A Performance Prediction Model for Low-Speed Centrifugal Fans

2015 ◽  
Vol 137 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tristan Wolfe ◽  
Yu-Tai Lee ◽  
Michael E. Slipper

A generalized model for mapping the trend of the performance characteristics of a double-discharge centrifugal fan is developed based on the work by Casey and Robinson (C&R), which formulated compressor performance maps for tip-speed Mach numbers ranging from 0.4 to 2 using test data obtained from turbochargers with vaneless diffusers. The current paper focuses on low-speed applications for Mach number below 0.4. The C&R model uses four nondimensional parameters at the design condition including the flow coefficient, the work input coefficient, the tip-speed Mach number, and the polytropic efficiency, in developing a prediction model that requires limited geometrical knowledge of the centrifugal turbomachine. For the low-speed fan case, the C&R formulas are further extended to a low-speed, incompressible analysis. The effort described in this paper begins by comparing generalized results using efficiency data obtained from a series of fan measurements to that using the C&R model. For the efficiency map, the C&R model is found to heavily depend on the ratio of the flow coefficient at peak efficiency to that at the choke flow condition. Since choke flow is generally not applicable in the low-speed centrifugal fan operational environment, an alternate, but accurate estimation method based on fan free delivery derived from the fan test data is presented. Using this new estimation procedure, the modified C&R model predicts reasonably well using the double-discharge centrifugal fan data for high-flow coefficients, but fails to correlate with the data for low-flow coefficients. To address this undesirable characteristic, additional modifications to the C&R model are also presented for the fan application at low flow conditions. A Reynolds number correction is implemented in the work input prediction of the C&R model to account for low-speed test conditions. The new model provides reasonable prediction with the current fan data in both work input and pressure rise coefficients. Along with the developments for the efficiency and work input coefficient maps, the use of fan shut-off and free delivery conditions are also discussed for low-speed applications.

Author(s):  
Tristan Wolfe ◽  
Yu-Tai Lee ◽  
Michael E. Slipper

A generalized model for mapping the trend of the performance characteristics of a double-discharge centrifugal fan is developed based on the work by Casey and Robinson (C&R) which formulated compressor performance maps for tip-speed Mach numbers ranging from 0.4 to 2 using test data obtained from turbochargers with vaneless diffusers. The current paper focuses on low-speed applications for Mach number below 0.4. The C&R model uses four non-dimensional parameters at the design condition including the flow coefficient, the work input coefficient, the tip-speed Mach number and the polytropic efficiency, in developing a prediction model that requires limited geometrical knowledge of the centrifugal turbomachine. For the low-speed fan case, the C&R formulas are further modified to apply a low-speed, incompressible analysis. The effort described in this paper begins by comparing generalized results using efficiency data obtained from a series of fan measurements to that using the C&R model. For the efficiency map, the C&R model is found to heavily depend on the ratio of the flow coefficient at peak efficiency to that at the choke flow condition. Since choke flow is generally not applicable in the low-speed centrifugal fan operational environment, an alternate, but accurate estimation method based on fan free delivery derived from the fan test data is presented. Using this new estimation procedure, the modified C&R model predicts reasonably well using the double-discharge centrifugal fan data for high flow coefficients, but fails to correlate with the data for low flow coefficients. To address this undesirable characteristic, additional modifications to the C&R model are also presented for the fan application at low flow conditions. A Reynolds number correction is implemented in the work input prediction of the C&R model to account for low-speed test conditions. The new model provides reasonable prediction with the current fan data in both work input and pressure rise coefficients. Along with the developments for the efficiency and work input coefficient maps, the use of fan shut-off and free delivery conditions are also discussed for low-speed applications.


