ENGINEWORKS.DE
THE LSTE ENGINE TECHNOLOGY (Low Speed Turbine Engine)
Since 2007 EngineWorks GmbH has been doing research on a Rotary Vane Combustion Engine that
shows promise of being highly efficient due to its simple thermodynamic cycle. Advantages of the
LSTE engine technology :
- it can recapture waste heat at high or low temperatures without using complicated ORC equipment.
- it can expand pressure that is built-up from the sun`s radiation using solar thermal collectors.
- it functions as a steam and air turbine, capable of distributing high pressure ratios over a single
expander stage.
- it functions as a combustion engine running on multiple fuels at high efficiency and operational
flexibility.
The LSTE design concept does not make use of a compression process. Because of this, a greater
amount of waste heat can be returned to the system, raising the total efficiency to well above the 50
percent mark in combination with a recuperator.
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The very first LSTE engine, the CM01 (Concept Model 01) was designed in 2004
by Michael Wuertz. Because of its simplicity, the machine was not functional but it
did give important design data pertaining to the combustion process and the
difficulty of air sealing.
The LSTE CM01 engine featured two rotors: one for compression and one for expansion. The
illustrated design was impractical because free-floating vane blades caused very high friction
between rotating blades and stationary parts.
The LSTE engine technology underwent several design changes before vane blade friction and air sealing
issues were solved. The most important design change was to use a single rotor instead of a double rotor
system and to eliminate the compression process. Shown here is the internal combustion engine, the
Fence Jumper engine.
This is a sketch of the basic layout of an LSTE engine. Fresh air is sucked into an air inlet
and transported via a so- called Leveling Zone to a combustion chamber. In here, air is
heated, or combusted and distributed to a so- called Cuthru Zone, where exhaust products
start to expand. It is this expansion that propels the engine.
This is a view of a combustion chamber for an LSTE engine. As the combustion process is continuous, it
can burn multiple fuels such as gasoline, kerosene, alcohol, methane and biogas. The combustion process
used in the LSTE engine technology is isochoric and therefore not similar to that used by micro- turbines.
A close-up picture of the lining dilution zone at the front of the combustion chamber exit. The chamber is
designed for an operating temperature of 1.473 Kelvin but also performs stably at 573 Kelvin. The design is
a lean-burn type.
View inside an LSTE engine. Originally, 12 vane blades were used. But after many trial runs and
more precise parameters, the amount of vane blades now used varies between 4 and 6, depending
upon the application the engine is used for.
It may not look like much. Nevertheless, this little spring is an important part in keeping the engine air tight.
OUTBACK OFF-GRID POWER PRODUCTION
In operation since 2009, the EVA Energy
Container has proven itself to be a true
alternative to power generator sets using
internal combustion engines.
LOW WEIGHT AND EASY TRANSPORTATION
What would you prefer? A large 1 ton engine power
pack or a micro turbine-based system weighting 10
times less which is capable of generating the exact
same power output.
EngineWorks designs micro turbines ranging in power
from 10 - 100 kW for B2B industries whose customers
have special requirements.
