CFD MODELING OF CROSS CORRUGATED MICROTURBINE RECUPERATOR

ABSTRACT The CFD code STAR CD was used to assess the thermal and hydraulic performance of a primary surface type gas turbine recuperator, with Cross Corrugated (CC) surface. The main goal of CFD modeling was to evaluate heat transfer and pressure drops predicted by the 1D methodology and thus to verify the recuperator efficiency. Two computational domains were made. The first for heat transfer and pressure drops simulation in the recuperator core and the latter for pressure drops predicted at the inlet and outlet ports. Details of the recuperator core, computational domains and the boundary conditions for CFD simulation as well as relevant results are presented. INTRODUCTION Increasing demand for small energy sources (approximate power ranges from 5 kW to 400 kW) are expected due to the deregulation of electricity markets in many countries around the world. There are only a few solutions which can meet different customer's requirements, e.g. high efficiency, low operating costs, high durability and ecological aspects. One of these put in practice is small gas turbines (microturbines) designed for combined heat and power generation (CHP); however the efficiency of its basic cycle turbines is low. In order to increase the microturbines efficiency and hence decrease fuel consumption and electricity cost, a recuperator is mandatory. The recuperator is a heat exchanger, which takes heat from exhaust gas and preheats the compressor discharged air before it enters the combustion chamber, se