Synergistic diffuser/heat-exchanger design

Abstract

The theoretical and numerical evaluation of synergistic diffusing heat-exchanger design is presented. Motivation for this development is based on current diffuser and heat-exchange technologies in cogeneration plants, which require a large geometric footprint to generate steam using gas-turbine exhaust. A compact design is hypothesized to replace these technologies using synergistic design concepts. An investigation into the feasibility of such design concepts are conducted, providing pressure-recovery, viscous losses and thermal energy extraction sensitivities to cooling and annular blade geometry variations. Results show promising diffusion and heat-transfer capabilities that match or surpass current design performance. Proposed configurations are outlined based on these results that compare favorably to a baseline industrial cogeneration application.