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Session: Volumetric expanders I
Session starts: Tuesday 08 October, 09:00
Presentation starts: 09:40
Room: Van Beuningen Zaal

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Mirko Morini (MechLav - University of Ferrara)
Claudio Pavan (MechLav - University of Ferrara)
Michele Pinelli (ENDIF - University of Ferrara)
Eva Romito (ENDIF - University of Ferrara)
Alessio Suman (ENDIF - University of Ferrara)

Abstract:
At the beginning, scroll architecture was applied for the design of refrigeration compressors due to its small dimension, quiet operation and highly compact architecture. Recently, the concept was reinvented to build scroll air motors (expanders), which are adopted to drive generators for electric power generation because of the scroll inherent advantages. For example, Sanden scroll compressors have been recently adapted to be used as an expander for microCHP applications. In [1,2], a complete study of the Sanden TRSA05-3373 has been performed. The study included the definition of the mathematical relation for the spiral profile generation, the definition of the volumes isolated and transferred by the scroll, and the implementation of a thermodynamic control volume model. In this paper, an integrated Reverse Engineering (RE)-Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) methodology is applied in order to study the adaptation of a commercial scroll compressor to be used as an expander in a micro ORC system. The analysis consists of: (i) the acquisition of the scroll compressor Sanden TRSA09-3658 geometry through an RE procedure, (ii) the transient simulation with a Dynamic Mesh (DM) strategy of the scroll in compression and expansion operations and (iii) the analysis of the performance in terms of pressure and mass flow rate profiles and volumetric efficiency. The CFD model allows the evaluation of the influence of leakage flows, e.g. due to radial (flank) gaps, which play a key role in the determination of the performances of the machine. Moreover, it allows the tuning of analytical and thermodynamic models with fewer resources in the design phase. Finally, CFD results (e.g. pressure and temperature closer to reality than those resulting from simplified thermodynamic models) can be used as boundary conditions in mechanical and structural analyses of the spiral profiles.