (LHV)

Fuel Delivery Pressure 2 PSIG

LHV Heat Rate, BTU/kWh 11,020

Engine Outlet Coolant Temperature, oF 136 F

Engine Coolant Flow 65 GPM

Engine Coolant Heat Load 335,000 Btu/hr

Maximum HRHX heat recovery temperature 131 F

Minimum HRHX cold side flow 15.85 GPM

Exhaust Flow 265 SCFM

64 dBA @ 7 meters (no radiator)

Noise Level
67 dBA @ 7 meters (unit-mounted radiator)

Fuel Use Efficiency, % 64.3 (HHV) 68.2 (LHV)

Heater tubes

Cooler

Piston
Burner

Swash Plate Drive

Regenerative Heat
Exchanger

Figure 2-3
STM Power Head Depiction

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The hydrogen absorbs heat from the combustion process through the heater tube walls, converts
a portion of the heat to mechanical power, which it delivers to the pistons, and rejects the balance
to the liquid coolant. The mechanical power delivered by the hydrogen to the pistons is
aggregated and converted to rotating shaft power by means of the swash plate drive. The
regenerator, which is the third heat exchanger, does not exchange heat with the outside. It
alternately absorbs heat from and releases heat back to the hydrogen in order to improve the
engine efficiency. The engine’s output shaft is connected to a generator to make three-phase
electrical power. The power head shipped by STM is shown in Figure 2-4.

STM’s 55 kWe Stirling engine gen set is configured to run only at rated load.

Electrical Generator

The 55 kWe STM Stirling engine is connected to an induction generator. This generator is,
essentially, an induction motor driven above synchronous speed of 1800 RPM. The excitation for
the generator is provided by the grid so the gen set cannot be operated in stand alone mode; it
must be interconnected to an electrical grid.

The STM gen set uses the generator as a starter motor for the Stirling engine. Their
implementation starts the motor across the line upon closure of the generator breaker. The shaft
rotates at less than 1800 RPM and consumes utility power until the engine warms up. When the
engine is warm, the fuel firing rate is increased and the shaft speed increases above 1800 RPM at
which point power is sent from the generator to the grid.

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 STM Stirling Engine Technology and History

External Combustion
System

Swash Plate Drive

Figure 2-4
STM Stirling Engine Power Head

The Induction generator shipped by STM is shown in Figure 2-5.

Combustion System

The combustion system is mounted on the hot end of the engine. The products of combustion
leave the hot end heater tubes above 1400ºF and are cooled to below 500ºF by heat transfer to
incoming combustion air in a recuperator.

STM shipped standard combustion systems for natural gas and digester gas each. They offered
standard gas fuel combustion systems and a “California” combustion system for low-NOx, low-
CO emissions requirements. They also shipped custom combustion systems for propane and
liquid fuels.

Hydrogen Make-up System

Hydrogen is the working fluid for the STM Stirling engines. The hydrogen make-up system
maintains adequate hydrogen pressure in the engine as leakage occurs. The hydrogen make-up
system consists of:

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STM Stirling Engine Technology and History

Fuel control
valves

Induction
Generator

Swash Plate
Drive

Figure 2-5
STM 55 kWe Induction Generator

• A deionized water bladder for water supply to the hydrolzer

• A proton exchange membrane hydrolyzer for manufacture of make-up hydrogen from the
deionized water.
• A hydrogen compressor to inject the hydrogen into the engine.

Heat Recovery/Radiator

STM offered two heat rejection devices for use with the 55 kWe gen set: 1) a fan-cooled radiator
which could mount on top of the gen set or could be remotely mounted, and, 2) a liquid-to-liquid
heat recovery heat exchanger (HRHX). When both devices are used, hot engine coolant passes
through the HRHX before going to the radiator. The radiator has a thermostatic bypass and the
two radiator fans are thermally dispatched.

STM Corporate History

STM Power was originally founded as Stirling Thermal Motors in 1979. STM’s corporate
headquarters and manufacturing facilities were set up in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and a satellite

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 STM Stirling Engine Technology and History

office in Arlington, Virginia. The company’s early development work (particularly related to
solar and renewables) was funded through contracts with the Department of Energy.

