Defining the Thermodynamic Efficiency in a Wave Rotor

Author(s):  
Shining Chan ◽  
Huoxing Liu ◽  
Fei Xing

A wave rotor enhances the performance of a gas turbine with its internal compression and expansion, yet the thermodynamic efficiency estimation has been troubling because the efficiency definition is unclear. This paper put forward three new thermodynamic efficiency definitions to overcome the trouble: the adiabatic efficiency, the weighted-pressure mixed efficiency, and the pressure pre-equilibrated efficiency. They were all derived from multistream control volumes. As a consequence, they could correct the efficiency values and make the values for compression and expansion independent. Moreover, the latter two incorporated new models of pre-equilibration inside a control volume, and modified the hypothetical “ideal” thermodynamic processes. Parametric analyses based on practical wave rotor data demonstrated that the trends of those efficiency values reflected the energy losses in wave rotors. Essentially, different thermodynamic efficiency definitions indicated different ideal thermal cycle that an optimal wave rotor can provide for a gas turbine, and they were recommended to application based on that essence.

1999 ◽  
Vol 121 (2) ◽  
pp. 265-271 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. R. Nalim

Combustion within the channels of a wave rotor is examined as a means of obtaining pressure gain during heat addition in a gas turbine engine. Three modes of combustion are assessed: premixed autoignition (detonation), premixed deflagration, and non-premixed autoignition. The last two will require strong turbulence for completion of combustion in a reasonable time in the wave rotor. The autoignition modes will require inlet temperatures in excess of 800 K for reliable ignition with most hydrocarbon fuels. Examples of combustion mode selection are presented for two engine applications.


Author(s):  
Razi Nalim ◽  
Hongwei Li ◽  
Pezhman Akbari

The wave rotor combustor can significantly improve gas turbine engine performance by implementing constant-volume combustion. The periodically open and closed combustor complicates thermodynamic analysis, and key cycle parameters depend on complex gas dynamics. In this study, a consistent air-standard aerothermodynamic model with variable specific heat is established. An algebraic model of the dominant gas dynamics estimates fill fraction and internal wave compression for typical port designs, using a relevant flow Mach number to represent wave amplitudes of compression and expansion. Nonlinear equations for thermodynamic state variables are solved numerically by Newton-Raphson iteration. Performance measures and key operating conditions are predicted, and a quasi-one-dimensional computational model is used to evaluate the usefulness of the algebraic model.


Author(s):  
Jack Wilson

Wave rotors, used in a gas turbine topping cycle, offer a potential route to higher specific power and lower specific fuel consumption. In order to exploit this potential properly, it is necessary to have some realistic means of calculating wave rotor performance, taking losses into account, so that wave rotors can be designed for good performance. This in turn requires a knowledge of the loss mechanisms. The experiment reported here was designed as a statistical experiment to identify the losses due to finite passage opening time, friction, and leakage. For simplicity, the experiment used a 3-port, flow divider, wave cycle, but the results should be applicable to other cycles. A 12” diameter rotor was used, with two different lengths, 9” and 18”, and two different passage widths, 0.25” and 0.54”, in order to vary friction and opening time. To vary leakage, moveable end-walls were provided so that the rotor to end-wall gap could be adjusted. The experiment is described, and the results are presented, together with a parametric fit to the data. The fit shows that there will be an optimum passage width for a given wave rotor, since, as the passage width increases, friction losses decrease, but opening-time losses increase, and vice-versa. Leakage losses can be made small at reasonable gap sizes.


1998 ◽  
Vol 120 (4) ◽  
pp. 833-842 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Wilson

Wave rotors, used in a gas turbine topping cycle, offer a potential route to higher specific power and lower specific fuel consumption. In order to calculate this potential realistically, a knowledge of the loss mechanisms is required. The experiment reported here was designed as a statistical experiment to identify the losses due to finite passage opening time, friction, and leakage, using a three-port, flow divider, wave rotor cycle. Incidence loss was also found to be important. Rotors of 12 in. diameter were used, with two different lengths, 9 in. and 18 in., and two different passage widths, 0.25 in. and 0.54 in., in order to vary friction and opening time. To vary leakage, moveable end walls were provided so that the rotor to end wall gap could be adjusted. The experiment is described, and the results are presented, together with a parametric fit to the data.


Author(s):  
Amir A. Kharazi ◽  
Pezhman Akbari ◽  
Norbert Mu¨ller

A number of technical challenges have often hindered the economical application of refrigeration cycles using water (R718) as refrigerant. The novel concept of condensing wave rotor provides a solution for performance improvement of R718 refrigeration cycles. The wave rotor implementation can increase efficiency and reduce the size and cost of R718 units. The condensing wave rotor employs pressurized water to pressurize, desuperheat, and condense the refrigerant vapor — all in one dynamic process. In this study, the underlying phenomena of flash evaporation, shock wave compression, desuperheating, and condensation inside the wave rotor channels are described in a wave and phase-change diagram. A computer program based on a thermodynamic model is generated to evaluate the performance of R718 baseline and wave-rotor-enhanced cycles. The detailed thermodynamic approach for the baseline and the modified cycles is described. The effect of some key parameters on the performance enhancement is demonstrated as an aid for optimization. A generated performance map summarizes the findings.


