Isentropic Efficiency Research Articles

CO2 emission characteristics modeling and low-carbon scheduling of thermal power units under peak shaving conditions

To accommodate the high penetration of renewable power, the operational flexibility of thermal power units is highly required by the power system, so thermal power units frequently operate under peak shaving conditions. The CO2 emission characteristics of a thermal power unit are significantly influenced by the load factor, and also by the installed capacity and design parameters of the thermal power unit. Therefore, detailed CO2 emission characteristics of thermal power units should be modeled and considered in the low-carbon scheduling of the power system. In this study, thermal power units are classified by live steam parameters, installed capacities, reheat stages, cooling modes, and operation modes, and the models of detailed CO2 emission characteristics are developed and validated. The turbine isentropic efficiency, boiler thermal efficiency, and auxiliary power consumption are comprehensively considered in the CO2 emission model. A new indicator is defined to evaluate the reduction of carbon emissions in a power system when a TPU accommodates per unit of renewable power generation, and an optimization method for low-carbon scheduling based on it is proposed. Finally, a reference case study is conducted. Results show that the total carbon emissions for a day of the proposed low-carbon scheduling method are 0.06 %−0.20 % less than the efficiency priority method, and 1.53 %−2.36 % less than the capacity weighting method.

Energy and exergoeconomic analyses of parallel cross feed multi effect desalination system driven by twin-screw compressor with water injection

This work proposes the design of a parallel cross-feed multi-effect desalination system with a twin-screw compressor, incorporating water injection to enhance system performance. The improvement is achieved by injecting water during the compression process to increase the isentropic efficiency of compression. The mathematical model is solved using Engineering Equation Solver software, and the resulting mass and energy balance equations are validated against literature data. The system is analyzed and evaluated from energy, exergy, and exergy-economic perspectives, and compared with the performance of the conventional configuration in terms of specific power consumption, exergy efficiency, and cost of produced water. The impact of various operating conditions, such as the number of effects, steam temperature, compressor efficiency, and injection pressure, on specific power consumption, exergy efficiency, exergy destruction, and final product cost, is examined in this study. Additionally, factors like interest rate, plant life expectancy, and electricity cost are investigated for their effect on the final product cost. The study demonstrates that replacing the normal compressor with a twin-screw compressor result in more than a 15 % reduction in specific power consumption, approximately 4 % less exergy destruction (indicating higher exergy efficiency), and a 14 % lower unit cost of freshwater.

Design and optimization of the radial inflow turbogenerator for organic Rankine cycle system based on the Genetic Algorithm

The backdrop of energy-saving and emission-reduction sets a higher demand for low-grade energy utilization which can be realized by Organic Rankine Cycle systems. A 50-kW radial inflow turbogenerator, the crucial heat conversion equipment, with aerostatic bearings for Organic Rankine Cycle system, is designed. It is optimized focusing on the performance of the turbogenerator which uses R245fa as the working fluid. The study employs a one-dimensional thermodynamic model, developed in MATLAB and bolstered by real-time data from Refprop, ensuring the model’s precision and dependability. On this basis, Genetic Algorithm is applied to optimize design parameters and significantly elevate the system’s efficiency, achieving circumferential efficiency of 85.29%. The turbogenerator demonstrates a rated bearing load capacity of 2.43 kN. The research delves into the influence of inlet temperature, inlet pressure, and rotational speed of turbogenerator on its performance. It reveals that an increase in both inlet temperature and inlet pressure lead to a decrease in isentropic efficiency and an increase in output power. The research also shows that an increase in the rotational speed contributes to increases in isentropic efficiency and output power.

