Detailed Stress Tensor Measurements in a Centrifugal Compressor Vaneless Diffuser

1996 ◽  
Vol 118 (2) ◽  
pp. 394-399 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Pinarbasi ◽  
M. W. Johnson
Keyword(s):  
Kinetic Energy ◽  
Stress Tensor ◽  
Reynolds Stress ◽  
Centrifugal Compressor ◽  
Energy Levels ◽  
Cfd Modeling ◽  
Reynolds Stresses ◽  
Vaneless Diffuser ◽  
Mean Velocity ◽  
Flow Measurements

Detailed flow measurements have been made in the vaneless diffuser of a large low-speed centrifugal compressor using hot-wire anemometry. The three time mean velocity components and full stress tensor distributions have been determined on eight measurement planes within the diffuser. High levels of Reynolds stress result in the rapid mixing out of the blade wake. Although high levels of turbulent kinetic energy are found in the passage wake, they are not associated with strong Reynolds stresses and hence the passage wake mixes out only slowly. Low-frequency meandering of the wake position is therefore likely to be responsible for the high kinetic energy levels. The anisotropic nature of the turbulence suggests that Reynolds stress turbulence models are required for CFD modeling of diffuser flows.

scholarly journals Experimental Flow Field Investigation in a Centrifugal Compressor Vaned Diffuser

1995 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ali Pinarbasi ◽  
Mark W. Johnson
Keyword(s):  
Kinetic Energy ◽  
Flow Field ◽  
Centrifugal Compressor ◽  
Field Investigation ◽  
Vaneless Diffuser ◽  
Mean Velocity ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Impeller Blade ◽  
Vaned Diffuser ◽  
Flow Angle

The purpose of this study was to improve the understanding of the flow physics in a centrifugal compressor vaned diffuser. A low speed compressor with a 19 bladed backswept impeller and diffuser with 16 wedge vanes was used. The measurements were made at three inter-vane positions and are presented as mean velocity, turbulent kinetic energy and flow angle distributions on eight diffuser cross sectional planes. The impeller blade wakes mix out rapidly within the vaneless space and more rapidly than in an equivalent vaneless diffuser. Although the flow is highly non uniform in velocity at the impeller exit, there is no evidence in the results of any separation from the diffuser vanes. The results do however suggest that the use of twisted vanes within the diffuser would be beneficial in reducing losses.

scholarly journals Detailed Off Design Flow Measurements in a Centrifugal Compressor Vaned Diffuser

1997 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ali Pinarbasi ◽  
Mark W. Johnson
Keyword(s):  
Centrifugal Compressor ◽  
Flow Characteristic ◽  
Design Flow ◽  
Wake Flow ◽  
Centrifugal Impeller ◽  
Hot Wire ◽  
Vaneless Diffuser ◽  
Mean Velocity ◽  
Flow Measurements ◽  
Vaned Diffuser

Three component hot wire measurements in the vaneless space and vane region of a low speed centrifugal compressor vaned diffuser are presented. These comprise mean velocity and turbulence level distributions for a below and above design flow rate for three vane-to-vane locations at each of five radial measurement stations. The flow entering the diffuser closely resembles the classic jet-wake flow characteristic of centrifugal impeller discharges. A strong upstream influence of the diffuser vanes is observed which results in significant variations in flow quantities between the vane-to-vane locations. The circumferential variations due to the passage and blade wakes rapidly mix out in the vaneless space, although some variations are still discernible in the vaned region. Comparison with results in a vaneless diffuser suggest that the presence of the vanes accelerates this mixing out process.

Stress Tensor Measurements within the Vaneless Diffuser of a Centrifugal Compressor

1989 ◽  
Vol 203 (1) ◽  
pp. 51-59 ◽  
Author(s):  
T M A Maksoud ◽  
M W Johnson
Keyword(s):  
Centrifugal Compressor ◽  
Sampling Technique ◽  
Phase Lock Loop ◽  
Tangential Component ◽  
Secondary Flows ◽  
Axial Component ◽  
Reynolds Stresses ◽  
Vaneless Diffuser ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Impeller Outlet

Distributions of normal and shear (Reynolds) stresses inside the vaneless diffuser of a low-speed centrifugal compressor are presented. The measurements were made using a triple hot-wire system and a phase lock loop sampling technique. Results were obtained on cross-sectional planes at eight radial stations between the impeller outlet and the diffuser exit at three different flowrates. The turbulence was highly anisotropic and became more so as the flowrate was increased. The tangential component of turbulent intensity was found to be significantly smaller than either the radial or axial component. The blade wake observed at the diffuser inlet decays very rapidly due to the strong tangential Reynolds stresses generated by the opposed secondary flows on either side of the wake. The passage wake decays very much more slowly and is still identifiable at the diffuser discharge.

