The efficiency is reduced in very small centrifugal compressors due to low Reynolds numbers. In the past, the effect of the Reynolds number on centrifugal compressor performance has been studied experimentally, and empirical correction equations for the efficiency have been derived based on those results. There is a lack of numerical investigations into the effect of the Reynolds number on centrifugal compressor performance and losses. This paper aims to compare the numerical results to the efficiencies predicted by the correction equations found in the literature. The loss generation in the impeller blade passages is also studied in order to find out which loss production mechanism has the most potential to be reduced or eliminated. The effect of the Reynolds number on compressor performance is investigated in the chord Reynolds number range varying from 0.8 · 105 to 17 · 105 by simulating numerically the original compressors and downscaled ones. The numerical results are validated against experimental data and the results are compared with the efficiency correction equations used in the literature. The results indicate that the performance of the downscaled compressors follow quite precisely the most recently published correction equation. The results also show that the increased losses in low-Reynolds-number compressors are caused both by the relatively increased boundary layer thickness and by the shear stress resulting from the increased vorticity.

This paper compares experimental static pressure measurement with CFD simulation in a centrifugal compressor at 12 points through the diffuser. Three mass flow rates are selected, each for three operating speeds giving nine total operating conditions. The results show that the CFD model generally slightly underpredicts the static pressure value as compared to the experimental results. The discrepancy between experimental and numerical results ranges between -8% and +6% and is fairly consistent for a given operating condition, except for close to the blade trailing edge where the pressure variation is less regular and where the pressure is increasing most rapidly with radial position. In the consistent region, where the pressure gradient is low, the discrepancy is around two percent or less for simulations close to the design operating point. Away from the design operating point the errors increase up to approximately 5%. The simulation results were also used to investigate the effect of the position (from the blade trailing edge) of the impeller-diffuser interface (a characteristic of the frozen rotor simulation approach). Here an optimal position for the interface was found to be 2% of the blade radius. This value gave improved agreement with the experimental result in the initial region of the diffuser up to a distance of approximately 10% of the radius. At greater distances the position of the interface became less important. The results also highlighted a change in the pressure along the spanwise direction close to the tips. A dip in the pressure, which was observed in the experimental results, was only observed in the simulations close to the shroud. Close to the hub the simulation results recorded a small local peak. The simulation approach was then applied to further study the flow characteristics by examining the full-field velocity and pressure contours in the impeller and diffuser regions to identify changes due to the different operating conditions.

The hydraulic sliding-spool valve is a key component to control the flow rates and thus pressures in different hydraulic volumes. The lateral force on the spool is one of the important effects resulting from moving resistance. This paper presents research aimed at understanding the effects of radial flow force and static pressure upon the lateral force. The radial flow force is calculated from three types of control surfaces labelled with square land, 45 • conical, and round curved surfaces, for discovering the effects of control profile, combined with inlet and outlet control conditions. The pressure difference effect is analyzed along with six cases under the same orifice opening, and the radial flow force is found to vary linearly with the pressure difference. The results also indicate that the radial force for the inlet control mode is less than that of the outlet control mode. The jet angle is discovered to not only be related to the annular orifice opening and gap clearance, but is also influenced by the flow direction and control surface profile. The static pressure is the predominant factor in the lateral force compared to the radial flow force. The results indicate that the static pressure variation on the surface of the cylindrical spool shoulder increased linearly with the inlet pressure; and two stagnation points can be observed in the case of the valve cavity with oil passages on the same section, and square land control edge profile. The lateral force on the spool increases with the pressure, and could reach to the maximum of 300 N, implying that this force should be taken into account in the selection of an actuator, especially in high pressure applications.

A two-dimensional hydraulic servo valve is an innovative servo control element that provides hydraulic systems with a high power-to-weight ratio, great anti-pollution potential, and superior static and dynamic characteristics. The spool of such a valve is subject to two degrees of freedom: rotation around and sliding along the spool axis, to accomplish both pilot control and flow amplifier functions. The structure of the spool at the main stage is similar to that of a traditional slide valve wherein the asymmetrical distribution of the oil paths manufactured in the valve body produces circumferential unevenness in the radial flow force to the spool at the annular orifice, in line with the momentum theory. Three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics analysis of the flow field revealed that the radial flow force at the annular orifice increases sharply with inlet flow velocity and decreases as the orifice opening grows, while changes in outlet pressure do not affect the levels or distribution of this force. Also, net radial force at the annular orifice increases with both inlet velocity and opening size. The paper presents results demonstrating that the net radial force from fluid flow through the orifice could increase friction resistance and cannot be safely ignored, especially under high-flow-rate conditions. INDEX TERMS CFD, net radial force, pressure distribution, radial flow force, slide valve.

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Abstract:The decrease in the performance of centrifugal compressors operating at low Reynolds numbers (e.g., unmanned aerial vehicles at high altitudes or small turbomachines) can reach 10% due to increased friction. The purposes of this review are to represent the state-of-the-art of the active and passive flow control methods used to improve performance and/or widen the operating range in numerous engineering applications, and to investigate their applicability in low-Reynolds-number centrifugal compressors. The applicable method should increase performance by reducing drag, increasing blade loading, or reducing tip leakage. Based on the aerodynamic and structural demands, passive methods like riblets, squealers, winglets and grooves could be beneficial; however, the drawbacks of these approaches are that their performance depends on the operating conditions and the effect might be negative at higher Reynolds numbers. The flow control method, which would reduce the boundary layer thickness and reduce wake, could have a beneficial impact on the performance of a low-Reynolds-number compressor in the entire operating range, but none of the methods represented in this review fully fulfil this objective.

The ever-increasing demand for more efficient energy conversion has placed designers under increasing pressure to develop processing equipment that can meet contemporary needs. It has long been known that a decreasing Reynolds number has a negative effect on centrifugal compressor efficiency.

The estimation of boundary layer losses requires the accurate specification of the free-stream velocity, which is not straightforward in centrifugal compressor blade passages. This challenge stems from the jet-wake flow structure, where the free-stream velocity between the blades cannot be clearly specified. In addition, the relative velocity decreases due to adverse pressure gradient. Therefore, the common assumption of a single free-stream velocity over the blade surface might not be valid in centrifugal compressors. Generally in turbomachinery, the losses in the blade cascade boundary layers are estimated e.g. with different loss co-efficients, but they often rely on the assumption of a uniform flow field between the blades. To give guidelines for the estimation of the mentioned losses in highly distorted centrifugal compressor flow fields, this paper discusses the difficulties in the calculation of the boundary layer thickness in the compressor blade passages, compares different free-stream velocity definitions, and demonstrates their effect on estimated boundary layer losses. Additionally, a hybrid method is proposed to overcome the challenges of defining a boundary layer in centrifugal compressors.