A thermodynamic computational model analysis of a newly designed Tri-Rotor (T-R) volume air compressor

A thermodynamic computational modelling (TCM) approach is developed to model and simulate thermodynamic processes of a newly designed rotary type air compressor named ‘tri-rotor (T-R) compressor’ using a Lattice-Boltzmann Method (LBM) based fluid flow solution, which is applied for the first time to a rotary compressor flow. With this method, which is combined with a Wall-Adapting Local Eddy-viscosity sub-grid scale stress (SGS) model (WALE), time-consuming classic fluid-domain meshing/re-meshing process is not required and a mesh deformation problem leading to numerical instability is overcome by generating a fixed Cartesian lattice. The proposed TCM approach here is expected to serve as a basis for transient simulations of rotating turbulent and highly compressible flow for accurate and more complete computational representation of an ideal, adiabatic compression process through pressure − rotational angle (P-Theta degree) and volume − rotational angle (V-Theta degree) diagrams. The designed compressor is comprised of three specifically shaped, simultaneously rotating rotors, which are well-positioned in a cylinder to draw and discharge air uninterruptedly through two-suction and two-discharge ports, respectively and achieves higher mass-flow rates with increasing rotational speed. A comparative study with different rotational speeds predicts that high isentropic efficiency ranging from 0.850 to 0.941 can be attained for the investigated rotational speed range without any compromise on mass flow rates and pressure ratios. A proof-of-concept experiment of a full-scale T-R compressor model is conducted to assess its operational feasibility and performance. It is found that the TCM approach reproduces comparable results to those obtained from the preliminary experimental studies.

An Optimized Artificial Neural Network Model of a Limaçon-to-Circular Gas Expander with an Inlet Valve

In this work, an artificial neural network (ANN)-based model is proposed to describe the input–output relationships in a Limaçon-To-Circular (L2C) gas expander with an inlet valve. The L2C gas expander is a type of energy converter that has great potential to be used in organic Rankine cycle (ORC)-based small-scale power plants. The proposed model predicts the different performance indices of a limaçon gas expander for different input pressures, rotor velocities, and valve cutoff angles. A network model is constructed and optimized for different model parameters to achieve the best prediction performance compared to the classic mathematical model of the system. An overall normalized mean square error of 0.0014, coefficient of determination (R2) of 0.98, and mean average error of 0.0114 are reported. This implies that the surrogate model can effectively mimic the actual model with high precision. The model performance is also compared to a linear interpolation (LI) method. It is found that the proposed ANN model predictions are about 96.53% accurate for a given error threshold, compared to about 91.46% accuracy of the LI method. Thus the proposed model can effectively predict different output parameters of a limaçon gas expander such as energy, filling factor, isentropic efficiency, and mass flow for different operating conditions. Of note, the model is only trained by a set of input and target values; thus, the performance of the model is not affected by the internal complex mathematical models of the overall valved-expander system. This neural network-based approach is highly suitable for optimization, as the alternative iterative analysis of the complex analytical model is time-consuming and requires higher computational resources. A similar modeling approach with some modifications could also be utilized to design controllers for these types of systems that are difficult to model mathematically.

Effect of non-uniform circumferential spallation of seal coating on the aerodynamic performance in a transonic axial rotor: A steady numerical simulation

Seal coating is a critical component of a compressor, and its function is to minimize the blade tip clearance and prevent fluid leakage. Non-axisymmetric spallation of the seal coating can compromise its effectiveness and reduce the compressor's efficiency. In this study, a numerical simulation was performed on a transonic axial rotor to study the effect of non-axisymmetric spallation of seal coating on the aerodynamic performance. Circumferential deep grooves were used to represent the irregular peeling of the seal coating in the full-annulus grids CFD simulation. Results show that as the circumferential length of spallation of seal coating increases, the total pressure ratio and isentropic efficiency decrease, and the surge margin decreases at first but then increases. After seal coating spallation, the flow loss changes near the suction surface and the tip passage. The flow loss changes on the suction surface relate to the interaction between the leading-edge shock/passage shock and the boundary layer. At the tip passage, the tip leakage flow and secondary flow induced low-velocity region and the effect of spallation on blockage dominate the flow loss and instability. The change in surge margin is contributed to the amount of and the chordwise variation of tip leakage flow, and the surge margin drops to the minimum when the spallation length is 9 passages where a “double-twist” flow behavior of TLF occurs substantially.

