Impulse Turbine Efficiency Calculation Methods with Organic Rankine Cycle

Abstract: A turbine was investigated by various methods of calculating its efficiency. The project was based on an existing impulse turbine, a one-stage turbine set in an organic Rankine cycle with the working fluid being R245fa. Various methods of loss calculation were explored in the search for a method sufficiently accurate to make valid assumptions regarding the turbine performance, while simple enough to be time efficient for use in industrial research and development.  The calculations were primarily made in an isentropic manner, only taking into account losses due to the residual velocity present in the exit flow. Later, an incidence loss was incorporated in the isentropic calculations, resulting in additional losses at off-design conditions. Leaving the isentropic calculations, the work by Tournier, “Axial flow, multi-stage turbine and compressor models” was used. The work presents a method of calculating turbine losses separated into four components: profile, trailing edge, tip clearance and secondary losses. The losses applicable to the case were implemented into the model. Since the flow conditions of the present turbine are extreme, the results were not expected to coincide with the results of Tournier. In order to remedy this problem, the results were compared to results obtained through computational fluid dynamics (CFD) of the turbine. The equations purposed by Tournier were correlated in order to better match the present case. Despite that the equations by Tournier were correlated in order to adjust to the current conditions, the results of the losses calculated through the equations did not obtain results comparable to the ones of the available CFD simulations. More research within the subject is necessary, preferably using other software tools.