Abstract
The presented research demonstrates the results of a series of numerical simulations of gas flow through a single-stage centrifugal compressor with a vaneless diffuser. Numerical results were validated with experiments consisting of eight regimes with different mass flow rates. The steady-state and unsteady simulations were done in ANSYS FLUENT 13.0 and NUMECA FINE/TURBO 8.9.1 for one-period geometry due to periodicity of the problem. First-order discretization is insufficient due to strong dissipation effects. Results obtained with second-order discretization agree with the experiments for the steady-state case in the region of high mass flow rates. In the area of low mass flow rates, nonstationary effects significantly influence the flow leading stationary model to poor prediction. Therefore, the unsteady simulations were performed in the region of low mass flow rates. Results of calculation were compared with experimental data. The numerical simulation method in this paper can be used to predict compressor performance.
Highlights
Detailed experimental and numerical research of flow structures in centrifugal compressors began in the last century
Steady-state and unsteady simulations were done in ANSYS FLUENT 13.0 using the realizable κ − ε turbulence model with enhanced wall treatment [4]
Numerical results agree with the experiments for regimes with high mass flow rates
Summary
Detailed experimental and numerical research of flow structures in centrifugal compressors began in the last century. The issue of flow stall formation with impellers of open and closed types was investigated depending on the flow rate. Eckardt (1976) [2], a classical work in the domain, considered impellers with high rotating speeds. The flow structure was compared with the numerical results and the flow separation was analyzed. The matter of using threedimensional simulations of a viscous flow for design and analysis of centrifugal compressors was examined in [3]. Two different codes were used to obtain the results; they are compared to experimental data. Both codes underestimated the appearance of pressure losses in the impeller
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