Novel rotary sliding vane expanders with small eccentricity and guide vane ports: Numerical simulation and structural parameter analysis

Expanders are key equipment in energy storage systems. Traditional sliding vane expanders have many problems, such as severe friction, non-uniform flow fields and limited flow rates. To address these issues, a novel rotating-cylinder sliding vane rotary expander (RC-SVRE) with small eccentricity and guide vane ports is proposed where the rotating-cylinder keeps a distance from the rotor to reduce friction between each other and guiding vanes are added into the intake and exhaust ports to improve flow fields. The friction loss and flow fields are predicted through theoretical analysis and numerical simulations, respectively. Compared with traditional expanders, the friction at sliding vane tips as well as that between the rotor and rotating cylinder of new RC-SVREs can be reduced by more than 98%. Among three optimized port configurations, the scheme #1 with guiding vanes and a 12 mm eccentricity obtains the lowest outlet temperature of 422.35 K and the highest isentropic efficiency of 62.27% because guiding vanes are conducive to intensifying the rotational velocity of working fluid. Among three optimized eccentricities, the scheme #4 with guiding vane and a 9 mm eccentricity obtains the lowest discharge temperature of 418.82 K and the highest flow rate of 2.365×10−2 kg/s. When comprehensively comparing all schemes, scheme #4 performs the most optimal due to the combined effects of port configurations and the smallest eccentricity. This work provides the possibility for designing novel sliding vane rotary expanders.

Performance Improvement of a Limaçon Gas Expander Using an Inlet Control Valve: Two Case Studies

Renewable energy-based compact energy-generation systems based on the organic Rankine cycle (ORC) can be employed to meet the ever-growing thirst for affordable and clean energy. The overall performance and effectiveness of ORC systems are constrained by the low efficiency of the gas expander, specifically the positive displacement expander, which is responsible for energy conversion from the working fluid. This low-efficiency scenario can be significantly improved by employing a control valve to regulate and restrict the flow of the working fluid into the expander. A control valve can effectively curve the loss of costly compressed and energized working fluids by allowing them to expand in the expander chamber before discharging through the outlet port. They can thus be used to regulate the amount of energy yield and output power. In this work, two direct drive rotary valves (DDRVs) operated by a stepper motor (SM-DDRV) and rotary solenoid (RS-DDRV) are suggested, and the behavior of the valves is examined. The effect of friction and temperature on the valve response is also studied. Additionally, the effect of inlet control valves on the overall system performance of the limaçon expander is assessed. Thermodynamic properties such as the isentropic efficiency and filling factor are also computed. The effect of leakage due to valve response delay is analyzed at different inlet pressures. The performance indices are compared to the expander performance without any inlet valve. The SM-DDRV setup results in a 14.86% increase in isentropic efficiency and a 220% increase in the filling factor, whereas the RS-DDRV performs moderately with a 2.58% increase in isentropic efficiency and an 80% increase in the filling factor compared to a ported expander. The SM-DDRV provides better performance indices compared to the RS-DDRV and without valve setups. However, the performance of the limaçon expander with the SM-DDRV is sensitive to the inlet pressure and degrades at higher pressure. Overall, the valves proposed in this work present key insights into improving the performance characteristics of gas expanders of ORC systems.

Thermo-economic assessment of a salt hydrate thermochemical energy storage-based Rankine Carnot battery system

