Improvement of the Flow Range of Transonic Centrifugal Compressors With a Low-Solidity Cascade Diffuser

2000 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hiroshi Hayami
Keyword(s):  
Centrifugal Compressor ◽  
High Speed ◽  
Pressure Ratio ◽  
Input Power ◽  
Velocity Of Sound ◽  
Centrifugal Compressors ◽  
Vaned Diffuser ◽  
Transonic Centrifugal Compressor ◽  
Series Of Experiments ◽  
Low Solidity Cascade Diffuser

If the pressure ratio of a typical single-stage centrifugal compressor is larger than four, the velocity relative to the impeller and to the diffuser exceeds the velocity of sound. The flow range of transonic centrifugal compressors with a vaned diffuser is usually very narrow. Low-solidity cascade diffusers with solidity 0.69 have been successfully applied as a part of the diffuser system of a transonic centrifugal compressor. On the basis of this type of diffuser, a series of experiments to broaden the operating range are discussed focusing on the control of the geometry of impeller and/or diffuser; one was to reduce the inducer blade turning upstream of the throat, and the other was to reduce the inlet passage width of diffuser. The milder inducer blade camber realized the improvement in flow range by 1.5 times to the original one. Regarding the diffuser inlet passage width contraction, the flow range was not broadened so much owing to the change in impeller characteristics, but the input power was reduced and then the high speed efficiency was much improved.

scholarly journals Comparison of Two Diffusers in a Transonic Centrifugal Compressor

2003 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 279-284 ◽  
Author(s):  
Koji Nakagawa ◽  
Hiroshi Hayami ◽  
Yuichi Keimi
Keyword(s):  
Numerical Simulation ◽  
Centrifugal Compressor ◽  
Flow Separation ◽  
Pressure Ratio ◽  
Maximum Pressure ◽  
Vaned Diffuser ◽  
Transonic Centrifugal Compressor ◽  
Flow Mechanisms ◽  
Series Of Experiments ◽  
Low Solidity Cascade Diffuser

Flow mechanisms suppressing the flow separation in two diffusers, a low-solidity cascade diffuser and a vaned diffuser with additional small vanes near the inlet, were compared mainly by numerical simulation. As the superiority of the low-solidity cascade diffuser was expected, a series of experiments was conducted using a transonic centrifugal compressor with a maximum pressure ratio of 7. The performance of the compressor with the vaned diffuser was comparable to that of the low-solidity cascade diffuser only between the surge point and the design flowrate at a pressure ratio of 3.5. The maximum flowrate of the vaned diffuser was lower than that of the low-solidity cascade diffuser. At higher rotational speeds, the pressure ratio at the surge point, the efficiency, and the flow range of the low-solidity cascade diffuser exceded those of a vaned diffuser at a pressure ratio of 3.5.

Flow With Shock Waves in a Transonic Centrifugal Compressor With a Low-Solidity Cascade Diffuser Using PIV

2004 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hiroshi Hayami ◽  
Masahiro Hojo ◽  
Norifumi Hirata ◽  
Shinichiro Aramaki
Keyword(s):  
Shock Wave ◽  
Shock Waves ◽  
Centrifugal Compressor ◽  
Gas Flow ◽  
Pressure Ratio ◽  
Transonic Centrifugal Compressor ◽  
Image Velocimetry ◽  
Rotor Stator Interaction ◽  
Rotating Impeller ◽  
Low Solidity Cascade Diffuser

A single-stage transonic centrifugal compressor with a pressure ratio greater than six was tested in a closed loop with HFC134a gas. Flow at the inducer of a rotating impeller as well as flow in a stationary low-solidity cascade diffuser was measured using a double-pulse and double-frame particle image velocimetry (PIV). Shock waves in both flows were clearly observed. The effect of flow rate on a 3D configuration of shock wave at the inducer and a so-called rotor-stator interaction between a rotating impeller and a stationary cascade were discussed based on a phase-averaged measurement technique. Furthermore, the unsteadiness of inducer shock wave and the flow in a cascade diffuser during surge were discussed based on instantaneous velocity vector maps.

Application of a Low-Solidity Cascade Diffuser to Transonic Centrifugal Compressor

1990 ◽  
Vol 112 (1) ◽  
pp. 25-29 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Hayami ◽  
Y. Senoo ◽  
K. Utsunomiya
Keyword(s):  
Centrifugal Compressor ◽  
Performance Test ◽  
Pressure Ratio ◽  
Test Results ◽  
Vaneless Diffuser ◽  
Circular Arc ◽  
Transonic Centrifugal Compressor ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Compressor Performance ◽  
Low Solidity Cascade Diffuser

Low-solidity circular cascades, conformally transformed from high-stagger linear cascades of double-circular-arc vanes with solidity 0.69, were used as a part of the diffuser system of a transonic centrifugal compressor. Performance test results were compared with data of the same compressor with a vaneless diffuser. Good compressor performance and a wider flow range as well as a higher pressure ratio and a higher efficiency, superior to those with a vaneless diffuser, where the flow range was limited by choke of the impeller, were demonstrated. The test circular cascade diffusers demonstrated a good pressure recovery over a wide range of flow angles, even when the inflow Mach number to the cascade was over unity.

