High-Efficient Bladeless Expander Concept

Tesla bladeless expanders are promising in energy harvesting and small-scale power generation applications due to their lower cost simplicity design. Although such exhibit very high rotor efficiency (analytical total static ~ 90%), it shows poor performance when coupled with a stator (experimental ~30%) losses present the stator-rotor interaction. This paper presents design experiment of novel, high-efficient expander concept. The concept arises from loss phenomena interaction conventional expanders, which among main causes low performance. is believed bring same performances as traditional ones vanes, compared however machines boast greater simplicity, robustness, absence decay size decreases, competing even contexts for turbomachinery. prototype water working fluid designed developed, representing similitude case liquid butane heat pump. available isentropic across throttling process 3.3 kW @10000 rpm. turbine consists 24 nozzles 150 disks separated by 0.1 mm spacers. shaft connected high-speed electric generator. test on carried out at rotational speeds ranging 3000 rpm 6200 differential pressure up 14 bar. Experimental ventilation characterised its effect discussed. preliminary results under investigation showed satisfactory production an acceptable range. It also shown that able address major i.e., source expander.