Investigation of Off-Design Performance of Vaned Diffusers in Centrifugal Compressors: Part I — A Channel-Wedge Diffuser

Author(s):  
JongSik Oh

Experimental and numerical investigations of the off-design performance of a simple channel-wedge diffuser in a small centrifugal compressor are presented. Surge and choke conditions as well as design point are considered using somewhat limited range of experimental data and also supplementary 3D CFD results. Some critical meanline design parameters’ behavior is investigated numerically, to render the basis for improved modelings in the meanline performance prediction.

Author(s):  
Kyoung Ku Ha ◽  
Shin Hyoung Kang

A variety of centrifugal compressors are used in various fields of industry these days. The design requirements are more complicated, and it is difficult to determine the optimal design point of a centrifugal compressor. The aim of this study was to propose an efficient optimization method for centrifugal compressors considering the impeller, the vaneless diffuser, and the overhung type volute. The optimization was performed using the surrogate management framework (SMF). The design parameters were the impeller exit radius, the exit blade angle, and the flow coefficient. Sample points in the design space were selected according to the Design of Experiments (DoE) theory. The CFD simulations were executed on the impeller and the diffuser at every sampled point. The volutes were described using a one-dimensional but reliable theory to reduce the simulation time. An approximation model based on the Kriging method was constructed using this dataset. Then, an optimal design point that minimized the objective function was determined in a substitute design space using the pattern search method because of its efficiency and rigorous convergence. The optimization process, underlying methods, and results are described in this paper.


1995 ◽  
Vol 117 (3) ◽  
pp. 360-366 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. H. Aungier

Aerodynamic Performance prediction models for centrifugal compressor impellers are presented. In combination with similar procedures for stationary components, previously published in the open literature, a comprehensive mean streamline performance analysis for centrifugal compressor stages is provided. The accuracy and versatility of the overall analysis is demonstrated for several centrifugal compressor stages of various types, including comparison with intrastage component performance data. Detailed validation of the analysis against experimental data has been accomplished for over a hundred stages, including stage flow coefficients from 0.009 to 0.15 and pressure ratios up to about 3.5. Its application to turbocharger stages includes pressure ratios up to 4.2, but with test uncertainty much greater than for the data used in the detailed validation studies.


Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (24) ◽  
pp. 8545
Author(s):  
Patrik Kovář ◽  
Adam Tater ◽  
Pavel Mačák ◽  
Tomáš Vampola

This work investigates loss model sets based on empirical loss correlations for subsonic centrifugal compressors. These loss models in combination with off-design performance prediction algorithms make up an essential tool in predicting off-design behaviour of turbomachines. This is important since turbomachines rarely work under design conditions. This study employs an off-design performance prediction algorithm based on an iterative process from Galvas. Modelling of ten different loss mechanisms and physical phenomena is involved in this approach and is thoroughly described in this work. Geometries of two subsonic compressors were reconstructed and used in the evaluation of individual loss correlations in order to obtain a suitable loss model. Results of these variations are compared to experimental data. In addition, 4608 loss model sets were created by taking all possible combinations of individual loss estimations from which three promising candidates were selected for further investigation. Finally, off-design performance of both centrifugal compressors was computed. These results were compared to experimental data and to other loss model sets from literature. The newly composed loss model set No. 2137 approximates experimental data over a 21.2% better in relative error than the recent Zhang set and nearly a 36.7% better than the outdated Oh’s set. Therefore, set No. 2137 may contribute to higher precision of centrifugal turbomachines’ off-design predictions in the upcoming research.


