On the Combined Effect on Operating Range of Adjustable Inlet Guide Vanes and Variable Speed in Process Multistage Centrifugal Compressors

2014 ◽  
Vol 136 (8) ◽  
Author(s):  
Alberto Scotti Del Greco ◽  
Libero Tapinassi
Keyword(s):  
Centrifugal Compressor ◽  
Control Device ◽  
Variable Speed ◽  
Centrifugal Compressors ◽  
Guide Vanes ◽  
Inlet Guide Vanes ◽  
Speed Regulation ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Mach Numbers ◽  
Multistage Centrifugal Compressor

Adjustable inlet guide vanes (IGVs) and variable speed drivers are known as providing process compressors with an effective regulation all throughout the operating envelope of the machine. A large amount of work exists in literature reporting the successful control of multistage centrifugal compressors by means of IGVs or speed separately, while a few studies document the combined use of both devices and their effect on compressor performance. The present paper details the off-design behavior of a multistage centrifugal compressor equipped with both types of control. It is shown that classical IGVs' advantage in extending the operating envelope of a fixed speed multistage compressor tends to reduce when speed regulation is active too. In this sense, the average level of peripheral Mach numbers inside the compressor may be interpreted as a sort of threshold since it deeply affects the stage mismatching at off-design conditions. This consideration is corroborated by a number of applications in a wide range of design peripheral Mach numbers. Based on those cases, the paper reviews the general effectiveness of the combined regulation, thus outlining some general rules of thumb for the choice of the optimal control device for a multistage centrifugal compressor.

On the Combined Effect on Operating Range of Adjustable IGVs and Variable Speed in Process Multistage Centrifugal Compressors

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alberto Scotti Del Greco ◽  
Libero Tapinassi
Keyword(s):  
Centrifugal Compressor ◽  
Control Device ◽  
Variable Speed ◽  
Centrifugal Compressors ◽  
Speed Regulation ◽  
General Rules ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Successful Control ◽  
Mach Numbers ◽  
Multistage Centrifugal Compressor

Adjustable inlet guide vanes (IGVs) and variable speed drivers are known as providing process compressors with an effective regulation all throughout the operating envelope of the machine. A large number of works exists in literature reporting the successful control of multistage centrifugal compressors by means of IGVs or speed separately, while a few studies document the combined use of both devices and their effect on compressor performance. The present paper details the off-design behavior of a multistage centrifugal compressor equipped with both types of control. It is shown that classical IGVs advantage in extending the operating envelope of a fixed speed multistage compressor tends to reduce when speed regulation is active too. In this sense, the average level of peripheral Mach numbers inside the compressor may be interpreted as a sort of threshold, since it deeply affects the stage mismatching at off-design conditions. This consideration is corroborated by a number of applications in a wide range of design peripheral Mach numbers. Based on those cases, the paper reviews the general effectiveness of the combined regulation, thus outlining some general rules of thumb for the choice of the optimal control device for a multistage centrifugal compressor.

Efficiency Improvement at Part Load of Multistage Centrifugal Compressor for Turbo Chiller

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daisuke Kawaguchi ◽  
Takeshi Okada ◽  
Yasushi Nakamura ◽  
Masatoshi Terasaki
Keyword(s):  
Centrifugal Compressor ◽  
Flow Analysis ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Efficiency Improvement ◽  
Guide Vanes ◽  
Part Load ◽  
Inlet Guide Vanes ◽  
Opening Ratio ◽  
The One ◽  
Multistage Centrifugal Compressor

The effect of variable inlet guide vanes in the multistage centrifugal compressor for the turbo chiller on the part load efficiency improvement was analyzed by using CFD (computational fluid dynamics). The area we analyzed targeted two stages including the first and second variable inlet guide vanes arranged upstream of each compressor. The numerical simulation involved three-dimensional, steady, and compressible flow analysis with ANSYS-CFX. The flash gas injected from the intermediate inlet of the economizer passage was taken into account. The part-load efficiency was measured while changing the opening ratio for the first and second variable inlet guide vanes. The predicted part-load efficiency corresponded to the one that was measured. The predicted flow pattern indicated that higher efficiency could be obtained by adjusting the opening ratio for the first and second variable inlet guide vanes to suppress excessive prewhirl from the first impeller and stall from the second impeller.

