SusTEM Special Sessions

on
Thermal Energy Management

MODELING AND CFD ANALYSIS OF A MINIATURE

RADIAL TURBINE FOR DISTRIBUTED POWER
GENERATION SYSTEMS
Kiyarash Rahbar, Saad Mahmoud , Raya K. Al-Dadah, Ahmed Elsayed

School of Mechanical Engineering

University of Birmingham

 Introduction
Steam/water Rankine cycle Vs organic Rankine cycle
Importance of of expander

Aims and objective

Design methodology of radial turbo-expander
Preliminary design
Detailed design

Results
Preliminary design
Detailed design

Proposed specifications
Conclusion

Introduction
Accelerated worlds energy consumption has led to scarcity of fuel
resources and severe environmental pollutions

New solutions and alternatives are required

Distributed (on site) Power Generation (DPG) is a promising
solution for supplying energy demands and reducing environmental
problems

DPG is an electric power source connected directly to the

distribution network or the customer site of the meter
Category

Power Rating

Distributed Micro Power Generation

1Watt to 5kW

Distributed Small Power Generation

5kW to 5MW

Distributed Medium Power Generation

5MW to 50MW

Distributed Large Power Generation

50MW to 300MW

Ackermann T et al .Distributed Generation: a definition. J Electric Power Systems Research 2001;57:195204

Steam/Water vs. Organic Rankine Cycle

Water/steam Rankine cycle

Organic Rankine cycle

1.

Has uneconomically low thermal

efficiency when exhaust steam
temperature drops below 370C

1.

Suitable to be powered by low grade

heat sources in temperature range of
60-200C

2.

Bulky equipments due to high

specific volume of steam

2.

Small size due to high fluid density

(Steam=2.4kg/m3 ,R245fa=17.6 kg/m3
at 5bar,200C)

3.

High capital cost, safety concerns

and complex system due to
requirements of high temperature
and pressure

3.

Simplicity and alleviation of safety

concerns due to low pressure and
temperature

4.

High maintenance cost due to

erosion and corrosion of blades
caused by steam droplets

4.

Low capital and maintenance cost due

to use of non-eroding and noncorrosive working fluids

5.

Unavailability of high temperature

heat sources in DMPG

5.

Availability of low grade heat sources

when supplied by renewable energies

Importance Of Expander
Key component of the DPG
Plays a major role in determining the overall cycle efficiency
1. Velocity type: turbo expanders (Radial and Axial)

2. Displacement type: scroll, screw and reciprocal piston

expanders

Radial Turbo Expander

Radial turbo expanders offer many advantages over axial
turbo expander and displacement type expanders
Simple structure and easier manufacturing (one-piece
casting) compare to axial turbo expander (blades and disk)
Compact size due to greater specific power than
equivalent axial stage (Euler turbomachinery equation)

High efficiency
Light weight

Aims And Objectives

Design and CFD analysis of a small size radial
turbine
Applicable for distributed micro power
generation systems with power capacity of 5kW
Operating in organic Rankine cycle
Suitable to be powered by low grade heat sources
such as solar or geothermal energies in
temperature range of 60-200C

Design Methodology Of The Radial

Turbo-Expander
Main goal is to minimize the losses and maximize the
efficiency of turbine with following constraints

Geometric
Physical
Economic
This goal is accomplished by a systematic approach
consisting of two main phases:
Preliminary phase
Detailed phase

Preliminary Design

Determines the overall characteristics and the performance levels

Highly iterative since it requires comprehensive trade studies of many
different designs by variation of large group of input parameters
1-D code based on conservation of mass, momentum and energy and
Euler turbo-machinery equation and appropriate loss models
Mean streamline through the stage represents an average of the
passage conditions at each key calculating station

Detailed Design

Concentrates on 1 or small number of design candidates that offer the

optimum combination of features based on preliminary design results

Investigates the aerodynamics of the flow field with much greater

accuracy

CFD analysis employed using ANSYS CFX (full three-dimensional ReynoldsAverage Navier-Stokes equations with appropriate turbulence modeling)

Results- Preliminary Design

Table of variation range of input
parameters
Parameter

Range

Inlet Total Temperature(C)

