Thermodynamic analysis of Tesla turbine in Organic Rankine Cycle under two-phase flow conditions. (15th January 2023)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Zhang, Yuan; Zhang, Shizhao; Peng, Hao; Tian, Zhen; Gao, Wenzhong; Yang, Ke
• Is Part Of: Energy conversion and management. Volume 276(2023)
• Publication Date: 2023-01-15
• Subjects: Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) -- Tesla turbine -- Wet working fluid -- Two-phase flow -- Thermodynamic analysis; Direct energy conversion -- Periodicals; Energy storage -- Periodicals; Energy transfer -- Periodicals; Énergie -- Conversion directe -- Périodiques; Direct energy conversion; Periodicals; 621.3105
• DOI: 10.1016/j.enconman.2022.116477
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0196-8904

Abstract

Highlights: A one-dimensional model of Tesla turbine for wet working fluids is proposed. Thermodynamic performance of five wet working fluids in Tesla turbine is analyzed. Tesla turbine using R22 has the highest efficiency at low rotor speed conditions. Tesla turbine with R417a has the maximum output power in most operating conditions. Optimum rotor speed and rotor gap distance exist for each working fluid. Abstract: In the field of clean energy, Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) is considered a vital method to utilize low-grade waste heat effectively. Due to certain application advantages in low power level ORC systems, the Tesla turbine is considered one of the essential choices for the core components of ORC systems. Given the inadequacy of the current research on the performance of the Tesla turbine under two-phase flow conditions, a one-dimensional model of the Tesla turbine was constructed in this paper to make it equally applicable to the two-phase flow conditions of wet working fluids. A model of the Tesla turbine and ORC system was constructed from the thermodynamic point of view, and five typical wet working fluids (R22, R417a, R134a, R152a, and R290) were selected to study the effects of the five wet working fluids on the thermal performance of Tesla turbine and ORC system. The effects of the changes in key structural parameters of the Tesla turbine on the performance of the Tesla turbine and the ORC system were further analyzed when different wet working fluids were used in the ORC system. The results showed that the highest turbine efficiency of 42.0 % was achieved when the Tesla turbine used R22 as the working fluid under the design conditions, while the highest turbine output power and the highest system thermal efficiency of 1.19 kW and 3.96 % were achieved when R417a was used as the working fluid. The analysis of the key structural parameters of the system showed that for the five different wet working fluids, the turbine efficiency, turbine output power, and system thermal efficiency increased monotonically with increasing rotor inlet radius. For each of the five wet working fluids, an optimum rotor speed, rotor outlet radius, and rotor gap distance exist, resulting in optimal turbine efficiency and system performance. The related work provides an important reference for the optimal design of Tesla turbines with wet working fluids.