The Development of an Integrally Geared Centrifugal Compressor

Cheng Xu

doi:10.11648/j.ijfmts.20190501.11

Abstract

Integrally geared centrifugal compressors have been widely used in industry especially. Reliable design, good performance, low noise, no resonant frequencies in the operating range and cost effective machining and casting parts are the goals of the design. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) tools have been widely used to optimize the impeller, diffuser and volute designs. Many design considerations are useful for compressor preliminary parameter selections and compressor package designs. In this paper, the detailed development and design of a integrally geared centrifugal compressor are discussed. Some initial design considerations for compressor configureuration, power distribution for each stage, and possible field application issues are discussed in details. The aerodynamic and structural optimization using CFD and Finite Element Analysis (FEA) are performed to obtain a high efficiency and wide operating range compressor with robust operation. The new compressor development process addressed in this paper provides the basic design guidance for future new integrally geared compressor development.

Highlights

The integrally geared centrifugal compressor is one of the important types of turbomachines to increase the gas pressure [1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8]
The detail processes for this integrally geared centrifugal compressor developments are discussed in this paper
Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and Finite Element Analysis (FEA) have been extensively used in the design of centrifugal compressors

Summary

Introduction

The integrally geared centrifugal compressor is one of the important types of turbomachines to increase the gas pressure [1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8]. Geared centrifugal compressors have more advantages than direct drive compressor because impellers can rotated in a higher tip speed. The integrally geared centrifugal compressors have wide applications in process and air separation industries. Cheng Xu et al.: The Development of an Integrally Geared Centrifugal Compressor of the high-energy consumption devices in air separation plants. This paper authors present a detail compressor design process from marketing requirement to final design It will be a good reference for compressor manufacturers. The centrifugal compressor design process and development method were presented in detail through a geared centrifugal compressor development. The compressor developed here is an integrally geared four stage centrifugal compressor with the total-to-static pressure ratio of 12 and inlet volumetric flow of 7.3m3/s. The detail processes for this integrally geared centrifugal compressor developments are discussed in this paper. The detail design processes and aerodynamic analysis are presented here by using first stage as an example

Preliminary Design Considerations

Compressor Design and Optimization

Findings

Conclusions