Analysis of Time-Wise Compressor Fouling Phenomenon On a Multistage Test Compressor: Performance Losses and Particle Adhesion

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alessandro Vulpio ◽  
Alessio Suman ◽  
Nicola Casari ◽  
Michele Pinelli ◽  
Rainer Kurz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pressure Ratio ◽  
Particle Diameter ◽  
Experimental Tests ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Capture Efficiency ◽  
Compressor Unit ◽  
Compressor Performance ◽  
Inlet Conditions ◽  
Powder Type ◽  
Over Time

Abstract In this paper, several experimental tests have been carried out on a multistage compressor unit. A detailed analysis has been carried out considering soil and soot ingestion, as well as the air relative humidity (ranging from 50 %RH to 80 %RH) and compressor rotating velocity. Several combinations of particle diameter, material, and operating conditions have been considered. The amount of contaminant at the compressor outlet has been measured and the capture efficiency of the whole machine has been determined. Over the exposure time, the capture efficiency ranges from 0.2 to 0.6 according to the powder type and compressor inlet conditions. The capability of the compressor to collect particles changes over time as a function of the condition, even if, several tested cases appear characterized by an almost constant capture efficiency trend. In addition, the performance degradation has been monitored over time and, with the reference of the particle concentration, the present experimental campaign covers about 500 operating hours of an actual installation. After a detailed evaluation of experimental uncertainty, the performance losses due to particle contamination has been assessed. The losses in the compressor performance have been estimated by means of the pressure ratio of the axial stages. The maximum degradation has been estimated equal to 0.53 % per hour for the compressor pressure ratio. Soot particles appear stickier, especially in the presence of higher humidity and represent the most detrimental operating conditions for the compressor unit.

Analysis of Time-Wise Compressor Fouling Phenomenon on a Multistage Test Compressor: Performance Losses and Particle Adhesion

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alessandro Vulpio ◽  
Alessio Suman ◽  
Nicola Casari ◽  
Michele Pinelli ◽  
Rainer Kurz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pressure Ratio ◽  
Particle Diameter ◽  
Experimental Tests ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Capture Efficiency ◽  
Compressor Unit ◽  
Compressor Performance ◽  
Multistage Compressor ◽  
Inlet Conditions ◽  
Over Time

Abstract The analysis of the performance losses of a multistage compressor concerning the air contaminant is not widespread in literature and, the mutual interactions of particle materials, air humidity, and compressor load are not well studied. The airborne micrometric particles that enter the compressor can deposit on the internal surfaces, causing the loss of performance of the machine. In this paper, several experimental tests have been carried out on a multistage compressor unit. A detailed analysis has been carried out considering soil and soot ingestion, as well as the air relative humidity (ranging from 50 %RH to 80 %RH) and compressor rotating velocity. Several combinations of particle diameter, material, and operating conditions have been considered. The amount of contaminant at the compressor outlet has been measured and the capture efficiency of the whole machine has been determined. Over the exposure time, the capture efficiency ranges from 0.2 to 0.6 according to the powder type and compressor inlet conditions. The capability of the compressor to collect particles changes over time as a function of the condition, even if, several tested cases appear characterized by an almost constant capture efficiency trend. In addition, the performance degradation has been monitored over time and, with the reference of the particle concentration, the present experimental campaign covers about 500 operating hours of an actual installation. After a detailed evaluation of experimental uncertainty, the performance losses due to particle contamination has been assessed. The losses in the compressor performance have been estimated by means of the pressure ratio of the axial stages. The maximum degradation has been estimated equal to 0.53 % per hour for the compressor pressure ratio. Soot particles appear stickier, especially in the presence of higher humidity and represent the most detrimental operating conditions for the compressor unit.

