Optimizing bidirectional impulse turbines for thermoacoustic engines.

The design of a bidirectional impulse turbine to convert thermoacoustic power into electricity is experimentally optimized. The turbine efficiency is measured for rotors with and without a shroud ring and for a varying tip clearance. Furthermore, the axial spacing between the guide vanes and rotor is varied with respect to the displacement amplitude of the acoustic wave. All measurements are carried out for several turbine loads and acoustic frequencies. For a chosen implementation, a design study on the guide vane and rotor blade geometry is presented to further optimize the bidirectional impulse turbine for thermoacoustic engines.