Author(s):  
A. Hildebrandt ◽  
T. Ceyrowsky

The present paper deals with the numerical and theoretical investigations of the effect of geometrical dimensions and 1D-design parameters on the impeller pressure slope of a transonic centrifugal compressor stage for industrial process application. A database being generated during the multi-objective and multi-point design process of a high flow coefficient impeller, comprising 545 CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) designs is investigated in off-design and design conditions by means of RANS (Reynolds Averaged Navier Stokes) simulation of an impeller with vaneless diffuser. For high flow coefficients of 0.16 < phi < 0.18, the CFD-setup has been validated against measurement data regarding stage and impeller performance taken from MAN test rig experimental data for a centrifugal compressor stage of similar flow coefficient. The paper aims at answering the question how classical design parameter, such as the impeller blade angle distribution, impeller suction diameter and camber line length affect the local and total relative diffusion and pressure slope towards impeller stall operation. A second order analysis of the CFD database is performed by cross-correlating the CFD data with results from impeller two-zone 1D modelling and a rapid loading calculation process by Stanitz and Prian. The statistical covariance of first order 1D-analysis parameters such as the mixing loss of the impeller secondary flow, the slip factor, impeller flow incidence is analyzed, thereby showing strong correlation with the design and off-design point efficiency and pressure slope. Finally, guide lines are derived in order to achieve either optimized design point efficiency or maximum negative pressure slope characteristics towards impeller stall operation.


Author(s):  
Teemu Turunen-Saaresti ◽  
Ahti Jaatinen

In this paper the effect of the tip clearance was studied with six different centrifugal compressors and data available in literature. The changes in the overall performance of the compressor stage were examined. The aim was to study the influence of the different design parameters to the tip clearance loss. It was evident by the previous studies that the sensitivity of the centrifugal compressor to the tip clearance loss varies with different designs. However, for the designer it is important to know the effect of the tip clearance loss in order to initially evaluate the quality of different designs. Analysis of the data demonstrated that no clear correlation between the sensitivity of the tip clearance loss and the specific speed, the diffusion ratio, the blade number and the ratio of blade heights exists.


Author(s):  
JongSik Oh ◽  
Giri L. Agrawal

The LSD (Low Solidity Diffuser) is becoming popular in most industrial centrifugal compressor designs because it is found to offer a wide operating flow range while maintaining a similar level of efficiency as in case of conventional vaned diffusers. Most related studies have been for low or moderate pressure ratio machines providing a limited range of design information for high-pressure ratio compressors. As a first step forward information of design parameters, a numerical CFD investigation was applied to a high-pressure industrial centrifugal compressor of design total-to-static pressure ratio of 4.0 with LSDs of NACA65-series profiles whose solidity varies from 0.452 to 0.968 in 5 cases with all the other design parameters fixed. Near design flow, the case of 0.839 solidity has the highest isentropic total-to-static efficiency. Other performance changes are accordingly investigated.


2019 ◽  
Vol 141 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Hildebrandt ◽  
T. Ceyrowsky

This paper deals with the numerical and theoretical investigations of the effect of geometrical dimensions and one-dimensional (1D)-design parameters on the impeller pressure slope of a transonic centrifugal compressor stage for industrial process application. A database being generated during the multi-objective and multipoint design process of a high flow coefficient impeller, comprising 545 computational fluid dynamics (CFD) designs is investigated in off-design and design conditions by means of Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) simulation of an impeller with vaneless diffuser. For high flow coefficients of 0.16 < ϕdes < 0.18, the CFD-setup has been validated against measurement data regarding stage and impeller performance taken from MAN test rig experimental data for a centrifugal compressor stage of similar flow coefficient. This paper aims at answering the question how classical design parameter, such as the impeller blade angle distribution, impeller suction diameter, and camber line length affect the local and total relative diffusion and pressure slope toward impeller stall operation. A second-order analysis of the CFD database is performed by cross-correlating the CFD data with results from impeller two-zone 1D modeling and a rapid loading calculation process by Stanitz and Prian. The statistical covariance of first-order 1D-analysis parameters such as the mixing loss of the impeller secondary flow, the slip factor, impeller flow incidence is analyzed, thereby showing strong correlation with the design and off-design point efficiency and pressure slope. Finally, guide lines are derived in order to achieve either optimized design point efficiency or maximum negative pressure slope characteristics toward impeller stall operation.