Carnot batteries are critical technologies for increasing the penetration of renewable energy sources because they enable suitable energy storage for long-term periods. The achievement of high efficiencies is an important point that determines the sustainability of the Carnot batteries. In this direction, a novel Rankine Carnot battery with heat upgrading capability based on salt hydrate thermochemical energy storage is proposed herein. The steady thermodynamic and economic models for the basic Carnot battery and recuperators introduced Carnot battery, both with a storage capacity of 10 MW/5h, have been established. The thermo-economic performance of the Carnot battery systems and the effects of several key parameters are quantitatively assessed. Results manifest that the Carnot battery with recuperators behaves better in comprehensive performance thanks to the heat recovery by recuperators. The power-to-power efficiency, exergy efficiency, and levelized cost of storage for the basic Carnot battery and recuperators introduced Carnot battery systems are 48.48 %, 38.48 %, 0.2502 $/kWh and 64.1 %, 48.94 %, 0.1922 $/kWh, respectively. The maximum exergy destruction occurs in the heat exchanger for the Carnot battery systems and the throttle's exergy destruction is diminished by 70 % in the recuperators introduced Carnot battery. The compressor and turbine account for the largest cost ratios, i.e., 26.5 % and 24.8 % in the basic Carnot battery and 28.2 % and 27.2 % in the recuperators introduced Carnot battery; while the cost proportion of throttle in both systems is nearly ignorable (0.3 %). Elevating heat source temperature and the reactant's hydration temperature and descending ambient temperature contribute to the improvement of power-to-power efficiency and levelized cost of storage. The isentropic efficiencies of compressor and turbine, especially the latter, have a great impact on the thermo-economic performances. As the daily charging time expands to 7 h, the levelized cost of storage of the recuperators introduced Carnot battery reduces to 0.1434 $/kWh. Replacing the reactive salt of potassium carbonate sesquihydrate (K2CO3·1.5H2O) with magnesium sulfate tetrahydrate (MgSO4·4H2O) brings a lower levelized cost of storage of 0.18 $/kWh. The findings of this study demonstrate great potential for the exploitation of this thermochemical energy storage-based Carnot battery for large-scale electricity storage.

The icing characteristic of stage 35 compressor blades and its impact on aerodynamic performance

The icing problem in aeroengine is prominent, posing a serious threat to flight safety. There are some limitations in current icing research for aeroengine, which limits the understanding of icing mechanism and potential impact. In this study, a 3D numerical method for air-water two phase flow in rotational situation is developed, and the icing thermodynamic model under the aeroengine environment is established. The study focuses on the icing characteristic of stage 35 compressor under different conditions, as well as the effect of icing shapes on aerodynamic performance. The results indicate that the icing distribution of stage 35 rotor shows obvious 3D characteristic, and the ice amount has an increasing trend with the rise of blade span. Due to the nonuniform distribution of temperature on rotor surface, the rime ice begins to transform into glaze ice from the top of blade when the temperature increases. The quantitative result also finds that the icing has a serious impact on compressor performance, in terms of mass flow, pressure ratio and isentropic efficiency. The flow obstruction caused by the blunt structure at the leading edge is the main reason affecting performance. The research indicates that the icing phenomenon in aeroengine is more complex than that on airfoil, and its threat to performance cannot be ignored in engineering.

Investigation on the Aerodynamic Performance and Flow Mechanism of Transonic Ultra-Highly Loaded Tandem-Rotor Stage

The compressor serves as a crucial component that influences the performance of the gas turbine engine. Researchers have been endeavoring to explore compressor types that possess a high loading level and high-efficiency characteristics concurrently. In this study, tandem blade technology was applied to a transonic ultra-highly loaded axial compressor, and the Baseline single-blade rotor was replaced by a tandem rotor to take into account the loading level and compressor performance. Detailed investigations were carried out to identify the effects on the aerodynamic performance of the ultra-highly loaded stage and the fundamental flow mechanism within the tandem-rotor stage. This paper presents original design maps for the tandem-rotor stage, and the selection criteria for tandem parameters in tandem-rotor stage are refined. The results indicate that the peak efficiency improved by 0.83%, the stall margin increased by 2.16%, and the choke flow rate rose by 0.30% for the optimal tandem-rotor configuration. The meridional division position of the rotor primarily affects the ratio of loading of the front and rear blades, while the circumferential relative position of the tandem rotor mainly influences the channel types formed by the front and rear blades. Larger values for the meridional division position parameter and smaller values for circumferential relative position parameter should be selected for the tandem rotor design to optimize both the isentropic efficiency and total pressure ratio. This investigation offers the theoretical foundation for the design of a transonic ultra-highly loaded tandem-rotor compressor.

