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Small generating turbines are almost always natural gas. For logistics purposes, the Antarctic program uses only aviation fuel, which is very diesel-ish, and fo
by jccooper 2y ago
Small generating turbines are almost always natural gas. For logistics purposes, the Antarctic program uses only aviation fuel, which is very diesel-ish, and for diesel piston engines are the rule.
If you really wanted, I suppose, you could get a liquid fuel turbine, but it would be military or aviation, and much rarer than what they have. And they need to have things as simple as possible, given their staffing constraints.
Also, they seem to like several smaller gensets, to allow for problems and maintenance, which leads to relatively small generators. (They're 750kW ea.) Turbines aren't really common that small. They mostly want to start at several MW.
- dredmorbius 2y agoJet aviation fuel is typically kerosene, which has an average carbon chain length of about 10, as compared to diesel which ranges from 12 to 15. Among critical factors, diesel fuel freezes at far higher temperatures than kerosene, which is important for both aircraft (which typically fly in ambient temperatures about -40 °F/°C) and polar operations. Blends such as Jet A1 and Jet B (kerosene + petrol) have still lower freezing points of -47 °C and -60 °C respectively. Diesel's freezing temperatures are ~ - 8--9 °C / 15--17 °F. Kerosene and jet aviation fuel are rated to -40 °C / -40 °F (both temperature scales are the same at this temperature). Piston aircraft burn petrol / gasoline with a freezing point of ~ -73 °C / -100 °F. Shorter hydrocarbon chain lengths -> lower freezing temperatures. Methane (CH4) is liquid to -182 °C / -195 °F, and only liquifies at -162 °C / -259 °F. <https://www.amspecgroup.com/news/types-of-jet-fuel/ https://www.amspecgroup.com/news/types-of-jet-fuel/>