In 1994 STM embarked on a solar program with SAIC, and reached a licensing agreement in
1999. Three solar installations developed, with one unit running on landfill gas at night for 24-
hour operation. The solar Stirling technology deployed is shown in Figure 2-3. The U.S.
Department of Energy shared in the six million dollar cost of the project.

Figure 2-6
STM SunDish Solar Product

From 1996 to 1998 STM worked on an engine development program with General motors to
develop a transportation-related STM series-hybrid engine. In 1998 STM hired
PricewaterhouseCoopers Securities for a shareholder value enhancement study. The
recommendation was to pursue conventional distributed generation applications, continue
maintenance funding for renewable energy projects, and to drop the series-hybrid engine
development.

After the turn of the century, STM secured a significant amount of private equity and venture
capital funding. Shareholders included Singapore Technologies, DTE Energy, The Beacon
Group, Nth Power, Arete Corporation, and several individual European investors.

Ten (10) Alpha units were constructed in 1999-2000. Fifty (50) 25 kWe Beta units were
designed and produced starting in 2002 for validation testing in test cells on natural gas and in
customer applications including landfill and wastewater treatment plant digesters. These Beta
units accumulated over 40,000 hours of run time.

In 2003-2004 STM went to private capital markets to obtain funds to capitalize commercial
production. The financing was secured in mid-2004 and production began for the 55 kWe
product. Shipments began in late 2004.

In January 2005 STM suspended shipments of the 55 kWe gen set. They discovered that, during
the final assembly testing stage of production, several engines exhibited an above average loss of
hydrogen working fluid during dynamic testing. The source of the leakage was permeation
through the Inconel 625 Heater Head assemblies. STM expected a minimum thickness of oxide
coating on the inner diameter of the Inconel tubing to prevent permeation.

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Discussions with the mill supplying the Inconel 625 tubing indicated that the mill had
implemented process changes that reduce the amount of oxide present on the inside diameter of
their tubes at the request of another customer. The tube mill had no knowledge of the fact that
STM’s application depended upon the presence of an oxide coating inside the tubing for
satisfactory operation of the Stirling engine. Material made under the old manufacturing process
was obtained for the Heater Head assemblies and shipments resumed in Spring 2005.

In July 2005 STM discovered low-hour component failures in some of their in-house test units as
well as a few of the customer owned PowerUnits in the field. The sliding ring seals developed
leakage rates greater than the capacity of the hydrogen make-up system. When this problem
appeared it was after as little as 500-800 hours of operation. There was no permanent damage to
the engine outside of the ring seal assembly. Solutions to the hydrogen leakage problem were
solicited from vendors who supplied to hydrogen compression and other similar applications.
Testing of candidate solutions began in late 2005 and continued into 2006.

STM recommended that commissioning be delayed for the new fix for units installed but not yet
in operation. During this period STM continued to solicit and accept orders for delivery after a
new ring seal design was qualified. Units in the field were to be retrofitted with the new fix
under warranty. Original plans were to recommence shipments and ship retrofit kits in late 2005.
In the event, shipment delays continued through 2006.

In 2006 and early 2007 STM sought additional private financing to fund development and
operations. They were ultimately unsuccessful in this effort and ceased operations on February
16, 2007. Plans to liquidate the company were announced to employees. Presumably this
liquidation will also include the intellectual property associated with STM’s unique Stirling
Engine design. Future commercial status of the technology is uncertain at this point.

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INSTALLATION AT INLAND EMPIRE UTILITIES
AGENCY, CHINO, CA

Biogas Production and Use at Inland Empire Utilities Agency

Inland Empire Utilities Agency (IEUA) operates several waste treatment facilities near Chino,
California. The Regional Plant 2 (RP-2) is a wastewater treatment plant where sludge settled
from the wastewater is treated in two (2) anaerobic digesters. Current gas production at this
facility is approximately 150 SCFM. The Regional Plant 5 (RP-5) has two (2) dairy manure
digesters. The first is a concrete, in-ground digester which is described more fully in a previous
3
report . The second employs two (2) elevated digester vessels. These facilities can also receive
food processing waste for co-digestion with the dairy manure. Aggregate gas production at RP-2
depends strongly on the amount of food processing waste being digested but is approximately
1,000 SCFM.