60 200

Inlet Total Pressure (kPa)

150 400

Pressure Ratio

1.5 3

Mass flow rate (kg/sec)

0.03 - 0.1

Rotational speed (rpm)

40000
60000
0.65 - 0.85

Velocity Ratio

Inlet relative flow angle

(degree)
Exit absolute flow angle
(degree)

-60 - -15
-10 10

Algorithm for systematic

variation of input parameters

Results- Design Space

Design Space

fficiency(%)
e
l
ta
to
to
l
ta
Rotor to

84
82
80
78
76
74
72
70
0.76

Veloc

0.74

ity Ra

0.6
0.72

0.70

tio(U
/

C)

ec

0.78

Sp

0.80

ifi

0.8
0.82

Sp
ee

1.0

d(
Ns
)

1.2

0.68

0.66

0.4

Each point represent an individual turbine design with

different operating conditions and geometry

Results- Preliminary Phase

Variation of inlet total temperature and pressure

Variation of mass flow rate and pressure ratio

Results- Preliminary Phase

Variation of velocity ratio and rotational speed

Variation of rotor relative inlet and absolute exit flow angles

82

3
Alpha 2=
0 deg

Alpha 2=
-10 deg

1
0
-65

-55

-45

-35

-25

-15

Rotor relative inlet flow angle(deg)

80

80

Alpha 2=
10 deg

efficiency(%)

Power(kW)

Alpha 2=
10 deg

Rotor total to static

100

Rotor inlet diameter(mm)

78

Alpha 2=
0 deg

76
74

Alpha 2= 10 deg

72

Alpha 2=
10 deg

60

Alpha 2=
0 deg

40

Alpha 2=
-10 deg

20
0

-65

-55

-45

-35

-25

-15

Rotor relative inlet flow angle(deg)

-65

-55

-45

-35

-25

-15

Rotor relative inlet flow angle(deg)

Results- Detailed Phase

Parameter
Inlet Total
Temperature(C)
Inlet Total Pressure
(kPa)
Pressure Ratio

Selected
Value
60
200
2

Mass flow rate (kg/sec)

0.09

Rotational speed (rpm)

55000

Velocity Ratio

0.685

Inlet relative flow angle

(degree)
Exit absolute flow angle
(degree)

-35

3 different blade profiles were

investigated with the aim of
achieving appropriate blade
loading and uniform flow
The case with best blade profile
was investigated for the
appropriate number of rotor
blades using CFD analysis

Results- Detailed Phase-Variation Of Blade

Profile
Total Power output= 3.871kW

Case a
Total Power output=3.834kW

Case b
Total Power output=3.791kW

Case b

Results- Detailed Phase-Variation Of

Rotor Blade Counts
Z=8

Z=12

Z=15

Specifications Of The Proposed Radial

Turbo-Expander
Parameter

Unit

Value

Power
Total to total isentropic efficiency

kW
%

4
85.3

mm
mm
mm2
degree
degree
-

94.8
14.5
253
0
75
27

mm

82.5

Nozzle diameter at TE
Nozzle vane height
Nozzle throat area
Nozzle blade inlet angle to radial
Nozzle blade exit angle to radial
Nozzle blade number

Rotor inlet diameter

Rotor exit diameter at tip

mm
Rotor exit diameter at hub
mm
Rotor blade inlet angle to radial
degree
Rotor blade inlet angle to axial at degree
RMS
Rotor blade number
-

53.6
24.7
0
-70
12

Conclusion

There is a need for designing a small scale radial turbo expander for
distributed micro power generation systems based on organic Rankine
cycle

Two techniques were employed as preliminary design phase and detailed

design phase

An algorithm was developed for the preliminary phase in order to explore

a large number of designs based on a parametric study to determine the
best initial design for the system of interest

Preliminary design tool does not provide adequate information regarding

to the complex 3-D behavior of the fluid inside the expander

CFD analysis tool was also employed as the detailed design tool to
investigate in greater details the characteristics of design candidate that
was recommended by the preliminary phase

Turbine with efficiency of 85.3% , power of 4kW and rotor diameter of

8cm is suitable to be used for supplying energy demands in DMPG
systems

Closing
Thanks for listening and patience
Any questions?