Author(s):  
E. Lo Gatto ◽  
Y. G. Li ◽  
P. Pilidis

Gas turbine gas path diagnostics is heavily dependent on performance simulation models accurate enough around a chosen diagnostic operating point, such as design operating point. With current technology, gas turbine engine performance can be predicted easily with thermodynamic models and computer codes together with basic engine design data and empirical component information. However the accuracy of the prediction is highly dependent on the quality of those engine design data and empirical component information such as component characteristic maps but such expensive information is normally exclusive property of engine manufacturers and only partially disclosed to engine users. Alternatively, estimated design data and assumed component information are used in the performance prediction. Yet, such assumed component information may not be the same as those of real engines and therefore poor off-design performance prediction may be produced. This paper presents an adaptive method to improve the accuracy of off-design performance prediction of engine models near engine design point or other points where detailed knowledge is available. A novel definition of off-design scaling factors for the modification of compressor maps is developed. A Genetic Algorithm is used to search the best set of scaling factors in order to adapt the predicted off-design engine performance to observed engine off-design performance. As the outcome of the procedure, new compressor maps are produced and more accurate prediction of off-design performance is provided. The proposed off-design performance adaptation procedure is applied to a model civil aero engine to test the effectiveness of the adaptive approach. The results show that the developed adaptive approach, if properly applied, has great potential to improve the accuracy of engine off-design performance prediction in the vicinity of engine design point although it does not guarantee the prediction accuracy in the whole range of off-design conditions. Therefore, such adaptive approach provides an alternative method in producing good engine performance models for gas turbine gas path diagnostic analysis.


Author(s):  
Yan Liu ◽  
Li-hua Tao ◽  
Jian Wang ◽  
Yang Wang ◽  
Xue-jun Wang ◽  
...  

Over the past 60 years, effects of changes in Reynolds number on performance of centrifugal compressors have been widely investigated. However most of cases deal with those compressors with small or medium flow coefficients. Studies on the influence of Reynolds number on centrifugal compressors with large flow coefficients and high machine Mach number are rarely seen in the literature. This paper deals with two types of centrifugal compressors. One type of compressor (Model 1) has a relatively large capacity with high machine Mach number. The flow coefficient and machine Mach number are 0.16 and 1.05 respectively at the design condition. Those design parameters for the other type of compressor (Model 2) are 0.11 and 0.7 respectively. Both experimental and numerical results show that with increase in Re, aerodynamic performance of centrifugal compressors is improved. However, to what extent that improvement is gained depends on properties of the baseline compressor. When Reynolds number of Model 1 becomes about 5 times large due to increase in the inlet pressure, its polytropic efficiency is only improved 0.7% at the design point in experiment. Flow field inside the impeller is similar to its prototype. For Model 2, when Reynolds number becomes 1.78 times large due to scaling up, the polytropic efficiency of the enlarged one is improved about 2% at the design point. These results demonstrate that for a compressor with large flow coefficient and high machine Mach number, i.e. originally high Reynolds number, the influence of Reynolds number on its performance is limited. In addition to experiment and CFD, two empirical formulas are applied to work out performance correction due to a change in Reynolds number for Model 1 and Model 2. Although CFD results are more accurate than the empirical results, empirical formula is still useful to get relatively reliable performance correction.


Author(s):  
Jiangfeng Fu ◽  
Huacong Li ◽  
Ding Fan ◽  
Wenbo Shen ◽  
Xianwei Liu

This paper was presented a method of integrated loss model by considering all kinds of loss type in centrifugal pumps. The geometric structure and loss mechanism of the flow parts in the centrifugal pump were analyzed, such as suction chamber, impeller, vaneless diffuser chamber, volute type water collecting chamber and outlet diffusion section. The hydraulic loss model, volume loss model, friction loss and mechanical loss model of centrifugal pump were established respectively by combining the flow theory. Finally, an integrated loss model of centrifugal pump was constructed, which can establish the relationship between the 12 main design parameters and pump efficiency of the centrifugal pump. Then the performance prediction of an aeroengine fuel centrifugal pump was carried out based on the loss model, and the loss model predictions were compared with the experimental data and CFD simulation performance prediction data. Simulation results show that:The efficiency predicted value relative error of centrifugal pump is less than 2.8% between the loss model and the experimental data. The computational efficiency of CFD is less than 4.4% compared with the experimental data in the design condition. The relative error is about 1.6% between the CFD method and the loss model which shows that the loss model predicts efficiency accuracy is better than the CFD method. It shows that this method can be used to predict the efficiency performance of centrifugal pump under design process.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document