The various IEUA digester gas production/use facilities are interconnected by a 1.2 mile piping
operating at 70 PSIG. Gas is pressurized to the pipeline pressure at each production facility.
There are a number of gas storage vessels at various points in this campus gas system comprising
approximately 10,000 (actual) cubic feet of pressurized gas storage. There are also provisions for
injecting a natural gas/air mixture (simulating digester gas calorific value) to the campus gas
system when digester gas production is insufficient to meet the gas uses.

The major gas-using appliances include:

• A 580 kW internal combustion engine-generator at RP-2
• Two (2) internal combustion engine-generators, 1,000 kW and 820 kW, at the Chino Desalter
Authority. One of these generators is in continuous operation at all times. The second is a
spare and is also used during utility outages.
• Hot water boilers at both RP-2 and RP-5.
• Excess digester gas is flared at both RP-2 and RP-5.

IEUA has an active program to develop digester gas production capacity and to receive
increasing amounts of dairy manure and food processing waste. They are also adding digester
gas-fueled electric generating capacity; two (2) 1,500 kW internal combustion engine generators
will be commissioned at RP-2 in 2007.

3
Biogas-Fueled Distributed Generation: Three Manure Digester Case Studies. Electric Power Research Institute,
Palo Alto, CA: 2004. 1008435.

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Stirling Engine-Generator Installation

Location and Physical Environment

The 55-kW Stirling engine-generator was located at RP-2 and draws mixed dairy manure gas and
sludge digester gas from the high pressure campus pipeline. Figure 3-1 shows the gen set
installed on a newer concrete pad on which HVAC boilers and chillers were located. The
electrical bus to which the generator is interconnected serves this HVAC equipment.

Figure 3-1
IEUA Stirling Engine-Generator Installation

Fuel Supply Installation

The digester gas (to the Stirling engine-generator) supply schematic is shown in Figure 3-2. The
actual components are pictured in Figure 3-3. The high pressure gas is dewatered before a
regulator which reduces gas pressure to the 2 PSIG specified at the generator enclosure nozzle.
The low pressure gas is further dewatered and passes through approximately 5 cubic feet of
activated carbon column for removal of siloxanes that might be present in the digester gas. The
design gas flow is 20 SCFM which is metered at the lower pressure before entering the
generator.

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 Installation at Inland Empire Utilities Agency, Chino, CA

Figure 3-2
IEUA Fuel Gas Delivery Schematic

Pressure reducing
regulator

Condensate drop-
out

Coalescing Filter

Siloxane removal

Gas meter

Figure 3-3
IEUA Gas Delivery Train (Generator at left)

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Electrical Interconnection

Southern Californian Edison (SCE) is the distribution utility serving the RP-2 site at which the
Stirling Engine-generator is located. The 55 kW output of the Stirling engine-generator is much
less than the minimum demand at the RP-2.

The electrical interconnection is shown in Figure 3-4. The breaker panel to which the generator
is interconnected is fed from another panel at the site service entrance. The 1:1 tap change
transformer is required as the voltage at the RP-2 site is chronically low and, on occasion, is
lower than the low voltage set point of the Stirling engine-generator low voltage trip limits.

The 55-kW induction generator also serves as the Stirling engine starter motor. The engine is
started by connecting the motor across the line; no soft start. In order to keep the inrush current
from tripping the 225A master breaker feeding the panel, one or more of the HVAC loads must
be disconnected. Once the generator is in service, all HVAC equipment can be put into service.

The Beckwith 4310A multifunction solid state protective relay is set to trip the generator breaker
inside the generator enclosure. The protective functions required by SCE are the 81 O/U
frequency and 27/59 Over/under voltage.

Figure 3-4
IEUA Stirling Engine-Generator Electrical Interconnection

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Interconnection point

Meter box and

protective relay box

Tap-change
transformer

Figure 3-5
IEUA Stirling Engine-generator Electrical Components

Heat Recovery Installation

No heat recovery is included in the IEUA engine-generator installation. All heat is rejected
through radiators factory-mounted on the top of the gen set package.

Operating History

A design-procure-build-permit contract was completed with California Power Partners, an STM

distributor, in December 2004. The preliminary permitting period and acquisition/installation of
the gen set and associated gas handling and electrical hardware was completed by June 2005. As
IEUA was conducting maintenance on the gas pipeline, fuel gas was not available to the
generator in June 2005.