The design and research of two-stage series-connected helium turbine expanders for hydrogen liquefaction system

The helium turbine expander, is a crucial part of hydrogen liquefaction systems, that determines the overall efficiency of the system. In this paper, a two-stage series-connected helium turbine expanders is designed to achieve a hydrogen liquefaction capacity of 1.7 tonnes per day (TPD). The proposed expander is based on the reverse Brayton cycle and realizes a high pressure ratio of 8.32 to meet the design objective. A dynamic design process in the expansion end is developed and numerically simulated based on the turbine expander design methodology. The off-rated condition performance of the turbine expander is predicted by adjusting the rotational speed and flow rate. The results show that the reasonable rotational speed range of the turbine expander is 46000–54000 RPM, and the reasonable flow coefficient range is 0.6–1.2, which can maintain a high level of efficiency. The internal flow characteristics of the turbine expander are analysed through numerical simulation. The results show that the outlet temperature is suitable for hydrogen liquefaction, and flow loss mainly occurs in the upper-middle part of the impeller and near the tip clearance, followed by the throat of the nozzle. In the prototype tests to verify the rationality of the design of the turbine expanders, the experimental results show that the two turbine expanders can achieve a temperature drop of 31 K, and isentropic efficiencies of 76.8 % and 80.5 %, respectively, which are higher than the design requirements of 75 %. The actual outlet temperature and isentropic efficiency are compared with the numerical simulation results. The errors are less than 4 % and 10 %, respectively, which means that the prototype manufacturing precision meets the system requirements perfectly. Thus, the design of the two-stage series-connected turbine expanders can satisfy the performance design requirements.

Numerical analysis-based performance assessment of the small-scale organic Rankine cycle turbine design for residential applications

The organic Rankine cycle (ORC) is one of the most common ways to use energy resources to utilise waste heat. Integrating ORC with other systems, such as cooling or heating applications, is also helpful for residential uses. In the ORC system, the turbines are the most critical component determining the system's efficiency. This study conducted a computational fluid dynamics study on a regenerative flow turbine that can be used in small-scale organic Rankine cycle systems. For the higher temperature applications, the analyses were performed using n-pentane working fluid for 1500 and 3000 rpm turbine speeds, inlet temperature between 475–550 K, outlet pressure between 0.9–1.2 MPa, and mass flow rates between 0.5–1.0 kg/s. As a result of the analysis, the isentropic efficiency varies between 4.97 % and 12.52 %. It was concluded that the output power obtained from the turbine varies between 0.53 kW and 2.96 kW. The analyses were also performed for lower temperature (363 and 393 K), pressure (0.05 MPa and 0.3 MPa) and mass flows (0.1 to 0.25 kg/s) applications. In this case, the isentropic efficiency of the turbine varies between 6.23 % and 14.52 %, whereas the power generation varies between 0.068 and 0.521 kW.

Transonic Compressor Darmstadt Open Test Case: Experimental Investigation of Stator Secondary Flows and Hub Leakage

Abstract The future trend of clean sky aviation has led to a smaller core engine, resulting in highly loaded stages with increased relative tip gaps and leakage flows, which causes a reinforced influence of secondary flow phenomena. This article experimentally investigates the secondary flow effects in the 3D-optimized shrouded stator of the TUDa-GLR-OpenStage, representative of a transonic high-pressure compressor front stage, and its susceptibility to typical hub leakage flows. The impact of stator hub leakage on efficiency and total pressure ratio is investigated for several operating speeds, from subsonic to nominal transonic operating conditions. Steady five-hole probe and time-resolved virtual multi-hole probe measurements at different operating conditions at nominal speed are conducted to investigate the underlying loss mechanisms. The leakage mass flow is determined using the measured pressure difference within the fin seal. Steady results show that the optimized 3D stator effectively suppresses the hub corner separation compared to the predecessor 2D stator, but its performance is further limited by a near-tip separation. With the increased stator hub leakage (at a leakage-to-main flow ratio of about 0.4%), the compressor isentropic efficiency generally drops (by about −0.5%) at the full operating range due to an enhanced hub corner separation effect. However, the increased leakage also helps alleviate the tip-corner separation when operating near stall, leading to a smaller efficiency penalty under these conditions. Unsteady results reveal the sensitivity of transient compressor performance to the passing rotor wake, but limited interaction between this phenomenon and the increased leakage is observed. These findings provide insight into the stator hub leakage-related penalties on the compressor aerodynamics efficiency.

