Verification and Validation of CFD Modeling for Low-Flow-Coefficient Centrifugal Compressor Stages

In this paper, the numerical model of a centrifugal compressor low-flow stage is verified. The gaps and labyrinth seals were simulated in the numerical model. The task was to determine the optimal settings for high-quality modeling of the low-flow stages. The intergrid interface application issues, turbulence and roughness models are considered. The obtained numerical model settings are used to validate seven model stages for the range of the optimal conditional flow coefficient with Φopt = 0.008–0.018 and the conditional Mach number Mu = 0.785–0.804. The simulation results are compared with the experimental data. The high pressure stage-7 (HPS-7) stage with Φopt = 0.010 and Mu = 0.60 at different inlet pressure of 4, 10 and 40 atm is considered separately. Acceptable validation results are obtained with the recommended numerical model settings; the modeling uncertainty for the polytropic pressure coefficient δη*pol < 4% for the efficiency coefficient δη*pol exceeds the limit of 4% only in the two most low-flow stages, U and V.

Study on the Calculation Method for Pumping Process in as Vacuum System

The calculation methods for vacuum system pumping were usually based on some simple theoretical models, the corresponding results had significant deviations from actual situations. In this study, medium and low vacuum systems (including vacuum chambers, pipes and pumps) were taken as research objects. With a measured vacuum system, and relationship between pump’s suction flowrate and inlet pressure, a new calculation method for vacuum pumping time was proposed, in which laminar or turbulent model was selected according to the pipeline’s flow state. New and traditional laminar method were used to calculate the pumping process of the measured system, which found that in the middle and high pressure stage, the pipeline flow was in turbulent state and the resistance was non-negligible. If the influence of turbulence was ignored, the calculated pressure drop would be faster than actual situation. The calculation result was verified by actual measurement result, indicating that new method is practical for vacuum pumping time calculation.

Study the Effect of Temperature on Methane Desorption Based on Thermodynamics and Kinetics

Desorption hysteresis is important for primary gas production. Temperature may cause serious change in the methane adsorption/desorption behaviors. In order to study the mechanism of methane desorption and desorption hysteresis, three sets of samples of long flame coal, coking coal, and anthracite were collected, and experiments such as microscopic composition determination, liquid nitrogen adsorption, and isothermal adsorption/desorption were performed. From the perspectives of desorption kinetics, desorption thermodynamics and methane occurrence state, the differences in methane and methane desorption characteristics and the desorption hysteresis mechanism are discussed. The results show that at the same temperature, anthracite (SH3#) has the largest saturated adsorption capacity and residual adsorption capacity, followed by coking coal (SGZ11#), and long -flame coal (DFS4#) is the smallest. As the temperature rises, the theoretical desorption rate and residual adsorption capacity of anthracite (SH3#) and coking coal (SGZ11#) will increase first and then decrease. Temperature and methane desorption are not completely positive effects, and temperature may have a threshold for promoting methane desorption. It is necessary to comprehensively consider the influence of temperature on the activation of gas molecules and the pore structure of coal. Under the premise of a certain temperature, as the pressure increases, the desorption hysteresis rate changes in a logarithmic downward trend, and the methane desorption hysteresis rate in the low pressure stage (P 4MPa) is large, and the methane desorption hysteresis rate in the high-pressure stage (P>4MPa) is lower; During the isobaric adsorption process, the adsorption capacity of anthracite (SH3#) increases the fastest, followed by SGZ11#, and DFS4# is the smallest. In the low-pressure stage (P 4MPa), the adsorption capacity increases significantly with the increase of pressure, but in the high pressure stage (P 4MPa), the adsorption capacity does not change significantly with pressure, but gradually stabilizes. Under the same pressure, the molecular free path of methane increases with temperature. Under the premise of constant temperature, in the low-pressure stage (0<P<4MPa), when the pressure continues to decrease, the free path of methane molecules increases significantly, resulting in a decrease in the diffusion capacity. In the high-pressure stage (4<P<8MPa), when the pressure continues to decrease, the free path of methane molecules does not change significantly; DFS4#, SGZ11#, SH3# sample desorption process of three sets of samples, the intermediate adsorption heat is greater than the isometric adsorption heat during the adsorption process, indicating that the desorption process needs to continuously absorb heat from outside the system. The energy difference produced in the process of adsorption and desorption causes the desorption hysteresis effect. The greater the difference in the isometric heat value of adsorption, the more significant the hysteresis.

