Development of Rotary Wankel Devices for Power Generation

Abstract

Rotary Wankel engine has been the subject of the research since it is introduction; it can work as combustion engines as well as compressors and expansion devices (turbine). A volumetric expander is an appropriate device used in a steam Rankin cycle for low power generation, consolidated heat, and power unit. Wankel expansion devices have significant advantages, such as compactness, almost no vibration, low cost, and noise. A computational fluid dynamics (CFD) is extended to be used ANSYS-Fluent 17.2 for simulation the flow in a single stage rotary expansion device and to investigate the expander’s power. The current study is compared with the published work (Mazda) for the volumes and power output of the rotary expansion devices and showed a good agreement. Wankel expander size of 118.5 mm radius of the rotor, the eccentricity of 17 mm, and rotor width of 69 mm is selected. Results showed the contours of pressure and temperature at any rotor angles to insure the design is performing as suspected. The power output is 27.416 kW for ports without valves while by using valves only in the inlet ports created 17.8 kW.