Effect of Unsteadiness on the Performance of a Transonic Centrifugal Compressor Stage

2009 ◽  
Vol 131 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Isabelle Trébinjac ◽  
Pascale Kulisa ◽  
Nicolas Bulot ◽  
Nicolas Rochuon
Keyword(s):  
Shock Wave ◽  
Mass Flow ◽  
Centrifugal Compressor ◽  
Pressure Ratio ◽  
Wake Flow ◽  
Experimental Investigations ◽  
Compressor Stage ◽  
Vaned Diffuser ◽  
Centrifugal Compressor Stage ◽  
Transonic Centrifugal Compressor

Numerical and experimental investigations were conducted in a transonic centrifugal compressor stage composed of a backswept splittered unshrouded impeller and a vaned diffuser. The characteristic curves of the compressor stage resulting from the unsteady simulations and the experiments show a good agreement over the whole operating range. On the contrary, the total pressure ratio resulting from the steady simulations is clearly overestimated. A detailed analysis of the flow field at design operating point led to identify the physical mechanisms involved in the blade row interaction that underlie the observed shift in performance. Attention was focused on the deformation in shape of the vane bow shock wave due its interaction with the jet and wake flow structure emerging from the impeller. An analytical model is proposed to quantify the time-averaged effects of the associated entropy increase. The model is based on the calculation of the losses across a shock wave at various inlet Mach numbers corresponding to the moving of the jet and wake flow in front of the shock wave. The model was applied to the compressor stage performance calculated with the steady simulations. The resulting curve of the overall pressure ratio as a function of the mass flow is clearly shifted toward the unsteady results. The model, in particular, enhances the prediction of the choked mass flow.

Spike and Modal Stall Inception in an Advanced Turbocharger Centrifugal Compressor

2009 ◽  
Vol 131 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Z. S. Spakovszky ◽  
C. H. Roduner
Keyword(s):  
Centrifugal Compressor ◽  
High Speed ◽  
Pressure Ratio ◽  
Pressure Sensors ◽  
Rotating Stall ◽  
Vaned Diffuser ◽  
Stall Inception ◽  
Compression System ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Highly Loaded

In turbocharger applications, bleed air near the impeller exit is often used for secondary flow systems to seal bearing compartments and to balance the thrust load on the bearings. There is experimental evidence that the performance and operability of highly-loaded centrifugal compressor designs can be sensitive to the amount of bleed air. To investigate the underlying mechanisms and to assess the impact of bleed air on the compressor dynamic behavior, a research program was carried out on a preproduction, 5.0 pressure ratio, high-speed centrifugal compressor stage of advanced design. The investigations showed that bleed air can significantly reduce the stable flow range. Compressor rig experiments, using an array of unsteady pressure sensors and a bleed valve to simulate a typical turbocharger environment, suggest that the path into compression system instability is altered by the bleed flow. Without the bleed flow, the prestall behavior is dominated by short-wavelength disturbances, or so called “spikes,” in the vaneless space between the impeller and the vaned diffuser. Introducing bleed flow at the impeller exit reduces endwall blockage in the vaneless space and destabilizes the highly-loaded vaned diffuser. The impact is a 50% reduction in stable operating range. The altered diffuser characteristic reduces the compression system damping responsible for long-wavelength modal prestall behavior. A four-lobed backward traveling rotating stall wave is experimentally measured in agreement with calculations obtained from a previously developed dynamic compressor model. In addition, a self-contained endwall blockage control strategy was employed, successfully recovering 75% of the loss in surge-margin due to the bleed flow and yielding a one point increase in adiabatic compressor efficiency.