The air emissions operating permit was obtained form South Coast Air Quality Management
District (SCAQMD) in May 2005. The provisional permit was good for 12 months, renewable
for another 12 months.

It was anticipated that start-up of the Stirling generator (55 kWe induction motor started across
the line) would be accompanied over current to the load panel to which the generator was
connected. This load panel had been used to power temporary cooling towers which were
brought in for the 2005 cooling season. A procedure was developed to take one of these cooling
towers out of service during Stirling engine start-up and then return it to service. The presence of
power from the Stirling engine-generator during normal operation would be a boon to operation
of the interconnection load panel.

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Project participants were notified of the sliding ring seal problem in July 2005. It was decided to
defer start-up pending installation of the field fix which was anticipated to be available in late
2005. Some commissioning activities were undertaken in October 2005 including running the
unit on digester gas for a short period of time. At this point difficulties with chronic under
voltages on the IEUA site electrical system surfaced. These precluded routing start-ups due to
trips from under voltage just after closing the generator contactor which connected the induction
generator (used as the starter motor) across the line. It was determined that a 1:1 tap changing
transformer could be used to manage the chronic low voltages. This transformer was installed in
Spring 2006.

The unit was commissioned burning gas in late May 2006 but was left out of service pending
interconnection operating approval from Southern California Edison, the local distribution
utility. The interconnection test for Southern California Edison was conducted under load on
June 23, 2006. The generator was left in service over the weekend but tripped on a Sunday
afternoon after approximately 40 hours of operation. The reason for the trip was not apparent.

In July 2006 SCAQMD inspected the site and determined that the unit was fueled with mixed
dairy manure digester gas and WWTP sludge digester gas rather than the dairy manure digester
gas indicated on the air emissions operating permit. They indicated that the provisional permit
could not be renewed and a new permit was required before operations could recommence.
Application for a new permit was prepared and submitted in November 2006 and the permit was
issued in January 2007.

Provisions were being made to restart the unit in mid February 2007 when STM announced that
they were ceasing operations and were liquidating the company. The continuation of this project
depends on the conditions of STM’s liquidation.

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INSTALLATION AT COLORADO HOG PARTNERS,
LAMAR, CO

Biogas Production and Use at Colorado Pork

The Colorado Pork site employs a complete mix anaerobic digester to reduce hog manure odor
and meet water quality regulations mandated by the Colorado Department of Public Health and
Environment. Waste from the sows is collected in shallow pits below the slatted floors of the hog
barns. These pits are connected via sewer lines to an in-ground concrete holding tank with a
capacity of 50,000 gallons. From the holding tank, waste is pumped daily to a 500,000-gallon in-
ground digester.

Biogas is collected under a high-density polyethylene cover, from where it is routed to the
nearby powerhouse. It is then used as fuel for an internal combustion engine (ICE) and
microturbine, both of which have cogeneration capability. Thermal output from the generators is
used to heat water which is circulated in pipes inside the digester to help maintain the
temperature of the digester at 100-105°F. There is no auxiliary water heater and the thermal
output of the generators is the only source of heat for the digesters. The site is described more
4
fully in a previous report .

At the Colorado Pork facility, biogas production is metered as it enters the power generation
equipment; flared gas is not measured. It is therefore difficult to determine the total quantity of
biogas produced by the anaerobic digestion system. Campaign-type gas production
measurements indicate daily gas production averaging near 27,000 SCF per day5 (19 SCFM).
Gas production has been highly variable and depends on daily management as well as the
number of hogs at the facility at any one time.

4
Biogas-Fueled Distributed Generation: Three Manure Digester Case Studies. Electric Power Research Institute,
Palo Alto, CA: 2004. 1008435.

5
McNeil Technologies, Inc. Assessment of Distributed Generation and Performance Contracting Opportunities at
Commercial Swine Operations in Colorado. Report to State of Colorado Governor’s Office of Energy Management
and Conservation. PO 01-336. August 20, 2003.

