CHATSWORTH, Calif., April 19, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Capstone Turbine Corporation (www.capstoneturbine.com) (Nasdaq:CPST), a leading clean technology manufacturer of microturbine energy systems, announced today that it has partnered with FGC Plasma Solutions to test a new plasma-assisted fuel injection technology in its C65 microturbine.
FGC Plasma Solutions has engineered a fuel injection technology that incorporates plasma to better control combustion in jet engines and gas turbines. The technology enables more optimum operation of the engine as well as benefits from lower emissions, increased fuel flexibility and improved reliability.
Felipe Gomez del Campo, CEO of FGC Plasma Solutions, recently joined Chain Reaction Innovations (CRI) at Argonne National Laboratory. Through participation in CRI, Gomez del Campo has access to test FGC’s patented technology on injectors designed for a Capstone turbine engine located at Argonne. CRI is one of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Lab-Embedded Entrepreneurship Programs, funded jointly by the Advanced Manufacturing Office (AMO) and by Argonne National Laboratory, and co-managed with the Technology-to-Market Program within the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. The Lab-Embedded Entrepreneurship Programs embed top technical talent within DOE national laboratories as entrepreneurial research fellows with the express goal of subsequently launching an energy- and manufacturing-based business.
Capstone and FGC Plasma signed a Memorandum of Understanding to loan FGC Plasma Solutions a set of Capstone fuel injectors to use in its testing. Capstone and FGC Plasma Solutions will work together to develop a new combustion concept for improved turbine efficiency and emissions performance. Capstone has been partnering with Argonne through AMO’s Technologist in Residence (TIR) program. The TIR program pairs senior lab and industry technologists to streamline engagement and increase early-stage collaborative research and development between national labs and companies seeking to leverage lab resources.
The new fuel injection technology could enable Capstone microturbines to run on an expanded range of “opportunity fuels” -- fuels that are not currently widely used, but have the potential to be a source of power generation -- with widely varying compositions, such as gasified industrial waste streams. Testing will be held at Argonne.
“Capstone is continually searching for innovative ways to generate clean and reliable power,” said Tony Lorentz, Capstone’s Vice President of Engineering and Product Development. “We look forward to testing plasma-assisted fuel injectors and the improvements it can make in all areas of turbine performance.”
Traditional gas-powered turbines often lack the ability to operate on opportunity fuels. Finding a way to use alternative, sustainable fuel sources would reduce operational costs, minimize wear and tear on combustors and enable turbine generators to better handle rapid changes in electrical loads, such as those that stem from connecting renewable energy sources to electrical grids.
“FGC Plasma is very excited about the opportunity to collaborate with Capstone to work on the next generation of microturbine combustors,” said Gomez del Campo. “It is also great to have an experienced partner such as Capstone to help us develop our product line.”
About Capstone Turbine Corporation
Capstone Turbine Corporation (www.capstoneturbine.com) (Nasdaq:CPST) is the world's leading producer of low-emission microturbine systems and was the first to market commercially viable microturbine energy products. Capstone has shipped approximately 9,000 Capstone Microturbine systems to customers worldwide. These award-winning systems have logged millions of documented runtime operating hours. Capstone is a member of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Combined Heat and Power Partnership, which is committed to improving the efficiency of the nation's energy infrastructure and reducing emissions of pollutants and greenhouse gases. A UL-Certified ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 14001:2015 certified company, Capstone is headquartered in the Los Angeles area with sales and/or service centers in the United States, Latin America, Europe, Middle East and Asia.
About FGC Plasma Solutions
FGC Plasma Solutions, a start-up company, works with plasma to improve combustion in gas turbines and jet engines. While the idea of plasma-assisted combustion is not new in itself, FGC Plasma Solutions has pioneered the application of this phenomenon to gas turbines and jet engines through its patented technology. FGC Plasma Solutions technology can provide an additional degree of control over the combustion process, allowing for lower emissions, improved fuel flexibility and enhanced operational flexibility. The technology also enables the use of low calorific value opportunity fuels. The technology may also enable improved performance at startup and low load operation.
This press release contains "forward-looking statements," as that term is used in the federal securities laws, about the advantages and success of fuel injection technology and the opportunity it affords, improvements in turbine efficiency, and benefits of lowering emissions. Forward-looking statements may be identified by words such as "expects," "objective," "intend," "targeted," "plan" and similar phrases. These forward-looking statements are subject to numerous assumptions, risks and uncertainties described in Capstone's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission that may cause Capstone's actual results to be materially different from any future results expressed or implied in such statements. Capstone cautions readers not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this release. Capstone undertakes no obligation, and specifically disclaims any obligation, to release any revisions to any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this release or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.
"Capstone" and "Capstone Microturbine" are registered trademarks of Capstone Turbine Corporation. All other trademarks mentioned are the property of their respective owners.