Effect of Unsteadiness on the Performance of a Transonic Centrifugal Compressor Stage

2008 ◽  
Author(s):  
Isabelle Tre´binjac ◽  
Pascale Kulisa ◽  
Nicolas Bulot ◽  
Nicolas Rochuon
Keyword(s):  
Shock Wave ◽  
Mass Flow ◽  
Centrifugal Compressor ◽  
Pressure Ratio ◽  
Wake Flow ◽  
Experimental Investigations ◽  
Compressor Stage ◽  
Vaned Diffuser ◽  
Centrifugal Compressor Stage ◽  
Transonic Centrifugal Compressor

Numerical and experimental investigations were conducted in a transonic centrifugal compressor stage composed of a backswept splittered unshrouded impeller and a vaned diffuser. The characteristic curves of the compressor stage resulting from the unsteady simulations and the experiments show a good agreement over the whole operating range. On the contrary, the total pressure ratio resulting from the steady simulations is clearly overestimated. A detailed analysis of the flow field at design operating point led to identify the physical mechanisms involved in the blade row interaction that underlie the observed shift in performance. Attention was focused on the deformation in shape of the vane bow shock wave due its interaction with the jet and wake flow structure emerging from the impeller. An analytical model is proposed to quantify the time-averaged effects of the associated entropy increase. The model is based on the calculation of the losses across a shock wave at various inlet Mach numbers corresponding to the moving of the jet and wake flow in front of the shock wave. The model was applied to the compressor stage performance calculated with the steady simulations. The resulting curve of the overall pressure ratio as a function of the mass flow is clearly shifted towards the unsteady results. The model in particular enhances the prediction of the choked mass flow.

PIV Investigation of a High Speed Centrifugal Compressor Diffuser: Spanwise and Loading Variations

2008 ◽  
Author(s):  
Beni Cukurel ◽  
Patrick B. Lawless ◽  
Sanford Fleeter
Keyword(s):  
Flow Field ◽  
Centrifugal Compressor ◽  
High Speed ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Vaned Diffuser ◽  
Operation Conditions ◽  
Diffuser Flow ◽  
Transonic Centrifugal Compressor ◽  
Flow Features

An efficient diffuser is essential to a modern compressor stage, due to its significance in stage performance, durability and operability. To address the need for data that describe the complex, unsteady flow field in a vaned diffuser, Particle Image Velocity is utilized to characterize the spanwise and circumferential variations of the flow features in the vaned diffuser passage of a transonic centrifugal compressor. The spanwise variation in the diffuser flow field is further investigated by comparison of 3 different operating conditions representative of low, nominal and high loading. These data demonstrate that not only the diffuser flow field is highly dependent on the operation conditions, e.g. hub-to-shroud variation increases with loading, but also the circumferential periodicity, created by the highly three dimensional impeller discharge flow, generates a larger unsteadiness towards the hub region of the vaned diffuser.

Spike and Modal Stall Inception in an Advanced Turbocharger Centrifugal Compressor

2007 ◽  
Author(s):  
Z. S. Spakovszky ◽  
C. H. Roduner
Keyword(s):  
Centrifugal Compressor ◽  
High Speed ◽  
Pressure Ratio ◽  
Pressure Sensors ◽  
Rotating Stall ◽  
Vaned Diffuser ◽  
Stall Inception ◽  
Compression System ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Highly Loaded

In turbocharger applications bleed air near the impeller exit is often used for secondary flow systems to seal bearing compartments and to balance the thrust load on the bearings. There is experimental evidence that the performance and operability of highly loaded centrifugal compressor designs can be sensitive to the amount of bleed air. To investigate the underlying mechanisms and to assess the impact of bleed air on the compressor dynamic behavior, a research program was carried out on a pre-production, 5.0 pressure ratio, high-speed centrifugal compressor stage of advanced design. The investigations showed that bleed air can significantly reduce the stable flow range. Compressor rig experiments, using an array of unsteady pressure sensors and a bleed valve to simulate a typical turbocharger environment, suggest that the path into compression system instability is altered by the bleed flow. Without bleed flow, the pre-stall behavior is dominated by short wavelength disturbances, or so called ‘spikes’, in the vaneless space between the impeller and the vaned diffuser. Introducing bleed flow at impeller exit reduces endwall blockage in the vaneless space and destabilizes the highly-loaded vaned diffuser. The impact is a 50% reduction in stable operating range. The altered diffuser characteristic reduces the compression system damping responsible for long wavelength, modal pre-stall behavior. A four-lobed backward traveling rotating stall wave is experimentally measured, in agreement with calculations obtained from a previously developed dynamic compressor model. In addition, a self-contained, endwall blockage control strategy was employed, successfully recovering 75% of the loss in surge-margin due to bleed flow and yielding a 1 point increase in adiabiatic compressor efficiency.