Geodynamic significance of the Variscan eclogites in the External Crystalline Massifs (Western Alps): marker of a subduction or crustal thickening?

&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;The Paleozoic basement exposed in the External Crystalline Massifs of the Western Alps (ECM) contains numerous relics of Variscan eclogites and high pressure granulites preserved in high grade migmatitic gneisses. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;These relics are taken to indicate&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt; that the &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;ECM&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt; underwent an early HP metamorphic stage during the Variscan Orogeny. However, due to the scarcity of recent thermobarometric and geochronological data, the geodynamic significance of this high pressure metamorphism remains unclear. Based on petrological similarities with other eclogite-bearing formations in the European Variscides (especially the &amp;#8220;leptyno-amphibolic compex&amp;#8221; in the French &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;Variscides&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;), it has been suggested that the high pressure rocks from the ECM mark a mid-Devonian subduction cycle, preceding the main Carboniferous Variscan collisional stage &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;(Fr&lt;/span&gt;&amp;#233;ville et al., 2018; Guillot and M&amp;#233;not, 2009)&lt;span&gt;. This interpretation mostly relies on one mid-Devonian U-Pb zircon age (395&lt;/span&gt;&amp;#177;&lt;span&gt;2 Ma) obtained in eclogites from the massif of Belledonne (Paquette et al., 1989), which has been interpreted as the age of eclogitization. However, dating of high pressure granulites in the Argentera Massif (Rubatto et al., 2010) yielded a Carboniferous age (ca. 340 Ma) for the high pressure stage, questioning the previous geodynamical interpretation. &lt;/span&gt;We present here the results of a detailed petrological and geochronological investigation of the high grade formation of the Lacs de la Temp&amp;#234;te in NE Belledonne, where some of the eclogites dated by Paquette et al. (1989) were sampled. This area exposes mostly high-grade migmatitic metasediments with intercalated lenses of orthogneiss and garnet-bearing amphibolites, preserving locally eclogitic assemblages. Thermobarometric estimations coupling forward pseudosection modelling, Zr in rutile thermometry and garnet growth modelling constrain the minimal P conditions during the high pressure stage at ca. 1.4-1.6 GPa and 700 &amp;#176;C. The early HP assemblage was then strongly overprinted by granulite facies metamorphism at ca. 1.0-1.2 GPa and 750 &amp;#176;C, also recorded in the surrounding metasediments. U-Pb dating of zircon reveals that the eclogites derived from Ordovician protoliths. Zircon overgrowth in the eclogites and the surrounding metasediments constrain the age of HP metamorphism between ca. 350-305 Ma, with no evidence for a Devonian event. Rutile dating in the eclogites supports the late Carboniferous age of metamorphism. The middle-late Carboniferous corresponds to the main period of Variscan nappe stacking in the ECM, following a period of arc magmatism during late Devonian-Tournaisian (ca. 360-350 Ma, &lt;span&gt;Fr&lt;/span&gt;&amp;#233;ville et al., 2018). We therefore suggest that the 350-305 Ma ages recorded in the HP units of the ECM do not correspond to a Devonian subduction, but rather represent the equilibration of orogenic lower crust at HP-MT conditions during the Variscan nappe stacking events, followed by re-equilibration at lower P during late Carboniferous. This evolution presents striking similarities with the high pressure units of the Moldanubian zone in the Bohemian massif (Schulmann et al., 2009). However, deciphering the exact meaning of U-Pb ages in retrogressed eclogites remains a challenge, and further field and petrological investigation is required to produce a consistent history of the Variscan collision in the ECM.&lt;/p&gt;

