Erosion Resistance and Efficiency of Energy Exchangers Free

Applications of energy exchangers, a type of gasdynamic wave machine, were evaluated in power plants fired by pressurized, fluidized bed combustors (PFBCs). Comparative analyses of overall power plant efficiency indicate that the use of energy exchangers as hot gas expanders may provide a 0.5 to 1.5 efficiency point increase relative to gas turbines. In addition, the unique operating characteristics of these machines are expected to reduce rotating component wear by a factor of 50 to 300 relative to conventional gas turbines operating in the particulate laden PFBC effluent stream.