The performance of a centrifugal compressor with a tandem impeller in off-design conditions

2019 ◽  
Vol 234 (2) ◽  
pp. 156-172 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ziliang Li ◽  
Xingen Lu ◽  
Ge Han ◽  
Yanfeng Zhang ◽  
Shengfeng Zhao ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Centrifugal Compressor ◽  
Performance Enhancement ◽  
Pressure Ratio ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Complex Flow ◽  
Maximum Enhancement ◽  
Operating Range ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Compressor Performance ◽  
Low Efficiency

Centrifugal compressors often suffer relatively low efficiency and a terrible operating range particularly due to the complex flow structure and intense impeller/diffuser interaction. Numerous studies have focused on improving the centrifugal compressor performance using many innovative ideas, such as the tandem impeller, which has become increasingly attractive due to its ability to achieve the flow control with no additional air supply configurations and control costs in compressor. However, few studies that attempted to the investigation of tandem impeller have been published until now and the results are always contradictory. To explore the potential of the tandem impeller to enhance the compressor performance and the underlying mechanism of the flow phenomena in the tandem impellers, this paper numerically investigated a high-pressure-ratio centrifugal compressor with several tandem impellers at off-design operating speeds. The results encouragingly demonstrate that the tandem impeller can achieve a performance enhancement over a wide range of operating conditions. Approximately 1.8% maximum enhancement in isentropic efficiency and 5.0% maximum enhancement in operating range are achieved with the inducer/exducer circumferential displacement of [Formula: see text] = 25% and 50%, respectively. The observed stage performance gain of the tandem impellers decreases when the operating speed increases due to the increased inducer shock, increased wake losses, and deteriorated tandem impeller discharge flow uniformity. In addition, the tandem impeller can extend the impeller operating range particularly at low rotation speeds, which is found to be a result from the suppression of the low-momentum fluid radial movement. The results also indicate that the maximum flux capacity of the tandem impeller decreases due to the restriction of the inducer airfoil Kutta–Joukowsky condition.

Variable Inlet Guide Vane Effect on Centrifugal Compressor Performance in Wet Gas Flow

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Levi André B. Vigdal ◽  
Lars E. Bakken
Keyword(s):  
Centrifugal Compressor ◽  
Guide Vane ◽  
Flow Direction ◽  
Pressure Ratio ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Inlet Guide Vane ◽  
Compressor Stage ◽  
Guide Vanes ◽  
Wet Gas ◽  
Compressor Performance

The introduction of variable inlet guide vanes (VIGVs) upfront of a compressor stage affects performance and permits tuning for off-design conditions. This is of great interest for emerging technology related to subsea compression. Unprocessed gas from the wellhead will contain liquid condensate, which affects the operational condition of the compressor. To investigate the effect of guide vanes on volume flow and pressure ratio in a wet gas compressor, VIGVs are implemented upfront of a centrifugal compressor stage to control the inlet flow direction. The guide vane geometry and test rig setup have previous been presented. This paper documents how changing the VIGV setting affects compressor performance under dry and wet operating conditions. The reduced performance effect and operating range at increased liquid content are of specific interest. Also documented is the change in the VIGV effect relative to the setting angle.

Numerical Simulation of a Radial Turbine at Off-Design Conditions in Presence of Choked Flow

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrés Tiseira ◽  
Luis Miguel García-Cuevas ◽  
Lukas Benjamin Inhestern ◽  
Juan David Echavarría
Keyword(s):  
Shock Wave ◽  
Pressure Ratio ◽  
Experimental Tests ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Tip Leakage Flow ◽  
Choked Flow ◽  
High Pressure Ratio ◽  
Machine Performance ◽  
Radial Turbine ◽  
Stator Vane

Abstract In the application of turbocharging and organic Rankine cycles (ORCs) the radial turbine can operate at high pressure ratio leading to the presence of choking inside the turbine. Information in this map region is needed to estimate the overall machine performance and to achieve an optimum matching of engine-turbocharger or an integration into ORCs. As a preliminar study before doing experimental tests in a turbocharger gas stand and before starting modeling activities, 3D CFD simulations were run for this paper. The occurrence of choking in the stator passage, in the vaneless space and in the rotor passage is categorized and analyzed under different operating conditions and VGT openings. The appearance of the shock wave depends strongly of the stator vane position and pressure ratio. In the analyzed turbocharger VGT turbine no choking has been identified in the throat of the stator vanes. In technically relevant closed VGT position choking was identified in the vaneless space. Whereas at open vane position the shock wave appears at the rotor throat and the Mach number can increase from the blade tip to the hub or from the hub to the tip depending on the rotational speed. Furthermore, tip leakage flow plays an important role, being responsible of subsonic regions in the rotor outlet although a big percentage of the section is choked.

