Thesis (MEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The potential benefits from saving energy have driven most industrial processing
facilities to pay more attention to reducing energy wastage. Because
the industrial sector is the largest user of electricity in South Africa (37.7% of
the generated electricity capacity), the application of waste heat recovery and
utilisation (WHR&U) systems in this sector could lead to significant energy
savings, a reduction in production costs and an increase in the efficiency of
industrial processes. Turbines are critical components of WHR&U systems,
and the choice of an efficient and low cost turbine is crucial for their successful
implementation. The aim of this thesis project is therefore to validate the
use of a turbine for application in a low grade energy WHR&U system. An
experimental turbine kit (Infinity Turbine ITmini) was acquired, assembled
and tested in a specially designed and built air test bench. The test data was
used to characterise the turbine for low temperature (less than 120 Celsius)
and pressure (less than 10 bar) conditions. A radial inflow turbine rotor was
designed, manufactured and then tested with the same test bench, and its
performance characteristics determined. In comparison with the ITmini rotor,
the as-designed and manufactured rotor achieved a marginally better performance
for the same test pressure ratio range. The as-designed turbine rotor
performance characteristics for air were then used to scale the turbine for a
refrigerant-123 application. Future work should entail integrating the turbine
with a WHR&U system, and experimentally determining the system’s performance
characteristics. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die potensiële voordele wat gepaard gaan met energiebesparing het die fokus
van industrie laat val op die bekamping van energievermorsing. Die industriële
sektor is die grootse verbruiker van elektrisiteit in Suid-Afrika (37.7% van
die totale gegenereerde kapasiteit). Energiebesparing in die sektor deur die
toepassing van afval-energie-herwinning en benutting (AEH&B) sisteme kan
lei tot drastiese vermindering van energievermorsing, ‘n afname in produksie
koste en ‘n toename in die doeltreffendheid van industriële prosesse. Turbines
is kritiese komponente in AEH&B sisteme en die keuse van ‘n doeltreffende lae
koste turbine is noodsaaklik in die suksesvolle implementering van dié sisteme.
Die doelwit van hierdie tesisprojek is dus om die toepassing van ‘n turbine in
‘n lae graad energie AEH&B sisteem op die proef te stel. ‘n Eksperimentele
turbine stel (“Infinity Turbine ITmini”) is aangeskaf, aanmekaargesit en getoets
op ‘n pasgemaakte lugtoetsbank. Die toetsdata is gebruik om die turbine te
karakteriseer by lae temperatuur (minder as 120 Celsius) en druk (minder as
10 bar) kondisies. ‘n Radiaalinvloeiturbinerotor is ook ontwerp, vervaardig en
getoets op die lugtoetsbank om die rotor se karakteristieke te bepaal. In vergelyking
met die ITmini-rotor het die radiaalinvloeiturbinerotor effens beter
werkverrigting gelewer by diselfde toetsdruk verhoudings. Die werksverrigtingkarakteristieke
met lug as vloeimedium van die radiaalinvloeiturbinerotor
is gebruik om die rotor te skaleer vir ‘n R123 verkoelmiddel toepassing. Toekomstige
werk sluit in om die turbine met ‘n AEH&B sisteem te integreer en
die sisteem se werksverrigtingkarakteristieke te bepaal.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/86563 |
| Date | 04 1900 |
| Creators | Ssebabi, Brian |
| Contributors | Dobson, R. T., Sebitosi, A. B., Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Engineering. Dept. of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | xv, 104 p. : ill. |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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