Hot Wire Measurements at the Exit of a Centrifugal Compressor Impeller

1979 ◽  
Vol 193 (1) ◽  
pp. 341-347
Author(s):  
A. Goulas ◽  
R. C. Baker
Keyword(s):  
Centrifugal Compressor ◽  
Magnetic Tape ◽  
Reynolds Stresses ◽  
Hot Wire ◽  
Mean Velocity ◽  
Isentropic Flow ◽  
Compressor Impeller ◽  
The Mean

Hot wire measurements at the exit of a small centrifugal compressor impeller are reported. Three different hot wire readings were obtained and stored on a magnetic tape for each point by gating the analogue hot wire signal with a pulse which indicated circumferential position. The combination of the three readings yielded the mean velocity and some Reynolds stresses at each point. The measurements show a ‘jet-wake’ profile towards the shroud and ‘isentropic’ flow near the hub.

Education Committee Best Paper of 1995 Award: Methods of Classical Mechanics Applied to Turbulence Stresses in a Tip Leakage Vortex

1996 ◽  
Vol 118 (4) ◽  
pp. 622-629 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. G. Moore ◽  
S. A. Schorn ◽  
J. Moore
Keyword(s):  
Stress Tensor ◽  
Reynolds Stress ◽  
Classical Mechanics ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Surface Model ◽  
Reynolds Stresses ◽  
Tip Leakage Vortex ◽  
Tip Leakage ◽  
Stress Tensors ◽  
Principal Directions

Moore et al. measured the six Reynolds stresses in a tip leakage vortex in a linear turbine cascade. Stress tensor analysis, as used in classical mechanics, has been applied to the measured turbulence stress tensors. Principal directions and principal normal stresses are found. A solid surface model, or three-dimensional glyph, for the Reynolds stress tensor is proposed and used to view the stresses throughout the tip leakage vortex. Modeled Reynolds stresses using the Boussinesq approximation are obtained from the measured mean velocity strain rate tensor. The comparison of the principal directions and the three-dimensional graphic representations of the strain and Reynolds stress tensors aids in the understanding of the turbulence and what is required to model it.

scholarly journals A Novel Simplification of the Reynolds-Chou-Navier-Stokes Turbulence Equations of Incompressible Flow

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bohua Sun
Keyword(s):  
Velocity Field ◽  
Stress Tensor ◽  
Reynolds Stress ◽  
Incompressible Flow ◽  
Velocity Fluctuation ◽  
Explicit Representation ◽  
Navier Stokes ◽  
Mean Velocity ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Turbulence Formulations

Based on author's previous work [Sun, B. The Reynolds Navier-Stokes Turbulence Equations of Incompressible Flow Are Closed Rather Than Unclosed. Preprints 2018, 2018060461 (doi: 10.20944/preprints201806.0461.v1)], this paper proposed an explicit representation of velocity fluctuation and formulated the Reynolds stress tensor in terms of the mean velocity field. The proposed closed Reynolds Navier-Stokes turbulence formulations reveal that the mean vorticity is the key source of producing turbulence.

Off-Design Flow Measurements in a Centrifugal Compressor Vaneless Diffuser

1995 ◽  
Vol 117 (4) ◽  
pp. 602-608 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Pinarbasi ◽  
M. W. Johnson
Keyword(s):  
Flow Rate ◽  
Centrifugal Compressor ◽  
Secondary Flows ◽  
Design Flow ◽  
Vaneless Diffuser ◽  
Flow Measurements ◽  
Vaned Diffuser ◽  
Flow Angle ◽  
Flow Rates ◽  
Study Results

Detailed measurements have been taken of the three-dimensional velocity field within the vaneless diffuser of a backswept low speed centrifugal compressor using hot-wire anemometry. A 16 percent below and an 11 percent above design flow rate were used in the present study. Results at both flow rates show how the blade wake mixes out more rapidly than the passage wake. Strong secondary flows inherited from the impeller at the higher flow rate delay the mixing out of the circumferential velocity variations, but at both flow rates these circumferential variations are negligible at the last measurement station. The measured tangential/radial flow angle is used to recommend optimum values for the vaneless space and vane angle for design of a vaned diffuser.

Methods of Classical Mechanics Applied to Turbulence Stresses in a Tip Leakage Vortex

1995 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joan G. Moore ◽  
Scott A. Schorn ◽  
John Moore
Keyword(s):  
Stress Tensor ◽  
Reynolds Stress ◽  
Classical Mechanics ◽  
Surface Model ◽  
Strain Rate Tensor ◽  
Reynolds Stresses ◽  
Tip Leakage Vortex ◽  
Tip Leakage ◽  
Stress Tensors ◽  
Principal Directions

Moore et al. measured the six Reynolds stresses in a tip leakage vortex in a linear turbine cascade. Stress tensor analysis, as used in classical mechanics, has been applied to the measured turbulence stress tensors. Principal directions and principal normal stresses are found. A solid surface model, or 3-d glyph, for the Reynolds stress tensor is proposed and used to view the stresses throughout the tip leakage vortex. Modelled Reynolds stresses using the Boussinesq approximation are obtained from the measured mean velocity strain rate tensor. The comparison of the principal directions and the 3-d graphical representations of the strain and Reynolds stress tensors aids in the understanding of the turbulence and what is required to model it.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document