WANKEL ENGINES AS STEAM EXPANDERS - DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS

Rotary Wankel engines offer several advantages compared with turbines and other positive-displacement machines as the expansion devices in low-power-output Rankine-cycle systems. So a Wankel expander was selected as the most appropriate device for a steam Rankine-engine, operating principally as a mini combined heat-and-power unit, providing a mechanical output of 5-20 kW. A computer-aided-design technique for selecting the optimal geometry and location of the ports of the expander is described: the computer programs are available from the authors. Lubrication and possible material combinations are also discussed.