An experimental investigation on the effects of the vortex tube material, swirl generator material and the tube length to diameter ratio on vortex tube performance

The current research investigates the effects of the swirl generator material, the tube length to diameter (L/D) ratio, and the vortex tube housing material on its performance. Two vortex tube were designed and constructed using either stainless or brass. In addition to testing different materials for the housing, 5 different materials were examined as potential options for the swirl generator, including stainless steel, brass, polyamide, acrylic and wood. All were having nozzle number of 6. The study encompassed three main areas: examining the impact of various L/D ratios on an entirely stainless vortex tube (ESVT) and an entirely brass vortex tube (EBVT), exploring various swirl generator materials at an optimal L/D ratio for the stainless vortex tube and the brass vortex tube, and investigating the influence of an optimal swirl generator material with varying L/D ratios for the stainless and brass vortex tubes. Operating conditions were controlled for all tests, the natural refrigerant, compressed air was used, the inlet pressure was set to 3.0 bar and the cold mass fraction was varied from 0.40 to 0.90. The results revealed that the performance of the ESVT was greater than the EBVT. The best combination was the polyamide swirl generator and brass vortex tube with an L/D ratio of 19.0. This resulted in the maximum isentropic efficiency of 0.27 at a cold mass fraction of about 0.47.

Acoustic expanders for use in recuperative cryocoolers

An acoustic expander has been developed for use in recuperative cryocoolers. The acoustic expander uses reed-valves to generate a standing acoustic wave from a continuously expanding flow. The mechanical energy from the wave is passively dissipated to the ambient environment. The acoustic expander does not require complex moving parts or control mechanisms at low-temperature; in contrast to piston- or turbo-expanders that require moving displacers or spinning shafts. This expander has demonstrated isentropic expansion efficiencies of 50% for a pressure ratio of 1.4 and expansion efficiencies of 40% for a pressure ratio of 1.9 with air as the working fluid.

High-accuracy experimental study of performance characteristics of optimised Ranque-Hilsch vortex tube

In this paper we present high-accuracy experimental measurements of the performance characteristics of an optimised Ranque-Hilsch vortex tube of cylindrical counter-flow design. Although this is a relatively mature research area, the published high-accuracy experimental data with quantified measurement uncertainty is very limited. The purpose is to provide a reference data-set for CFD method validation and calibration. The vortex tube design is a performance-optimum based on existing literature. We characterize the temperature separation, energy separation, efficiency, and coefficients of performance for three inlet pressures (3.0 bar, 5.0 bar and 7.0 bar) and for atmospheric back pressure. Performance characteristics are presented as a function of cold gas mass fraction. The lowest non-dimensional cold-exit temperature (normalised by inlet temperature) was 0.87, the highest coefficient of performance (decrease in enthalpy flux of the cold stream normalized by work needed to compress air to the inlet pressure) was 0.137, and the highest isentropic efficiency (ratio of the actual energy lost by cold stream to energy that would have been lost in an isentropic expansion of the entire inlet stream from the inlet pressure to the cold-exit pressure) was 0.16.

Improvements in Probabilistic Strategies and Their Application to Turbomachinery

This paper discusses various strategies for probabilistic analysis, with a focus on typical engineering applications. The emphasis is on sampling methods and sensitivity analysis. A new sampling method, Latinized particle sampling, is introduced and compared to existing sampling methods. While it can increase the quality of surrogate models, an optimized Latin hypercube sampling is mostly preferable as it shows slightly better results. In sensitivity analysis, the difficulty lies in correlated input variables, which are typical in engineering applications. First, the Sobol indices and the Shapley values are explained using an intuitive example. Then, the modified coefficient of importance is introduced as a new sensitivity measure, which can be used to reliably identify input variables without functional influence. Finally, these results are applied to a turbomachinery test case. In this case, the flow field of a compressor row is investigated, where the blades are subjected to geometric variability. The profile parameters used to describe the geometric variability are correlated. It is shown that the variability of the maximum camber and the thickness of the leading edge have a decisive influence on the variability of the isentropic efficiency.