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Stirling Engine-Generator Installation

Location and Physical Environment

The Colorado Pork facility is located approximately 12 miles south of Lamar, Colorado. The
powerhouse is shown in Figure 4-1 and is located approximately ¼ mile north of the barns. The
digester is shown in Figure 4-1. A lagoon which collects the digested manure is located
approximately ¼ mile north of the powerhouse. The site electrical entrance is located inside the
powerhouse along with the following:
• A 290 kW diesel standby generator and associated transfer switches.
• A 125 kW digester gas-fueled spark ignition engine with heat recovery for digester heating.
• A 30-kW Capstone microturbine with heat recovery for digester heating.
• Generator-associated electrical equipment.
• Digester gas handling components and piping.

As shown in Figure 4-2, the Stirling engine-generator was also located inside the powerhouse.
The Stirling engine radiator was ultimately located outside the west wall of the powerhouse.

Figure 4-1
Colorado Pork Powerhouse with service entrance transformer on right and digester in the
background at left. (Looking north)

Fuel Supply Installation

The fuel supply piping schematic at the Colorado Pork site is shown in Figure 4-3. Low pressure
gas is pressurized to the specified 2 PSIG pressure at the generator enclosure inlet with a
regenerative blower supplied by STM. Note that it was anticipated that the IC engine generator
and the microturbine would be kept out of service during Stirling engine-generator operation due
to site limitations on the digester gas supply.

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Figure 4-2
Colorado Port Stirling Engine-Generator in Place (The top-mounted radiator was
subsequently relocated to outside the powerhouse wall to the left.)

Electrical Interconnection

Southeast Colorado Power Association (SECPA) provides power to the Colorado Pork site. The
minimum site load is approximately 60 kW. The biogas resource has been sufficient to generate
approximately 50 kW with the internal combustion engine. Thus, no extended periods of
exporting power to the utility wires was or is anticipated. For this reason, SECPA did not require
extraordinary protective relaying for the 55 kWe Stirling engine-generator installation.

The electrical interconnection at Colorado Pork is shown in Figure 4-4. A voltage matching
transformer was required to interconnect the 480 VAC generator with the 208 VAC site service.

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Installation at Colorado Hog Partners, Lamar, CO

Figure 4-3
Colorado Pork Digester Gas Handling

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 Installation at Colorado Hog Partners, Lamar, CO

Figure 4-4
Colorado Pork Electrical Interconnection One-line

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Heat Recovery Installation

The Stirling engine heat rejection/recovery piping schematic is shown in Figure 4-5. The entire
engine coolant circulates through the hear recovery heat exchanger (HRHX). It then normally
bypasses the Stirling air-cooled radiator before returning the engine. Digester heating water
flows on the cold side of the HRHX and into the digester heating loop. If the digester heating
water leaving the HRHX is too warm (> ~110F) the thermostatic control at the suction of the
digester water circulation pump closes and the warm water backflows through the heat
exchanger serving the IC engine. (Simultaneous operation of the Stirling engine-generator and
the IC engine generator was not anticipated.) When insufficient heat is removed from the Stirling
engine coolant (due to low digester heat load) the thermostat associated with the Stirling radiator
opens and the radiator provides the necessary cooling.

Figure 4-5
Colorado Pork Heat Recovery Piping Schematic

Operating History

The powerhouse at the Colorado Pork site had an IC engine-generator and a Capstone
microturbine in place and in intermittent service prior to start of this project. Both incumbent
generators had heat recovery equipment installed to provide digester heating.

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The Colorado Governor’s Office of Energy Management and Conservation placed an order for
the 55 kW gen set with DTE Energy Technology in Summer 2004. The unit was delivered to the
host site in January 2005. Local electrical and mechanical contractors were used to do the
installation. The unit was placed inside the powerhouse near the garage door entrance.

Installation activities were completed in May 2005. DTE personnel came to the site in late June
2005 to do the commissioning. They inspected the installation and determined that locating the
radiator inside the powerhouse was not acceptable. It was determined that the radiator should be
relocated to outside the powerhouse and commissioning was delayed pending this relocation.

In early July 2005 STM notified project participants of the sliding ring seal design flaws and
recommended delaying commissioning of the unit pending resolution of the issue. At this time it
was anticipated that the delay would be approximately 6 months. The decision was made by
project participants to delay commissioning to early 2006.

