TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Chemical/Bio Defense, Ground/Sea Vehicles, Materials/Processes, Electronics, Human Systems

ACQUISITION PROGRAM: Ground Transportation and Engineer Systems, PM Expeditionary Power Systems

OBJECTIVE: Develop concepts and/or systems to improve energy efficiency and reduce convoy logistics requirements to sustain a FOB.

DESCRIPTION: The Marine Corps is looking for innovative ways to become more energy efficient, particularly in company-sized FOBs. Generators are the biggest users of fuel at the FOBs and are often deployed in inefficient ways. For example; generators are oversized for peak operating hours. Generators sometimes run at less than 30% of their capacity during non peak hours, burning more fuel than necessary and causing maintenance issues like engine wet-stacking.

Environmental Control Units (ECUs) currently consume between 75 and 80% of the electric power generated at the FOBs. ECUs and space heaters use fans to convey conditioned air through bulky flexible outdoor ducts to long distribution plenums located inside the conditioned space. Total duct network lengths of over 75 ft are common. Outdoor duct length limitations constrain placement of ECUs to 15 ft or closer resulting in high noise levels inside of the shelter. Inefficiencies attributed to duct friction loss and outdoor duct heat transfer account for up to 30% of the energy consumption of a typical ECU-shelter system. This inefficiency is also of concern in non-military applications. Recent research funded by DOE and CIEE through LBNL concluded that duct system energy losses of 25% of the total energy used for heating and cooling are typical in residential and commercial applications. In addition to the inherent inefficiencies, external forced air systems decrease the effectiveness of Nuclear/Biological/Chemical (NBC) protection equipment by significantly increasing the number of threat entry paths.

Power distribution systems, micro-grids, and load shedding techniques should be investigated to determine applicability to the Marine Corps mission. Distribution of heating and cooling, and thermal energy management should also be considered to reduce ECU power requirements.

Hybrid Power Systems should be considered using traditional energy storage in batteries and ultra capacitors. Novel cogeneration, heat driven cooling, combined hybrid heat cycles, and solar power could also improve overall FOB efficiency. Ease of setup and operation, energy efficiency, and ruggedness are all key attributes desired.

PHASE I: Develop an analytical model of the power and ECU loads for a small and medium FOB. The model should start with a baseline using current Marine Corps equipment. Using the model, conduct a sensitivity analysis to determine how making equipment changes effect fuel usage. Determine what concepts would have the largest impact on energy usage balanced against logistics considerations and cost.

PHASE II: Develop, build and demonstrate the system concept developed in Phase I. This prototype can be a scaled model, but must validate the efficiency projected by the model. For example, if it is determined that a micro grid would reduce inefficient generator operation, a model with a micro grid will be developed. A hardware demonstration of the modeled grid will be accomplished to validate the model. The contractor will develop a Phase III transition plan including a business model and identification of risks.

PHASE III: The small business will run the model for customers on a fee basis or will license the model to customers in DoD, to product developers, and to the architectural design and construction businesses.

PRIVATE SECTOR COMMERCIAL POTENTIAL/DUAL-USE APPLICATIONS: Energy efficient systems have potential application in heating, cooling and power distribution in buildings, construction sites, temporary classrooms or offices and outdoor events.
REFERENCES:
1. 2007 ASHRAE Handbook, Applications, ISBN 1-931862-70-2, Chapter 40.

2. M. Modera, T. Xu, H. Feustel, and N. Matson, Efficient Thermal Energy Distribution in Commercial Buildings, Final Report to the California Institute for Energy Efficiency, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (1999).

3. Delp, W. W., N. Matson, and M. P. Modera. 1996. Exterior Exposed Ductwork: Delivery Effectiveness and Efficiency. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Report. LBNL-39083

4. Andrews, J. 1996. Field Comparison of Design and Diagnostic Pathways of Duct Efficiency Evaluation. Proceedings of the 1996 ACEEE Summer Study on Energy Efficiency in Buildings, Washington D.C.; American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy

KEYWORDS: Micro Grids; Hybrid Systems; Distributed Heating and Cooling; Thermal Energy Storage; and Thermal Management

** TOPIC AUTHOR (TPOC) **

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