Initial experimental testing of a hybrid solar-dish Brayton cycle for combined heat and power (ST-CHP)

The Solar Turbo Combined Heat and Power (ST-CHP) project developed a novel solar-gas hybrid prototype for combined heat and power generation in Pretoria, South Africa. A vacuum-membrane faceted parabolic dish with a large-pipe open-cavity receiver was coupled to a counterflow recuperator, a combustion chamber, a micro gas turbine with air bearings and a phase change thermal energy storage unit containing solar salts. This study aimed to validate the electrical output of the full-scale dish-Brayton prototype, addressing the literature gap on micro-scale dish-Brayton plants' in-field power generation. Solar hybridization of micro gas turbine technology can significantly reduce combustion fuel consumption. A performance analysis under relevant conditions revealed a late afternoon micro gas turbine output intermittently peaking at 0.4kWe and subsequently stabilizing to a steady state of 0.145kWe at 130krpm. A SimuPact numerical model and an analytical model supplemented the telemetry data to reduce interference in the experimental setup and fully characterize the ST-CHP prototype performance, estimating a steady-state turbine isentropic efficiency of 57%, a compressor efficiency of 71% and a collector efficiency of 17% due to the late afternoon steady-state point. Analytical case studies revealed that fuel savings of between 12% and 33% at the combustion chamber were achievable from the solarized preheating. A subsequent test of the micro gas turbine without solar hybridization or a recuperator resulted in 1.05kWe being generated. The study confirms the dish-Brayton prototype's viability for combined heat and power generation, producing an initial full-scale performance characterisation during in-field testing, and highlighting the impact of solar hybridization on turbine electrical output. Optical efficiency, insulation effectiveness, pressure losses, and turbine operating conditions were identified as critical areas requiring optimization to improve electrical output. The lessons learned, and the calibrated numerical model may be used to optimize the performance of the dish-Brayton plant in future work. The successful in-field full-scale power generation of the ST-CHP prototype adds to the available literature on dish-Brayton technology and brings the technology closer to a commercial product.

Investigation on Aerodynamic Performance of a Centrifugal Compressor with Leaned and Bowed 3D Blades

The application of centrifugal compressors is extensive in industries such as aerospace and energy. The blade is the primary factor affecting the aerodynamic performance of compressors. In this paper, the aerodynamic performance of a centrifugal compressor with leaned and bowed 3D blades is investigated. The spanwise section profiles of the blade in the circumferential direction are deflected at different angles, resulting in four compressors with distinct leaned and bowed 3D blades based on the original model. There is a significant change in isentropic efficiency of the modified models under design conditions. Specifically, models 1, 3, and 4 experienced an increase of 0.97%, 1.04%, and 0.79%, respectively, while model 2 experienced a decrease of 0.70%. The profile of the blade tip and 50% spanwise section are shifted towards the suction surface, resulting in a geometric structure where the blade is concave towards the pressure surface. This structure gradually lifts the flow from the blade root to the blade tip downstream to the outlet area of the flow channel, reducing the load on the trailing edge of the blade and making the flow more closely aligned with the blade. At the same time, the larger radial velocity gradient near the blade tip suppresses the backflow on the shroud side, making the flow at the impeller outlet more stable. The outlet velocity of the impeller is more evenly distributed along the spanwise and circumferential directions, which improves the flow at the inlet of the diffuser and enhances the efficiency of the diffuser. Due to the high spanwise height of the leading edge of the blade, this bowed blade structure has little effect on the spanwise curvature upstream of the blade, resulting in negligible influence on the flow of the upstream channel.