Overshoot of the Rankine Vortex Formed in the Flow Field Behind the Inlet Guide Vane of Centrifugal Compressors

Chen, Y. N.; Hagelstein, D.; Kassens, I.; Hasemann, H.; Haupt, U.; Rautenberg, M.

doi:10.1115/99-gt-182

Cited by 10 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 0 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Analytical work to improve the VIGV assembly, fitted to a centrifugal compressor, was described by Swain [8], and the results were presented to support the choice of casing manufactured. The experimental investigation of the flow field behind the VIGVs of a centrifugal compressor carried out by Kassens and Rautenberg [9] was analysed by Chen et al [10,11] with respect to the development of the tangential velocity profiles from the type of the Rankine vortex to that of the Lamb-Oseen vortex. Efforts had been made by Coppinger [12] to determine the performance characteristics of an existing VIGVs design using both an experimental test facility and numerical techniques.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The effects of radial inlet with splitters on the performance of variable inlet guide vanes in a centrifugal compressor stage

Tan

X²,

et al. 2011

Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part C:

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Variable inlet guide vanes (VIGVs) can regulate pressure ratio and mass flow at constant rotational speed in centrifugal compressors as a result of inducing a controlled prewhirl in front of impellers. Radial inlets and VIGVs are typical upstream components in front of the first-stage impellers in many industrial centrifugal compressors. However, previous investigations on VIGVs in centrifugal compressors were mostly conducted under the condition of axial inlets, and this study aims to focus on the effects of radial inlet on the VIGVs performance of a centrifugal compressor stage. The axial inlet stage model is compared with the radial inlet stage model with splitters using numerical flow simulation. The flow from the radial inlet was nonuniform in both circumferential and radial directions; thus, the VIGVs, the impeller, the vaneless diffuser, and the return vane channel are modelled with fully 360 passages. The three-dimensional (3D) flow field is numerically simulated at VIGVs setting angles ranging from À20 to 60 . The overall stage performance parameters are obtained by integrating the field quantities. Though the splitters are equipped in the radial inlet, the overall stage polytropic efficiency decreases by an average of 4 per cent and total pressure ratio decreases by an average of 3.3 per cent in comparison with the axial stage model. This can be attributed to the effect of both flow non-uniformity induced by radial inlet and flow loss in the radial inlet at different VIGV setting angles. The flow loss in the radial inlet with splitters is the main reason of the stage performance decrease compared with the flow non-uniformity. The simulation results show that the performance of VIGVs is degraded by its inlet flow distortions resulting from a radial inlet. The results in this study can be applied to centrifugal compressor design and optimization.

show abstract

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The effects of radial inlet with splitters on the performance of variable inlet guide vanes in a centrifugal compressor stage

Tan

X²,

et al. 2011

Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part C:

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Their results indicate that the flow field in the front of the impeller is defined by both upstream and downstream components. Further analysis of the data [3,4] shows the overshoot of the vortex after IGVs and pre-rotation induced by the impeller.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 96%

Unsteady flow around suction elbow and inlet guide vanes in a centrifugal compressor

Cui¹

2006

Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part G:

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Suction elbow and inlet guide vanes (IGVs) are typical upstream components in front of the first-stage impeller in a centrifugal compressor. As the flow field in the front of the impeller is subsonic, the flow motion induced by the rotating impeller interacts with the elbow and IGVs. These interactions induce turbulent unsteady flows inside compressors. The resulting unsteadiness affects efficiency, vibration, and noise generation of the compressor. To understand the mechanism controlling the interactions between upstream components and to optimize the compressor design for better efficiency and reliability, the turbulent unsteady flow inside the first stage of the compressor was simulated. The model included the suction elbow, IGV housing, and firststage impeller. HFC 134a was used as the working fluid. The thermodynamic and transport properties of the refrigerant gas were modelled by the Martin-Hou equation of state and power laws, respectively. The three-dimensional unsteady flow field was numerically simulated. The overall performance parameters were obtained by integrating the field quantities. The force, torque, and the arm of moments acting on the IGVs were then calculated. The results can be used to design IGVs and their motion control system to achieve higher efficiency and improve reliability.

show abstract

“…A variable inlet guide vane (IGV) is the main method. 4,9,[12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21] Other methods or structures such as re-injecting the rotating gas, 22 an inlet volute 23 and inlet radial vanes 24,25 were also employed to produce a prewhirl and to suppress surge. The variable inlet prewhirl and the swirl generators do extend the stable operating range of a compressor.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…9 Detailed measurements behind the IGV showed that a Rankine vortex existed between the IGV and the impeller and that this pattern generated noise and loss at the inlet. [16][17][18] Li et al 20 discovered an obvious influence of the choking effect between the IGV and the vaned diffuser on the efficiency of a centrifugal compressor. Zhou et al 21 also investigated the unsteady IGV-impeller-diffuser interaction and discovered that the flow wake of the IGVs caused a pressure fluctuation at the rotor-stator interface.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Potential of the range extension of compressors with a variable inlet prewhirl for automotive turbocharged engines with an ultra-high-power density

Zheng

Huang

2015

Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part D:

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Downsizing is an effective way to improve the fuel economy of an engine and to reduce the emissions. For turbocharged engines, further downsizing or increasing the power density requires air to be compressed to a higher pressure. However, conventional compressors have a narrow stable operating range at high pressure ratios and cannot provide such highly pressurized air for ultra-high-power-density engines. Thus, a variable inlet prewhirl is employed to extend the stable operating range of the compressor. This paper investigates the performance of a centrifugal compressor with different prewhirls and speeds, quantitatively estimates the potential of range extension with a variable inlet prewhirl and discusses the mechanisms thought to be responsible for the range extension. The approach combines steady threedimensional Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes simulations with theoretical analysis. In order to make the study universal to various applications with a inlet prewhirl, the inlet prewhirl was generated by giving a velocity direction at the inlet boundary of the numerical method. A variable inlet prewhirl from 0°to 60°improves the stable operating range from 23.5% to 49.0% at a pressure ratio of 4.8. The extended range is based on the shifts in the choke line and the surge line with a positive inlet prewhirl. The decreased choking flow with a positive inlet prewhirl is mainly caused by the drop in the work input from the impeller. The dominant factor in reducing the surge flow of compressor is the highly increased stability of the impeller. It is also found that the impeller tends to choke and the diffuser tends to surge with increasing prewhirl. By extending the stable operating range of the compressor with a variable inlet prewhirl from 0°to 60°, the improvement in the maximum pressure for turbocharged engine is about 64% and the increase in the brake torque is estimated to be up to 42%.

show abstract

Overshoot of the Rankine Vortex Formed in the Flow Field Behind the Inlet Guide Vane of Centrifugal Compressors

Cited by 10 publications

References 0 publications

The effects of radial inlet with splitters on the performance of variable inlet guide vanes in a centrifugal compressor stage

The effects of radial inlet with splitters on the performance of variable inlet guide vanes in a centrifugal compressor stage

Unsteady flow around suction elbow and inlet guide vanes in a centrifugal compressor

Potential of the range extension of compressors with a variable inlet prewhirl for automotive turbocharged engines with an ultra-high-power density

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About