Author(s):  
Yu-Tai Lee ◽  
Tristan Wolfe ◽  
Michael E. Slipper

A generalized model for mapping the trend of the performance characteristics of a double-discharge centrifugal fan is developed based on the work by Casey and Robinson (C&R) which formulated compressor performance maps for tip-speed Mach numbers ranging from 0.4 to 2 using test data obtained from turbochargers with vaneless diffusers. The current paper focuses on low-speed applications for Mach number below 0.4. The C&R model uses four non-dimensional parameters at the design condition including the flow coefficient, the work input coefficient, the tip-speed Mach number and the polytropic efficiency, in developing a prediction model that requires limited geometrical knowledge of the centrifugal turbomachine. For the low-speed fan case, the C&R formulas are further extended to a low-speed, incompressible analysis. The effort described in this paper begins by comparing generalized results using efficiency data obtained from a series of fan measurements to that using the C&R model. For the efficiency map, the C&R model is found to heavily depend on the ratio of the flow coefficient at peak efficiency to that at the choke flow condition. Since choke flow is generally not applicable in the low-speed centrifugal fan operational environment, an alternate, but accurate estimation method based on fan free delivery derived from the fan test data is presented. Using this new estimation procedure, the modified C&R model predicts reasonably well using the double-discharge centrifugal fan data for high flow coefficients, but fails to correlate with the data for low flow coefficients. To address this undesirable characteristic, additional modifications to the C&R model are also presented for the fan application at low flow conditions. A Reynolds number correction is implemented in the work input prediction of the C&R model to account for low-speed test conditions. The new model provides reasonable prediction with the current fan data in both work input and pressure rise coefficients. Along with the developments for the efficiency and work input coefficient maps, the use of fan shut-off and free delivery conditions are also discussed for low-speed applications.


Author(s):  
Daniel O. Baun ◽  
Ronald D. Flack

Lateral centrifugal impeller forces are calculated using the CFD model developed in Part I of this paper. The impeller forces are evaluated by integrating the pressure and momentum profiles at both the impeller inlet and exit planes. Direct impeller lateral force measurements were made using a magnetic bearing supported pump rotor. Comparisons between the simulated and measured forces are first made for both average and transient impeller forces with water as the working fluid. Air was then substituted as the working fluid in the validated CFD model and the effect of impeller Mach number and Reynolds number on the static impeller lateral forces was investigated. The non-dimensional lateral impeller force characteristics as a function of normalized flow coefficient are similar in character between the incompressible and compressible case. At the matching point flow coefficient the non-dimensional impeller force magnitude was the same for all compressible and incompressible simulations. For any normalized flow rate other than the matching point flow rate, the magnitude of the non-dimensional impeller force increased as the Mach number increased. As the choke condition was approached the magnitude of the impeller force increased exponentially. As the Mach number increased the transition of the force orientation vector from the low flow asymptote to the high flow asymptote occurred over a progressively smaller range of flows.


1984 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Goulas ◽  
B. Mealing

The velocity profiles, radial and circumferential components, were measured at the tip of a forward curved centrifugal fan. Three sets of measurements are presented. Two at peak efficiency for different rotational speeds and a third at the lower rotational speed and for a reduced flow rate. A reverse flow region was formed near the hub, and almost in the middle, between pressure and suction sides of the blade. Near the shroud a high velocity region was observed and a low one near the suction side, picture similar to the jet-wake structure found in the literature. At the lower rotational speed and low flow rate the flow was affected mainly by the system rotation. A “wake” was formed along the suction side of the blade. Increasing the flow rate blade curvature effects became more dominant. Increasing the rotational speed and for the same flow coefficient the system of two vortices observed in the previous case disappears and a single vortex takes its place. In this case the wake is positioned on the hub. Corner vortices also affect the main flow by changing the turbulence intensities. A corner vortex observed on the pressure side reduced the turbulence intensities in the region and a wake was formed locally. However, another corner vortex on the suction side caused an increase to the local turbulence intensities and consequently a high local velocity.


2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (24) ◽  
pp. 9138
Author(s):  
Sergey Kartashov ◽  
Yuri Kozhukhov ◽  
Vycheslav Ivanov ◽  
Aleksei Danilishin ◽  
Aleksey Yablokov ◽  
...  

In this paper, we review the problem of accounting for heat exchange between the flow and the flow part surfaces when creating a calculation model for modeling the workflow process of low-flow stages of a centrifugal compressor using computational fluid dynamics (CFD). The objective selected for this study was a low-flow intermediate type stage with the conditional flow coefficient Փ = 0.008 and the relative width at the impeller exit b2/D2 = 0.0133. We show that, in the case of modeling with widespread adiabatic wall simplification, the calculated temperature in the gaps between the impeller and the stator elements is significantly overestimated. Modeling of the working process in the flow part was carried out with a coupled heat exchanger, as well as with simplified accounting for heat transfer by setting the temperatures of the walls. The gas-dynamic characteristics of the stage were compared with the experimental data, the heat transfer influence on the disks friction coefficient was estimated, and the temperature distributions in the gaps between disks and in the flow part of the stage were analyzed. It is shown that the main principle when modeling the flow in low-flow stage is to ensure correct temperature distribution in the gaps.


Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (14) ◽  
pp. 4292
Author(s):  
Kirill Kabalyk ◽  
Andrzej Jaeschke ◽  
Grzegorz Liśkiewicz ◽  
Michał Kulak ◽  
Tomasz Szydłowski ◽  
...  

The article describes an assessment of possible changes in constant fatigue life of a medium flow-coefficient centrifugal compressor impeller subject to operation at close-to-surge point. Some aspects of duct acoustics are additionally analyzed. The experimental measurements at partial load are presented and are primarily used for validation of unidirectionally coupled fluid-structural numerical model. The model is based on unsteady finite-volume fluid-flow simulations and on finite-element transient structural analysis. The validation is followed by the model implementation to replicate the industry-scale loads with reasonably higher rotational speed and suction pressure. The approach demonstrates satisfactory accuracy in prediction of stage performance and unsteady flow field in vaneless diffuser. The latter is deduced from signal analysis relying on continuous wavelet transformations. On the other hand, it is found that the aerodynamic incidence losses at close-to-surge point are underpredicted. The structural simulation generates considerable amounts of numerical noise, which has to be separated prior to evaluation of fluid-induced dynamic strain. The main source of disturbance is defined as a stationary region of static pressure drop caused by flow contraction at volute tongue and leading to first engine-order excitation in rotating frame of reference. Eventually, it is concluded that the amplitude of excitation is too low to lead to any additional fatigue.


Author(s):  
Corine Meuleman ◽  
Frank Willems ◽  
Rick de Lange ◽  
Bram de Jager

Surge is measured in a low-speed radial compressor with a vaned diffuser. For this system, the flow coefficient at surge is determined. This coefficient is a measure for the inducer inlet flow angle and is found to increase with increasing rotational speed. Moreover, the frequency and amplitude of the pressure oscillations during fully-developed surge are compared with results obtained with the Greitzer lumped parameter model. The measured surge frequency increases when the compressor mass flow is throttled to a smaller flow rate. Simulations show that the Greitzer model describes this relation reasonably well except for low rotational speeds. The predicted amplitude of the pressure rise oscillations is approximately two times too small when deep surge is met in the simulations. For classic surge, the agreement is worse. The amplitude is found to depend strongly on the shape of the compressor and throttle characteristic, which are not accurately known.


1962 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 367-387 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. M. Sykes

The flow past circular cylinders of finite length, supported at one end and lying with their axes perpendicular to a uniform stream, has been investigated in a supersonic stream at Mach number 1.96 and also in a low-speed stream. In both stream it was found that the flow past the cylinders could be divided into three regions: (a) a central region, (b) that near the free end of the cylinder, and (c) that near the supported end. The locations of the second and third regions were found to be almost independent of the cylinder length-to-diameter ratio, provided that this exceeded 4, while the flow within and the extent of the first region were dependent on this ratio. Form-drag coefficients determined in the central region in the supersonic flow were in close agreement with the values determined at the same Mach number by other workers. In the low-speed flow the local form-drag coefficients were dependent on length-to-diameter ratio and were always less than that of an infinite-length cylinder at the same Reynolds number.


Author(s):  
Peter F. Pelz ◽  
Stefan S. Stonjek

Acceptance tests on large fans to prove the performance (efficiency and total pressure rise) to the customer are expensive and sometimes even impossible to perform. Hence there is a need for the manufacturer to reliably predict the performance of fans from measurements on down-scaled test fans. The commonly used scale-up formulas give satisfactorily results only near the design point, where inertia losses are small in comparison to frictional losses. At part- and overload the inertia losses are dominant and the scale-up formulas used so far fail. In 2013 Pelz and Stonjek introduced a new scaling method which fullfills the demands ( [1], [2]). This method considers the influence of surface roughness and geometric variations on the performance. It consists basically of two steps: Initially, the efficiency is scaled. Efficiency scaling is derived analytically from the definition of the total efficiency. With the total derivative it can be shown that the change of friction coefficient is inversely proportional to the change of efficiency of a fan. The second step is shifting the performance characteristic to a higher value of flow coefficient. It is the task of this work to improve the scaling method which was previously introduced by Pelz and Stonjek by treating the rotor/impeller and volute/stator separately. The validation of the improved scale-up method is performed with test data from two axial fans with a diameter of 1000 mm/250mm and three centrifugal fans with 2240mm/896mm/224mm diameter. The predicted performance characteristics show a good agreement to test data.


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