Design of a Centrifugal Compressor with Low Solidity Vaned Diffuser (LSVD) for Large-Scale Compressed Air Energy Storage (CAES)

Abstract

Compressed Air Energy Storage (CAES) has tremendous promotional value in the intermittent renewable energy supply systems. CAES has special requirements for compressor (e.g. heavy load, high pressure ratio, wide range). With advantages of higher efficiency and wider operation range, IGC (Integrally Geared Compressors) is selected to fulfill the special requirements of the large-scale CAES. To get a better aerodynamic performance, in this paper, based on the analysis of internal flow of centrifugal compressor, a multi-objective one-dimensional optimization design program was put forward combined with modified Two-Zone model and a low solidity vaned diffuser (LSVD) design method. Then, a centrifugal compressor aerodynamic component optimization design system was established with the three-dimensional blade optimization design method based on neural network and genetic optimization algorithm. Then a validation was done by redesigning the Krain-Impeller to get better performance. Finally, the aerodynamic design of the first stage of IGC was completed. The CFD calculation results indicated that the total-to-total pressure ratio of the first stage was 2.51 and the polytropic efficiency was 91.0% at the design point. What’s more, an operation margin and surge margin of the compressor was about 26.5% and 16.4% respectively.