In September 2005 DTE Energy Technologies, the supplier to the project of the STM Stirling
engine-generator to the project, announced that they would cease operations and liquidate the
company. In order to provide commissioning and maintenance support to the project, one of the
Colorado Pork personnel was sent in February 2006 to STM in Ann Arbor for training as a
certified technician and an inventory of critical spare parts and tools was purchased for use at the
project. About this time project participants were notified that the ring seal redesign and testing
was proceeding slower than originally anticipated and that a field retrofit would not be available
before Fall 2006.

In Spring 2006 the radiator was dismounted from the unit and relocated outside the powerhouse
with associated piping, power, and controls interconnections.

In July 2006 the spark-ignition IC engine-generator at the site failed catastrophically. As the
thermal output of this engine maintains the digester at its operating temperature and no auxiliary
heating system is installed, digester temperatures fell and gas production declined precipitously.
Replacement of the IC engine-generator was quoted at 14 weeks. Project participants decided to
proceed with commissioning of the STM Stirling engine-generator fueled with natural gas
serving the site. The thermal output of the Stirling engine could be used to maintain digester
temperature. Swap-out of the combustors (natural gas for digester gas) was accomplished and
commissioning of the gen set was attempted in mid-October 2006.

During the October 2006 commissioning a significant difficulty was noted in that when the
contactor closed to provide electrical power to the generator (for use as a starter motor) the site
voltage drooped below the under voltage trip points in the generator controls. Measurements on-
site indicated that, on the generator side of the 208:480 transformer, the voltage droop was
approximately 25%. On the utility side of this transformer the voltage droop was 13%.
Adjustments were made to the under voltage trip circuits in the generator controls and larger
circuit breakers were installed in the wiring leading to the generator. This allowed limited
operation of the unit for commissioning. After only modest operation, however, the unit failed to
start. STM asked that it be shipped back to the factory in Ann Arbor for repair under warranty.
The unit was removed and shipped in late November 2006.

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In mid-February 2007 project participants were notified that STM was ceasing operations and
liquidating the company. The gen set had been scheduled for shipment back to Colorado Pork on
February 23. It is unlikely that the project will continue in the short term.

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INSTALLATION AT OWL’S HEAD WASTEWATER
TREATMENT PLANT, NEW YORK, NY

Biogas Production and Use at Owl’s Head Wastewater Treatment Plant

Facility Description

The Owl’s Head Wastewater Treatment Plant is located in Brooklyn, NY. The plant treats 120
million gallons per day of New York City wastewater. The plant employs anaerobic digestion to
process sludge settled out from the incoming wastewater. Approximately 30,000 – 40,000
standard cubic of digester gas is produced daily as a by-product of the wastewater treatment
process. A portion of this gas is used to fuel one of three (3) 2,250 kWe reciprocating engines
(one operating, one standby, one under maintenance) on-site. Heat is recovered from the engine
in service for use in maintaining the digester temperature. Consolidated Edison supplies
electrical power to the Owl’s Head plant but the engine-generators are operated to power isolated
loads and are not interconnect with utility wires. Excess digester gas is burned in an atmospheric
flare.

Project Justification/Objectives/Business Design

The flared digester gas represents a lost energy opportunity and is perceived as such by the
neighboring residential community. NYPA is working with the NYC DEP to reduce flaring at all
NYC DEP treatment plants. This project is one of several NYPA is undertaking with NYC DEP
to accomplish this objective. NYPA also has undertaken a continuing effort to develop first-hand
knowledge of the capabilities, costs, and operating characteristics of emerging generation
technologies suitable for fueling with digester gas.

For this project, NYPA owns the generators and is responsible for design, procurement,
installation, maintenance and operation. NYC DEP will supply the digester gas to NYPA and
will purchase the electrical output of the plant. There is no provision for heat recovery from the
Stirling Engine-generators. NYPA is responsible for coordinating the electrical interconnection
with Consolidated Edison, the host electrical utility. The NYC DEP is responsible for obtaining
the necessary revision to their Title V air emission permits to include the Stirling engine-
generators as a point source. Northern Power Systems, NYPA’s turnkey contractor for the
project, is responsible for all construction permits.

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Owl’s Head Heat and Power Load History

The Owl’s Head Waste Processing Control Facility electric power is supplied by NYPA and
delivered by Consolidated Edison. Minimum facility metered demand (exclusive of power self-
generated for isolated loads on-site) is approximately 2,000 kWe. Peak demand in 2005 was
approximately 4,000 kW. The 165 kWe Stirling engine-generator power plant is well under the
minimum metered demand at the site which allows base load dispatch of the Stirling Engine-
generators.