Numerical Investigation of the Inclined Leading Edge Diffuser Vane Effects on the Flow Unsteadiness and Noise Characteristics in a Transonic Centrifugal Compressor

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ali Zamiri ◽  
Byung Ju Lee ◽  
Jin Taek Chung
Keyword(s):  
Centrifugal Compressor ◽  
Pressure Ratio ◽  
Pressure Fluctuations ◽  
Leading Edge ◽  
Pressure Recovery ◽  
Vaned Diffuser ◽  
Transonic Centrifugal Compressor ◽  
Transient Simulations ◽  
Leading Edges ◽  
Compressor Efficiency

The three-dimensional, compressible, unsteady Navier-Stokes equations are solved to investigate the influence of the inclined leading edge diffuser vanes on the flow field and radiated noise from a transonic centrifugal compressor with high compression ratio. The computational domain is consisted of an inlet duct and a rotating impeller with splitter blades followed by a two-dimensional wedge vaned diffuser. The numerical method was validated by comparing the steady computational results with those of experiments in terms of pressure ratio and compressor efficiency at different operating points for the original diffuser. The transient simulations were verified by comparison of the velocity distribution with PIV data in normal flow condition before the onset of surge. In the case of steady simulations, seven types of diffuser vane with various inclination angles of leading edge were numerically modeled to investigate the effects of inclined leading edge on the diffuser pressure recovery and total pressure loss characteristics. The vaned diffuser with inclined leading edge reduces the interaction between the impeller discharge flow and diffuser leading edge which leads to improve the pressure recovery characteristics within the diffuser passage. Detailed flow analysis inside the diffuser passage showed the pressure ratio and compressor efficiency have been improved by the inclined leading edges. The maximum diffuser pressure recovery coefficient, 0.7185, and compressor efficiency, 84.80%, were observed in the case of 30 degree inclination angle from hub-to-shroud. In the case of transient simulations, five different inclined leading edge diffuser vanes were numerically conducted. The present study focuses on the unsteady pressure fluctuations and noise prediction within the impeller and diffuser passages at the compressor design point. The influences of inclination angle of diffuser vane leading edges on the pressure waves with different convective velocities, generated by the impeller-diffuser interaction and pseudo-periodic unsteady separation bubbles, were captured in the time/space domain along the diffuser blade surfaces. Since it is important to understand that the far-field acoustics are dominated by the internal pressure fluctuations inside the passages, the near-field pressure fluctuation spectra captured at the impeller-diffuser interface are evaluated to analyze the tonal BPF noise as the main noise source in the centrifugal compressors. It is shown that the inclined leading edges are very useful not only for improvement of the pressure recovery characteristics within the diffuser but also for the reduction of the interaction tonal BPF noise (around 7.6 dB SPL reduction). Furthermore, it was found that by using the inclined leading edge, the vortical structures and separations within the diffuser passages were reduced which may cause the attenuation of the broadband noise components and the overall sound pressure level.

High Dimensional Matching Optimization of Impeller–Vaned Diffuser Interaction for a Centrifugal Compressor Stage

2020 ◽  
Vol 142 (12) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ruihong Qin ◽  
Yaping Ju ◽  
Lee Galloway ◽  
Stephen Spence ◽  
Chuhua Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Centrifugal Compressor ◽  
High Speed ◽  
Pressure Ratio ◽  
Sequential Optimization ◽  
High Dimensional ◽  
Compressor Stage ◽  
Optimization Strategy ◽  
Impeller Blade ◽  
Vaned Diffuser ◽  
Flow Angle

Abstract The matching and interaction between the impeller and vaned diffuser is the most important aerodynamic-coupling between the components of a high-speed centrifugal compressor. Many research studies have been carried out during the last decade, both experimentally and numerically, on the flow mechanisms underlying impeller–vaned diffuser matching and interaction, with the aim of achieving a high-performance stage. However, the published work lacks any study that optimizes the matching of the impeller–vaned diffuser components in the environment of a full compressor stage due to two unresolved issues, i.e., identifying an effective matching optimization strategy and the high dimensional nature of the problem. To tackle these difficulties, four different optimization strategies (i.e., (1) integrated, (2) single component, (3) parallel, and (4) sequential optimization strategies) have been proposed and validated through a high dimensional matching optimization of the Radiver compressor test case published by the Institute of Jet Propulsion and Turbomachinery at Rheinisch-Westfälische Technische Hochschule (RWTH) Aachen University. Particular attention has been paid to the slope of the diffuser total pressure ratio characteristic near the surge point to further extend the stage surge margin. The results showed that the integrated optimization strategy was the most effective one for achieving good matching of the impeller–vaned diffuser interaction due to its inherently strong coupling optimization. Compared with the baseline compressor, the optimized stage achieved a gain of 1.2% in total-to-total isentropic efficiency at the peak efficiency point as well as a predicted 26.17% increase in stable operating range. For the stage examined in this study, a fore-loaded design of impeller blade as well as an increased vane angle for the diffuser vane was beneficial to the impeller–vaned diffuser matching. The more uniform spanwise distributions of the impeller discharge flow angle and the diffuser vane incidence presented the opportunity for a more optimized matching of the flow field between the 3D impeller and the 2D vaned diffuser. The outcomes of this work are particularly relevant for the advanced design of high-speed centrifugal compressors.

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