Range extended electric vehicles (REEV) are being considered as a possible solution for the electrification of passenger vehicles. The application of a recuperated gas turbine (GT) for REEVs shows potential in terms of power-to-weight ratio, emissions and cost. The recuperator plays a major role in achieving target efficiency, while being a main contributor to cost and packaging. The topology and subsequent design are key factors for the success of the concept.

A topology was selected based on literature research of different recuperator concepts for small gas turbines. A sizing model for this topology was developed to obtain a recuperator geometry for a set of boundary conditions. Furthermore, the influence of different gas turbine cycle design parameters, as well as heat exchanger surface geometries, on the resulting geometry was analyzed. The research shows that an integral GT cycle design can be used to obtain a heat exchanger that fulfills REEV requirements.