The 165 kWe Stirling engine-generator plant requires approximately 4,500 standard cubic feed
digester gas per hour at rated load. The Owl’s Head Waste Processing Control plant flares
between 5,000 and 15,000 cubic feet of digester gas per hour. Thus, there is sufficient digester
gas under all conditions to fuel the 165 kWe Stirling engine-generator plant.

Stirling Engine-Generator Installation

Overall Project Scope

The turnkey contract let to Northern Power Systems included the following:
• Three (3) packaged 55 kWe STM Stirling engine-generators
• Gas Conditioning Skid
• Electrical/Controls cabinet to house switch gear and controller equipment
• Breaker and relaying installed in existing Owl’s Head Motor Control Center
• SmartView SCADA system with both local and remote operation and monitoring
• Digester gas piping from the plant connection to the gas conditioning skid and then to each
STM power unit.
• Raw Water piping to the gas conditioning skid for cooling
• Foundations for the three (3) STM power units.
• Preparation of all civil, structural, mechanical, and electrical drawings.
• Conduit and wire for the electrical installation of the equipment.
• Acceptance Test Procedure
• Technical assistance to NYPA for preparation and acquisition of a grid parallel operating
permit from Consolidated Edison.
• Application for all construction permits
• Initial start-up and commissioning
• O&M manuals
• Training of NYPA and NYC DEP personnel in the operation and maintenance of the plant.

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Location and Physical Environment

Space in an existing parking area outside the Gas Compressor Building was designated for the
three (3) Stirling engine-generators, the gas conditioning skid, and the control and distribution
enclosure. The general arrangement is shown in Figure 5-1. The interior of the compressor
building has an electrical classification of Class 1, Division 2. Although it is located outside the
compressor building, the area within 10 feet of the gas treatment skid is also classified Class 1,
Division 2. Note that the local electrical controls and generators are located outside the classified
area.

Figure 5-1
Owl’s Head Wastewater Treatment Plant Stirling Engine-generator layout. The gas
conditioning skid is in the northeast corner of the outdoors installation. The skid and a 10
foot buffer bear an electrical classification of Class 1, Division 2. The generators and
electrical controls are located outside this classified area.

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Mechanical Installation

The digester gas supply to the Stirling engine-generators is from an existing digester line inside
the compressor building. Gas pressure in this line is near atmospheric pressure. An electric-
driven blower (with VFD control) is included in the gas conditioning skid to provide the
specified 2 PSIG gas pressure at the generator package nozzle.

The gas piping, water piping (supply and waste to the gas conditioning skid) and exhaust piping
are shown in Figure 5-2. Flame traps are installed on the gas line inside the compressor room and
just following the gas conditioning skid. This practice is common in wastewater treatment plant
digester gas handling systems.

The gas conditioning skid is consists of an incoming condensate trap, a gas blower, a gas
cooler/condenser (effluent water-cooled), and a proprietary activated carbon column for siloxane
removal. The skid is supplied with treatment plant effluent cooling water and has a cooling water
drain as well as a gas condensate drain, both of which are wasted to the treatment plant
wastewater inlet.

Figure 5-2
Owl’s Head Stirling Installation Gas Piping, Water Piping, and Exhaust.

Electrical Interconnection

The existing Owl’s Head electric service is comprised of four (4) 26.4 kV Consolidated Edison
feeders supplying four (4) 2500/3500 kVA delta-grounded Y distribution transformers. The
secondary voltage is 2400Y/4160 VAC. Each of the distribution transformers has the following
protection packages:

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• Device 32 Reverse Power Relay, trips the secondary main breaker

• Device 59G 3VO Ground Relay, trips the primary main breaker
• Device 67 Directional Over current Relay, trips the secondary main breaker

The three 55 kW generators will each be connected to a new 277Y/480 VAC distribution panel
located near the generators. This distribution panel will also provide power for controls and the
gas blower on the gas conditioning skid. This new distribution panel is connected to a slot in an
existing motor control center in the gas compressor building. This system feeder will be
equipped with 27/59 Over/under voltage and 81 O/U over under frequency protection. These
relays will trip a 400 amp breaker feeding the new distribution panel.