The Effects of Radial Inlet on the Performance of Variable Inlet Guide Vanes in a Centrifugal Compressor Stage

2010 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jiajian Tan ◽  
Datong Qi ◽  
Rui Wang
Keyword(s):  
Centrifugal Compressor ◽  
Pressure Ratio ◽  
Flow Simulation ◽  
Stage Model ◽  
Compressor Stage ◽  
Centrifugal Compressors ◽  
Guide Vanes ◽  
Centrifugal Compressor Stage ◽  
Inlet Guide Vanes ◽  
Stage Performance

Variable inlet guide vanes (VIGVs) can regulate pressure ratio and mass flow at constant rotational speed in centrifugal compressors as a result of inducing a controlled prewhirl in front of impellers. Radial inlets and VIGVs are typical upstream components in front of the first-stage impellers in many pipeline and multistage centrifugal compressors. However, previous investigations on VIGVs in centrifugal compressors were mostly conducted under the condition of axial inlets, and present work aims to focus on the effects of radial inlet on the VIGVs performance of a centrifugal compressor stage. The axial inlet stage model was compared with the radial inlet stage model using numerical flow simulation. The flow from the radial inlet was nonuniform in both circumferential and radial direction, thus the VIGVs, the impeller, the vaneless diffuser, and the return vane channel were modeled with fully 360-deg passages. The three-dimensional flow field was numerically simulated with FINE™/Turbo at VIGVs setting angles range from −20° to +60°. The overall stage performance parameters were obtained by integrating the field quantities. The simulation results show that the performance of VIGVs was significantly degraded by its inlet flow distortions resulting from a radial inlet. The stage performance map indicates that the overall stage polytropic efficiency decreased by an average of 2.5% and total pressure ratio decreased by an average of 1% because of the flow distortions at different VIGVs setting angles, in comparison with the axial stage model.

The effects of radial inlet with splitters on the performance of variable inlet guide vanes in a centrifugal compressor stage

2011 ◽  
Vol 225 (9) ◽  
pp. 2089-2105 ◽  
Author(s):  
J Tan ◽  
X Wang ◽  
D Qi ◽  
R Wang
Keyword(s):  
Centrifugal Compressor ◽  
Pressure Ratio ◽  
Stage Model ◽  
Compressor Stage ◽  
Centrifugal Compressors ◽  
Guide Vanes ◽  
Centrifugal Compressor Stage ◽  
Inlet Guide Vanes ◽  
Flow Loss ◽  
Stage Performance

Variable inlet guide vanes (VIGVs) can regulate pressure ratio and mass flow at constant rotational speed in centrifugal compressors as a result of inducing a controlled prewhirl in front of impellers. Radial inlets and VIGVs are typical upstream components in front of the first-stage impellers in many industrial centrifugal compressors. However, previous investigations on VIGVs in centrifugal compressors were mostly conducted under the condition of axial inlets, and this study aims to focus on the effects of radial inlet on the VIGVs performance of a centrifugal compressor stage. The axial inlet stage model is compared with the radial inlet stage model with splitters using numerical flow simulation. The flow from the radial inlet was non-uniform in both circumferential and radial directions; thus, the VIGVs, the impeller, the vaneless diffuser, and the return vane channel are modelled with fully 360° passages. The three-dimensional (3D) flow field is numerically simulated at VIGVs setting angles ranging from - 20° to 60°. The overall stage performance parameters are obtained by integrating the field quantities. Though the splitters are equipped in the radial inlet, the overall stage polytropic efficiency decreases by an average of 4 per cent and total pressure ratio decreases by an average of 3.3per cent in comparison with the axial stage model. This can be attributed to the effect of both flow non-uniformity induced by radial inlet and flow loss in the radial inlet at different VIGV setting angles. The flow loss in the radial inlet with splitters is the main reason of the stage performance decrease compared with the flow non-uniformity. The simulation results show that the performance of VIGVs is degraded by its inlet flow distortions resulting from a radial inlet. The results in this study can be applied to centrifugal compressor design and optimization.