2000 ◽  
Vol 124 (1) ◽  
pp. 89-95 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Lozza ◽  
P. Chiesa

This paper discusses novel schemes of combined cycle, where natural gas is chemically treated to remove carbon, rather than being directly used as fuel. Carbon conversion to CO2 is achieved before gas turbine combustion. The first part of the paper discussed plant configurations based on natural gas partial oxidation to produce carbon monoxide, converted to carbon dioxide by shift reaction and therefore separated from the fuel gas. The second part will address methane reforming as a starting reaction to achieve the same goal. Plant configuration and performance differs from the previous case because reforming is endothermic and requires high temperature heat and low operating pressure to obtain an elevated carbon conversion. The performance estimation shows that the reformer configuration has a lower efficiency and power output than the systems addressed in Part I. To improve the results, a reheat gas turbine can be used, with different characteristics from commercial machines. The thermodynamic efficiency of the systems of the two papers is compared by an exergetic analysis. The economic performance of natural gas fired power plants including CO2 sequestration is therefore addressed, finding a superiority of the partial oxidation system with chemical absorption. The additional cost of the kWh, due to the ability of CO2 capturing, can be estimated at about 13–14 mill$/kWh.


Author(s):  
Helmer G. Andersen ◽  
Pen-Chung Chen

Computing the solution to the energy balance around a gas turbine in order to calculate the intake mass flow and the turbine inlet temperature requires several iterations. This makes hand calculations very difficult and, depending on the software used, even causes significant calculation times on PCs. While this may not seem all that important considering the power of today’s personal computers, the approach described in this paper presents a new way of looking at the gas turbine process and the resulting simplifications in the calculations. This paper offers a new approach to compute the energy balance around a gas turbine. The energy balance requires that all energy flows going into and out of the control volume be accounted for. The difficulty of the energy balance equation around a gas turbine lies in the fact that the exhaust gas composition is unknown as long as the intake flow is unknown. Thus, a composition needs to be assumed when computing the exhaust gas enthalpy. This allows the calculation of the intake flow, which in turn provides a new exhaust gas composition, and so forth. By viewing the exhaust gas as a flow consisting of ambient air and combusted fuel, the described iteration can be avoided. The study presents the formulation of the energy balance applying this approach and looks at the accuracy of the result as a function of the inaccuracy of the input parameters. Furthermore, solutions of the energy balance are presented for various process scenarios, and the impact of the uncertainty of key process parameter is analyzed.


Author(s):  
Y Yue ◽  
T. A. Stolarski

The objective of this paper is to develop an accurate numerical procedure for the analysis of nominally flat contacts with spiral grooves lubricated by gases. The numerical procedure, which is based on the control-volume method, enables the solutions of the non-linear Reynolds equation to be obtained without limitation in geometry and operating conditions. Satisfactory flow balance was achieved on the control volumes as well as on the whole boundary and the method was proved to be very accurate. Convergence of the method was quick for any compressibility number. Three types of contact with spiral grooves were analysed. They were hydrodynamic bearings without interior chambers, hydrodynamic bearings with interior chambers and hybrid bearings. The effects of spiral angle, groove geometry (length, depth and width) and compressibility on performances were investigated for all possible designs.


2011 ◽  
Vol 467-469 ◽  
pp. 186-191
Author(s):  
Hao Bin Shi ◽  
Wen Jie Dong

How to exercise reasonable motion control on robot becomes a new research focus in robot technology research. This paper proposes the Rotate-Lookup-Summation according to the deficiency of traditional look-up table. This method first confirm the controlling factors P1,P2….Pn that would affect the control volume Z, and then the multi-dimensional control volumes and multi-dimensional control factors would be projected to sub-dimensional space. Finally, the same controlling factors of different sub-dimensional space would be rotated to a single sub-dimensional space and establish a corresponding table. According to the single sub-dimensional space value of the controlling factors, the corresponding control variable could be found in table and eventually complete the control process. Experiments show that the method could ensure the integrity and accuracy of table, reduce the table memory capacitance and lookup time, so as to realize the control of look-up table in micro-device.


Author(s):  
Vishal Anand ◽  
Krishna Nelanti ◽  
Kamlesh G. Gujar

The gas turbine engine works on the principle of the Brayton Cycle. One of the ways to improve the efficiency of the gas turbine is to make changes in the Brayton Cycle. In the present study, Brayton Cycle with intercooling, reheating and regeneration with variable temperature heat reservoirs is considered. Instead of the usual thermodynamic efficiency, the Second law efficiency, defined on the basis of lost work, has been taken as a parameter to study the deviation of the irreversible Brayton Cycle from the ideal cycle. The Second law efficiency of the Brayton Cycle has been found as a function of reheat and intercooling pressure ratios, total pressure ratio, intercooler, regenerator and reheater effectiveness, hot and cold side heat exchanger effectiveness, turbine and compressor efficiency and heating capacities of the heating fluid, the cooling fluid and the working fluid (air). The variation of the Second law efficiency with all these parameters has been presented. From the results, it can be seen that the Second law efficiency first increases and then decreases with increase in intercooling pressure ratio and increases with increase in reheating pressure ratio. The results show that the Second law efficiency is a very good indicator of the amount of irreversibility of the cycle.


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