The three (3) generators are induction generators and each also serves as the unit starter motor.
As they are induction generators, no synchronizer control or breaker is required. The electrical
oneline diagram is shown in Figure 5-4.

Figure 5-3
Owl’s Head Stirling engine-generator installation electrical one-line.

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Heat Recovery Installation

No heat recovery is included in the Owl’s Head Stirling engine-generator installation. All heat is
rejected through radiators factory-mounted on the top of the individual gen sets.

Construction and Operating Permits Required

The Owl’s Head Stirling engine power plant requires two operating permits; a revision to the
existing Title V permit granted by the New York State Department of Environment and
Conservation for the Owl’s Head wastewater treatment plant, and a grid parallel interconnection
permit from Consolidated Edison, the local electrical distribution utility.

Project History

NYPA contracted with Northern Power Systems in May 2005 to design-procure-build the
complete Stirling engine-generator power plant. A kickoff meeting was held at the site on June 1,
2005. Information was gathered on the existing equipment layout, existing equipment drawings
and a design basis was established for the project. Northern Power Systems completed the 90%
design package for the project which was approved in September 2005.

NYPA was authorized to proceed with construction by the NYC DEP upon the award of the
State Facility Permit on November 17, 2005. Due to the sliding ring seal leakage problem which
STM encountered in mid-2005 (Section 2) the installation was deferred.

Factory tests of the redesigned engine were conducted in Fall 2006 and a delivery scheduled
established. Site construction began on November 15, 2006. Excavation and concrete forms
were completed during the week of December 20, 2006. The foundation was poured during the
week ending January 6, 2007. Installation of the addition to the MCC cabinet, NYPA meter, DC
power supply (necessary for operation of voltage frequency control relays), and installation of
the electrical conduit was completed during the week of January 19.

Engines and the gas processing skid were delivered to the site and set in place on February 5,
2007. On February 21, 2007, NYPA received a notification from Northern Power Systems that
STM Power (the supplier of the engines) had ceased operations and would liquidate their assets.
Further work on the project is on hold until it is clear how to proceed. Northern Power Systems
is investigating options for completion of the project.

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CONCLUSIONS

None of the projects chronicled here achieved sufficient Stirling engine-generator run time to
begin to report on unit technical or commercial performance. The generators at the Colorado
Pork site and the IEUA site did operate for a limited number of hours (< 50 hours in both cases)
but no performance measurements were made. The three (3) units which constitute the Owl’s
Head WWTP plant were delivered but not commissioned.

Several conclusions can, however, be made based on planning, project design, and initial
operations including:
• Heat recovery from the Stirling Engine is from the engine coolant flowing through the cold
end of the engine. This coolant flow is different in nature than that present in internal
combustion (IC) engines. In IC engines the coolant cools metal parts of the engine exposed to
high temperature combustion products to keep the metal parts from deteriorating. In the
Stirling engine, the coolant is an integral part of the power cycle; it serves a purpose similar
to turbine outlet steam condensers in a steam cycle power plant. As such, power production
(and electrical efficiency) is maximized when the coolant temperature is as low as possible.
Recovering useful heat from this coolant flow is challenging. The maximum heat recovery
temperature for the STM Stirling engine employed for these projects is 131º F. There are few
standard heat loads that can be served at this temperature. Mesophilic anaerobic digesters can
effectively use this heat, however, to maintain the 95º F – 100º F digester temperature.
• Use of the induction generator as a starter motor reduces part count which keeps costs down.
On the other hand, during unit start-up, this 55 kW motor/generator is started across the line.
This is accompanied by a large current inrush while the motor winds up to speed. At the
Colorado Pork and IEUA projects this current in-rush was accompanied by voltage droops
sufficient to trip the unit on low voltage. Under this configuration, the circuits feeding the
gen set during start-up must be sufficient to start a 75 HP (55 kW) motor with minimal
voltage droop. This adds considerable cost to sites where typical electrical loads are up to a
few hundred kW.
• The required gas delivery system design is fairly simple. The only extra-ordinary features are
a gas blower to increase supply pressure to 2 PSIG and, for wastewater treatment plant
digester gas, a siloxane removal stage. Long-term operations with these gas delivery systems
were not possible. Thus, their acceptability was not confirmed.

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