A New Gas Compressor Product Development

1996 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ronald P. Porter
Keyword(s):  
Product Development ◽  
Centrifugal Compressor ◽  
High Efficiency ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Design Features ◽  
Guide Vanes ◽  
Inlet Guide Vanes ◽  
Compressor Design ◽  
Gas Seals ◽  
Product Definition

A high efficiency, low cost gas compressor is under development. Design has been completed and fabrication is in process. The manufacturer’s background in centrifugal compressor design and current methodology is discussed along with product definition. Assembly and test of the first unit is planned for summer 1996. The design features a single-stage overhung centrifugal compressor, variable inlet guide vanes, and dry gas seals.

scholarly journals Experimental and numerical studies on the influence of inlet guide vanes of centrifugal compressor on the flow field characteristics of inlet chamber

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (11) ◽  
pp. 168781402097490
Author(s):  
Fenghui Han ◽  
Zhe Wang ◽  
Yijun Mao ◽  
Jiajian Tan ◽  
Wenhua Li
Keyword(s):  
Centrifugal Compressor ◽  
Flow Characteristics ◽  
Internal Flow ◽  
Outlet Section ◽  
Guide Vanes ◽  
Aerodynamic Loss ◽  
Inlet Guide Vanes ◽  
Flow Parameters ◽  
Flow Field Characteristics ◽  
Flow Loss

Inlet chambers (IC) are the typical upstream component of centrifugal compressors, and inlet guide vanes in the IC have a great impact on its internal flow and aerodynamic loss, which will significantly influence the performance of the downstream compressor stages. In this paper, an experimental study was carried out on the flow characteristics inside a radial IC of an industrial centrifugal compressor, including five testing sections and 968 measuring points for two schemes with and without guide vanes. Detailed distributions of flow parameters on each section were obtained as well as the overall performance of the radial IC, and the causes of the flow loss inside the IC and the non-uniformity of flow parameters at the outlet section were investigated. Besides, numerical simulations were performed to further analyze the flow characteristics inside the radial IC. The experimental and numerical results indicate that, in the scheme without guide vanes, sudden expansions in the spiral channel and flow separations in the annular convergence channel are the major sources of flow loss and distortions generated in the radial IC; while in the scheme with guide vanes, the flow impacts, separations and wakes caused by the inappropriate design of guide vanes are the main reasons for the flow loss of the IC itself and the uneven flow distributions at the IC outlet.

scholarly journals A 1D mean line model for centrifugal compressors with variable inlet guide vanes

2019 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Brett Dewar ◽  
Mike Creamer ◽  
Mariana Dotcheva ◽  
Jovana Radulovic ◽  
James M. Buick
Keyword(s):  
Centrifugal Compressors ◽  
Line Model ◽  
Guide Vanes ◽  
Inlet Guide Vanes

Centrifugal Compressor Inlet Guide Vanes for Increased Surge Margin

1991 ◽  
Vol 113 (4) ◽  
pp. 696-702 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Rodgers
Keyword(s):  
Centrifugal Compressor ◽  
High Speed ◽  
System Stability ◽  
Negative Slope ◽  
Vaned Diffuser ◽  
Guide Vanes ◽  
Inlet Guide Vanes ◽  
Surge Margin ◽  
Compressor Inlet ◽  
Surge Line

This paper describes the results of compressor rig testing with a moderately high specific speed, high inducer Mack number, single-stage centrifugal compressor, with a vaned diffuser, and adjustable inlet guide vanes (IGVs). The results showed that the high-speed surge margin was considerably extended by the regulation of the IGVs, even though the vaned diffuser was apparently operating stalled. Simplified one-dimensional analysis of the impeller and diffuser performances indicated that at inducer tip Mach numbers approaching and exceeding unity, the high-speed surge line was triggered by inducer stall. Also, IGV regulation increased impeller stability. This permitted the diffuser to operate stalled, providing the net compression system stability remained on a negative slope.

On the Effectiveness of Aerodynamic Design and Analysis for Centrifugal Compressors

2000 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ronald H. Aungier
Keyword(s):  
Centrifugal Compressor ◽  
Essential Feature ◽  
Industrial Process ◽  
Aerodynamic Design ◽  
Centrifugal Compressors ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Range Of Functions ◽  
Overall Evaluation ◽  
Analysis System ◽  
Sound Technology

Abstract Effectiveness is promoted as an essential feature of a centrifugal compressor aerodynamic design and analysis system. Effectiveness measures the system’s ability to apply sound technology to the wide range of functions the centrifugal compressor engineer needs to perform to develop, apply and maintain these complex machines. Effectiveness compliments efficiency (or productivity) in the overall evaluation of a design and analysis system. This paper discusses several features that an effective aerodynamic design and analysis system should have to support the design and application of industrial process centrifugal compressors. These features are known to be occasionally (if not often) neglected. Yet they all can be incorporated using technology available from the open literature.

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