A new force in silent diesel power generation should be ready to be demonstrated to carefully selected potential end users by the spring of 2011, following work carried out by Marshall SDG, a Marshall Land Systems company, and Nordic Power Systems.
After initial work carried out in Norway on the early stage prototype generator, the system has been successfully tested at MLS and is now being further developed in both Norway and the UK by a joint team from Marshall and Nordic Power. During this development work the team will focus on system optimisation, reducing the electronic emissions and ruggedisation of the system to ensure the ‘Cool Flame’ will meet military requirements. This also includes work on the through life aspects and packaging of the ‘Cool Flame’ to limit the footprint and weight of the generator and to increase its operational capability and uses.
Tor Geir Engebretsen, chief executive of Nordic Power Systems, commented: “The team has been working hard over the last months developing the generator to the stage where it can now provide a consistent power output. We are pleased with the successful independent tests carried out by our UK partner. The next stage of development will be an exciting one because at the end we plan to have a truly silent system that we can demonstrate.”
“Achieving this point in the development process of this novel silent diesel generator using fuel cell technology is a significant milestone and confirms our expectations that this is a very exciting technology which fits well into the Marshall Land Systems portfolio,” said Peter Callaghan, chief executive of Marshall Land Systems.
He added: “This milestone is confirmation of our commitment to provide the best innovative solutions we can for the armed forces and to meet our Offset obligations in Norway. Our work involves using MLS’ key attributes and provision of technical expertise to a company we quickly recognised as like minded and equally technically capable.”
The diesel fuel generators are based on a patented technology, named ‘Cool Flame’. The silent generators are expected to produce power outputs suitable for driving a wide variety of electronic equipment and provide auxiliary power units where silent running is required.