Axial-Swept Influence on Inner Flow Performance of HP Steam Turbine Based on CFD

Swept blade technology was used to redesign the supercritical steam turbine sets that could improve the inner-efficiency of turbine sets and decrease the consumption of coal the noxious gas such as NOx. The eighth high-pressure stages, including static and rotor cascades, were selected as tested prototypes that were blew in the low-velocity wind tunnel. We used the five-hole ball head needle to measure the aerodynamic parameters distribution along the width and span direction of the high-pressure stage cascades. With the inkblot display technology, the limit flow spectrums were displaced in the blade surface and the endwalls. These tested data could be used to check the simulation results of CFD software. To improve the efficiency of the steam turbine high-pressure (HP) stage, we selected the supercritical steam turbine HP stage cascade blade as the prototype to research into its inner flow performance of the axial-swept blade by the CFD software. Two different redesigned blades, with ±20°, swept angle, and 30% swept height, named axial fore-swept and axial aft-swept, were built up. The stage passages flow field of the prototype blade, and the two redesigned swept blades were simulated using CFD software with stage interface planes between the stages. The CFD simulation results indicated that the leading edge of swept blades influenced the inlet flow field; the pressure in aft-swept blade stage in both endwalls was higher than in the middle and was beneficial to improve the passage flow properties of HP stage. But for the fore-swept HP stage, its pressure distribution was lower in both endwalls than in the middle and not beneficial to passage flow.

Analysis and Improvement of a Two-Stage Centrifugal Compressor Used in an MW-Level Gas Turbine

The performance of a low/high-pressure-stage centrifugal compressor in a land-use MW-level gas turbine with a pressure ratio of approximately 11 is analyzed and optimized with a 1D aerodynamic design and modeling optimization system. 1D optimization results indicate that the diameter ratio of the low-pressure-stage centrifugal compressor with a vane-less diffuser, and the divergent angle of the high-pressure-stage centrifugal compressor with a vaned diffuser, are extremely large and result in low efficiency. Through modeling design and optimization system analysis, a tandem vaned diffuser is used in the low-pressure stage, and a tandem vaned diffuser with splitter vanes is adopted in the high-pressure stage. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) results show that the pressure ratio and efficiency of the optimized low/high-pressure-stage centrifugal compressor are significantly improved. Coupling calculations of the low/high-pressure stage of the original and optimized designs are conducted based on the results of MW-level gas turbine cycles. CFD results show that the pressure ratio and efficiency of the optimized two-stage centrifugal compressor increase by approximately 8% and 4%, respectively, under three typical load conditions of 100%, 90%, and 60%.

Techno-Economic Analysis of High-Pressure Metal Hydride Compressor Systems

Traditional high pressure mechanical compressors account for over half of the car station&rsquo;s cost, have insufficient reliability and are not feasible for a large-scale fuel cell market. An alternative technology, employing a two-stage, hybrid system based on electrochemical and metal hydride compression technologies, represents an excellent alternative to conventional compressors. The high-pressure stage, operating at 100-875 bar, is based on a metal hydride thermal system. A techno-economic analysis of the metal hydride system is presented and discussed. A model of the metal hydride system was developed, integrating a lumped parameter mass and energy balance model with an economic model. A novel metal hydride heat exchanger configuration is also presented, based on mini-channel heat transfer systems, allowing for effective high-pressure compression. Several metal hydrides were analyzed and screened, demonstrating that one selected material, namely (Ti0.97Zr0.03)1.1Cr1.6Mn0.4, is likely the best candidate material to be employed for high-pressure compressors under the specific conditions. System efficiency and costs were assessed based on the properties of currently available materials at industrial levels. Results show that the system can reach pressures on the order of 875 bar with thermal power provided at approximately 150 &deg;C. The system cost is comparable with the current mechanical compressors and can be reduced in several ways as discussed in the paper.

Numerical Analysis on the Influence of the Twisted Blade on the Aerodynamic Performance of Turbine

With the gradual increase of the thermal power unit capacity, the inlet steam parameters and flow of the turbine also increase gradually, which causes considerable secondary flow loss. Therefore, studying the causes and distribution of secondary flow loss within the level is of great significance to effectively improve the stage internal efficiency of turbine. Take high-pressure stage moving blade of a turbine as the research object, and adopt the k-ωSST model, the SIMPLEC algorithm to numerically simulate the formation and development process of leakage vortex between the tip clearance of the positive bending twisted blade and its effect on the secondary flow of cascade passage. Results show that relative to the conventional twisted blade, the scope of influence of leakage vortex which the steam flow formed near the suction surface of positive bending twisted blade and the disturbance to passage mainstream become smaller, and the increase of tip clearance has weakened the „C“ type pressure gradient of suction surface of the positive bending twisted blade, increased the thickness of the boundary layer at both ends of blades and the loss of the blade end.