Experimental Investigation of Stepped Tip Gap Effects on the Performance of a Transonic Axial-Flow Compressor Rotor

1997 ◽  
Author(s):  
Donald W. Thompson ◽  
Paul I. King ◽  
Douglas C. Rabe
Keyword(s):  
Mass Flow ◽  
Pressure Ratio ◽  
Axial Flow ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Tip Clearance ◽  
Axial Flow Compressor ◽  
Transonic Compressor ◽  
Compressor Rotor ◽  
Compressor Performance ◽  
Flow Compressor

The effects of stepped tip gaps and clearance levels on the performance of a transonic axial-flow compressor rotor were experimentally determined. A two-stage compressor with no inlet guide vanes was tested in a modern transonic compressor research facility. The first-stage rotor was unswept and was tested for an optimum tip clearance with variations in stepped gaps machined into the casing near the aft tip region of the rotor. Nine casing geometries were investigated consisting of three step profiles at each of three clearance levels. For small and intermediate clearances, stepped tip gaps were found to improve pressure ratio, efficiency, and flow range for most operating conditions. At 100% design rotor speed, stepped tip gaps produced a doubling of mass flow range with as much as a 2.0% increase in mass flow and a 1.5% improvement in efficiency. This study provides guidelines for engineers to improve compressor performance for an existing design by applying an optimum casing profile.

Validation of a Modified Parallel Compressor Model for Prediction of the Effects of Inlet Swirl on Compressor Performance and Operability

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Reginald S. Floyd ◽  
Milton Davis
Keyword(s):  
Pressure Ratio ◽  
Pressure Rise ◽  
Engine Performance ◽  
The United States ◽  
Turbine Engine ◽  
Inlet Distortion ◽  
Inlet Swirl ◽  
Compressor Performance ◽  
Inlet Conditions ◽  
Map Data

Engine inlet distortion complications have plagued the turbine engine development community for decades, and engineers have developed countless methods to identify and combat the harmful effects of inlet distortion. One such type of distortion that has gained much attention in recent years is known as inlet swirl, which results in a significant flow angularity at the face of the engine. This flow angularity can affect the pressure rise and flow capacity of the fan or compressor, and subsequently affect compressor and engine performance. Previous modeling and simulation efforts to predict the effect inlet swirl can have on fan and compressor performance have made great strides, yet still leave a lot to be desired. In particular, a one-dimensional parallel compressor model called DYNTECC (Dynamic Turbine Engine Compressor Code) has been used to analyze the effects of inlet swirl on fan and performance operability of the Honeywell F109 turbofan engine. However, when compared to experimental swirl data gathered at the United States Air Force Academy (USAFA), the model predictions were found to be inaccurate. This paper documents work done to compare the initial predictions generated by DYNTECC to the latest set of experimental swirl data, analyze the potential shortcomings of the initial model, and modify the existing model to more accurately reflect test data. Extensive work was completed to create a methodology that can calibrate the model to existing clean inlet fan map data. In addition, an in depth study of fan/compressor stalling criteria was conducted, and the model was modified to use an alternate stalling criteria that more accurately predicted the point of stall for various swirl inlet conditions. The prediction of the fan stall pressure ratio for all inlet swirl conditions tested is within 2% of the ground test stall point at the same referred fan speed and referred mass flow.

Annular Diffuser Performance for an Automotive Gas Turbine

1979 ◽  
Vol 101 (3) ◽  
pp. 358-372 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Japikse ◽  
R. Pampreen
Keyword(s):  
Gas Turbine ◽  
Model Test ◽  
Experimental Tests ◽  
Swirl Flow ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Annular Diffuser ◽  
Test Pressure ◽  
Inlet Swirl ◽  
Inlet Conditions ◽  
Computational Analyses

A series of experimental tests and computational analyses are reported for two automotive gas turbine diffusers. The diffusers include an interstage and an exhaust diffuser plus collector. The diffuser models were tested at Reynolds numbers and inlet blockage levels characteristic of the engine operating conditions. A rig test of the interstage diffuser is also reported. Inlet swirl and Mach number were systematically varied in the model tests. Good recovery was found for each diffuser at zero swirl. Recovery degraded at high swirl for the interstage diffuser. The exhaust diffuser with a double discharge collector showed little sensitivity to inlet swirl. Flow visualization indicates that the interstage diffuser was separated at modest swirl levels, at least in the model test. Pressure recovery in the rig (with upstream rotor and downstream stator) was found to be greater than in the model test (using “clean” inlet conditions). Comparisons between measured wall pressures and calculations provide further basic insights.

