Best Way to Convert LPG or Kerosene to Electricity?

[PraAnan]

I'm just wondering if there are more efficient ways of generating electricity from fuel sources such as lpg and kerosene that are more efficient than thermophotovoltaics, thermoelectrics, and heat engines like stirling & steam.

Would it be a fuel cell such as this?
Also, what type of fuel cell technology does it use to generate the electricity?



Fuel cells come under Chemical Engineering don't they? If not, please move to correct section.

 

[berkeman]

I'm just wondering if there are more efficient ways of generating electricity from fuel sources such as lpg and kerosene that are more efficient than thermophotovoltaics, thermoelectrics, and heat engines like stirling & steam.

Would it be a fuel cell such as this?
Also, what type of fuel cell technology does it use to generate the electricity?



Fuel cells come under Chemical Engineering don't they? If not, please move to correct section.

If you are looking for high efficiency in the conversion, then a turbine generator may be your best bet:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gas_turbine

Microturbines

Also known as:
Turbo alternators
Turbogenerator

Microturbines are touted to become widespread in distributed power and combined heat and power applications. They are one of the most promising technologies for powering hybrid electric vehicles. They range from hand held units producing less than a kilowatt, to commercial sized systems that produce tens or hundreds of kilowatts. Basic principles of microturbine are based on micro combustion.

Microturbine systems have many claimed advantages over reciprocating engine generators, such as higher power-to-weight ratio, low emissions and few, or just one, moving part. Advantages are that microturbines may be designed with foil bearings and air-cooling operating without lubricating oil, coolants or other hazardous materials. Nevertheless reciprocating engines overall are still cheaper when all factors are considered.[original research?] Microturbines also have a further advantage of having the majority of the waste heat contained in the relatively high temperature exhaust making it simpler to capture, whereas the waste heat of reciprocating engines is split between its exhaust and cooling system.[17]

 

[Borek]

In theory fuel cells should be better than any "mechanical" solutions. But we are not there yet.

 

[PraAnan]

If you had to take a guess, how efficient would you say that Nectar fuel cell is?
I can't seem to find the right numbers to work out efficiency because they say:

55,000 mW-hours of energy in a single nectar™ pod (>10 recharges of a typical smart phone per nectar™ pod)
and
nectar pod volume: ~55cc
nectar pod weight: ~35g

but you can't work out efficiency without knowing how much butane is actually in the refill can you?

 

[Lrn]

@Borek, Hydrogen powered drone, 4hr flight.

http://www.gizmag.com/horizon-energy-systems-hycopter-fuel-cell-drone/37585/