Design and Optimization of a Radial Inflow Turbine for Use with a Low Temperature ORC

This study aims to design and optimize an organic Rankine cycle (ORC) radial inflow turbine recover waste heat from a polymer exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell. ORCs can take advantage of low-quality sources. Developments in this area have seen previously unusable, small sources become available for exploitation. Hydrogen PEM cells operate at low temperatures (70 °C) are used range applications, example, as balancing or backup power source renewable hydrogen plants. The efficiency ORC is significantly affected by the temperature expander. In case, was selected due high with density fluids. Small scale turbines particular interest improving small-scale cycles. Turbines generally higher than positive displacement expanders, which typically used. study, mean-line analysis also validated against computational fluid dynamic (CFD) simulations conducted on optimized machine. For cell investigated 5 kW electrical output, potential additional 0.7 could be generated through use ORC. ORC’s output represents possible 14% increase performance over without recovery (WHR).