scholarly journals Numerical Study of Multistage Transcritical Organic Rankine Cycle Axial Turbines

2014 ◽  
Vol 136 (8) ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Sciacovelli ◽  
P. Cinnella
Keyword(s):  
Numerical Study ◽  
Pressure Ratio ◽  
Organic Rankine Cycle ◽  
Rankine Cycle ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Working Fluid ◽  
Dense Gas ◽  
Working Fluids ◽  
Inlet Conditions ◽  
The Impact

Transonic flows through axial, multistage, transcritical organic rankine cycle (ORC) turbines are investigated by using a numerical solver including advanced multiparameter equations of state and a high-order discretization scheme. The working fluids in use are the refrigerants R134a and R245fa, classified as dense gases due to their complex molecules and relatively high molecular weight. Both inviscid and viscous numerical simulations are carried out to quantify the impact of dense gas effects and viscous effects on turbine performance. Both supercritical and subcritical inlet conditions are studied for the considered working fluids. In the former case, flow across the turbine is transcritical, since turbine output pressure is subcritical. Numerical results show that, due to dense gas effects characterizing the flow at supercritical inlet conditions, supercritical ORC turbines enable, for a given pressure ratio, a higher isentropic efficiency than subcritical turbines using the same working fluid. Moreover, for the selected operating conditions, R134a provides a better performance than R245fa.

Reconciling Compressor Performance Differences for Varying Ambient Inlet Conditions

2015 ◽  
Vol 137 (12) ◽  
Author(s):  
Natalie R. Smith ◽  
Reid A. Berdanier ◽  
John C. Fabian ◽  
Nicole L. Key
Keyword(s):  
Pressure Ratio ◽  
Axial Compressor ◽  
Tip Clearance ◽  
Ambient Conditions ◽  
Thermal Growth ◽  
Reynolds Number Effects ◽  
Compressor Inlet ◽  
Compressor Performance ◽  
Inlet Conditions ◽  
Research Facilities

Careful experimental measurements can capture small changes in compressor total pressure ratio (TPR), which arise with subtle changes in an experiment's configuration. Research facilities that use unconditioned atmospheric air must account for changes in ambient compressor inlet conditions to establish repeatable performance maps. A unique dataset from a three-stage axial compressor has been acquired over the duration of 12 months in the Midwest U.S., where ambient conditions change significantly. The trends show a difference in compressor TPR measured on a cold day versus a warm day despite correcting inlet conditions to sea level standard day. To reconcile these differences, this paper explores correcting the compressor exit thermodynamic state, Reynolds number effects, and variations in rotor tip clearance (TC) as a result of differences in thermal growth.

Universiti Tenaga Nasional Short Duration Hypersonic Test Facility: Calibration and Verification

2006 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amir Al-Falahi ◽  
T. Yusaf ◽  
M. Z. Yusoff
Keyword(s):  
Short Duration ◽  
Pressure Ratio ◽  
Test Procedure ◽  
Experimental Tests ◽  
Standard Test ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Test Facility ◽  
Temperature History ◽  
Second Phase ◽  
Governing Equations

The first phase of this paper is aimed to develop a standard test procedure for short-duration hypersonic test facility that build at the Universiti Tenaga Nasional “UNITEN” in Malaysia. The facility has been designed, built, and commissioned for different values of diaphragm pressure ratios. A theoretical model was developed to evaluate the Mach number values as a function of diaphragm pressure ratio for different working fluids. The second phase is to run experimental tests for different operating conditions. The calculated parameters which are pressure, temperature and velocity were very comparable to the practical results. A high precision in house made thermocouple was used to measure the temperature profile during the facility operation. A numerical transient heat transfer mathematical model was developed to evaluate the heat flux from the surface temperature history. The principle of operation and the reasoning behind building such a facility are explained, and the governing equations for the shock tube are presented.

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