2 kW Cast Iron Scroll Expander Developed with NSF Grant

Developed for the NSF as part of a Phase II SBIR, the E15H030A-SH-CI semi-hermetic scroll expander offers high-efficiency performance over a wide range of working fluids.

In 2016 Air Squared was awarded a grant from the National Science Foundation to develop a 2 kW scroll expander for a waste heat recovery Organic Rankine Cycle. Part of the development was to maintain versatility of the expander over a wide range of working fluids, such as ethanol. This required more exotic wetted materials instead of the traditional aluminum materials. Stainless steel and cast iron were both considered, but ultimately cast iron was chosen for cost reasons.

The semi-hermetic, oil-lubricated scroll expander produces high efficiencies when operating at the design point – 16 bar_a inlet pressure and 3,600 RPM with a displacement of 20 cm³/Rev. The design utilizes Air Squared’s patented magnetic coupling configuration to isolate the generator from the working fluid.