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    compressor

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    Design and CED investigation of Centrifugal Compressor for Turbocharger and Parametric Study on Splitter Blades Abdul Nassar’, Q H Nagpurwala’, K Bramhananda Reddy” |-Lecturer MSRSAS , 2-Professor MSRSAS, 3- Sr. Lecturer MSRSAS Centr for Rotating Machinery design, MSRSAS Abstract An this project work, a centrifugal compressor for use in turbocharger was designed and the flow through the impeller was investigated using a general purpose commercially available CFD code FLUENT. To achieve the desired performance parameters, four different blade profiles were generated by CAD modeling and analyzed computationally. The impeller consisted of 18 backswept blades. Performance characteristics were obtained for four different speeds. The ‘effect of tip clearance on the pressure ratio and efficiency was studied with two diferent tip clearances. It is observed that the tip clearance results in lowering of pressure ratio and efficiency and brings ina change in the impeller exit flow from ‘no jet wake pattern at zero clearance to a jet wake pattern. To improve on the mass flow parameter, 9 full blades were replaced by 9 spliter blades. In order to arrive atthe optimus length ofthe splter blade, four diferent spliter blade length ratios of 0.35, 0.50, 0.65 and 0.81, defined as the ratio of splitter blade length to full blade length, were analyzed. The circunferetial positon of the spliter vanes was varied by I/rd and 23rd ofthe main impeller blade spacing. The effect of this shift on the overall compressor performance as well as on the flow quality was studied in detail. The optimum length ratio was found to be 0.5. Also the circumferential repositioning of the splitter vanes did not produce any appreciable change inthe overall compressor performance or the flow sructare Keywords: Centrifugal compressor, Design, Splitter blades, CFD 1 INTRODUCTION Wider stable operating range than the vaned diffusers. This wide stable operating range is very important for Cental compressor as ben sound for maty —_utomotve engine whee the waraions In sped ad pris so as ted ix Uusbochenpers betuce Coin used Bi load range are large. Moreover, vaneless diffusers have turbojet engines of Whittle and Ohain (1996). The the advantages of reduced effect of dirt accumulation and increase in the usage of reciprocating engines in a wide igwer noise levels. Thus vaneless. diffusers ae range of automotive vehicles and the resulting pollution commonly used in’ the “radial compressor of the 1nd environmental concems forced designers o establish tarbochargr, ways and methods to reduce pollution as well as to increase efficiency. Supercharging was one of the ‘The design aspects of centrifugal compressors are methods to improve the efficiency as well as to reduce covered in detail by several author, viz Cohen et al pollution. Turbocharging is nowadays considered the (1996), Japikse and Baines (1997), Aungier (2000) ‘most commonly used method of engine supercharging. Cumpsty (1989), Whitfield & Baines (1990). These Lately, the turbocharger compressor is required to books give an insight not only into the various steps develop an ever-increasing pressure ratio. while Tequired in design but also provide the procedure and the ‘maintaining abroad operating range and good efficiency. empirical relations required inthe basic design aspects of 4 centrifugal compressor. Due to ever increasing fuel Early turbocharger design had used radial flow, prices and technology competition a lot of efforts are backswept, and shrouded impellers. Later on. eing put to. make cenlifugal, compressors, more tunshrouded impellers replaod shrouded impelles. The efficent, In this pursuit of perfection, much attention has application of unshrouded impellers resulted in impeller gen given to the impeller vane design as its geomet 8 ‘weight reduction. This enabled turbochargers to rotate at_ major contributing factor while deciding the higher rotational sponds, hence producing higher Sq Ser chiens Boosting. pressure ratios (> 21). The application of unshouded impellers also reduced windage loses and ‘The design of a modem centrifugal compressor improved the turbocharge response Yo engine demands, involve several dierent disciplines, consfeable Its also a common practice fo increase the number of hisrial design experience, and usually a varity of impeler vanes withthe application of spliter vanes. This design tools Gapikse and Plat 2004). The desien of provides more guidance tothe flow towards thé impeller ceaifugl compressor impellers can be considered a & Exit and minimizes blockage at the compressor eye. tWO-Sep procedure. As a fist step, blade angles at inlet However, increasing the blade number is limited by the abd outct and the skeletal dimensions, such as, axial increawe in manufacturing costs, impeller weight, hub length, inkt and outlet diameters etc. are ientied by Stesees, and inca. The blade number higher than’ means of simple -D flow analysis. Inthe next phase, eran optimum value reals inva reduction of the (General etal 1999) dtaed design parameters Compressor efficiency as a result of the increased presenting the blade geometry are specified and aerodynamic fiction losses. The optimal blade number is __Subsequetly refined to satisfy the aerodynamic and ‘function of compresorspcife speed. bade angle at sess related ritea. ‘The second phase essentially the impeller outlet and cicunfeental Mach number at comprises an iterative solution (Sathaye (2000), The the impeller outlet. The radial compressor diffuser may vanes of a centrifugal impeller are complicated three- be vaned or vaneless. The vaneless diffusers provide a . sasTacu 35 Vol. V. No.2, Nov 2006 ‘dimensional shapes especially when these are non-radial (swept backwards) at the outlet. The inlt flow into the compressor can significantly degrade the compressor efficiency, fest at the impeller and net in the downstream components due to propagation ofthe undesired flow characterises (Kim and Koch (1972). By matching the design parameters properly withthe minimum flow distortion between the fnlet andthe impeller, itis posible to bring the best efficiency and operating range fora compressor stage ‘Therefore, the downstream flow properties of an inlet can havea srong influence on the performance ofthe entire compressor stage. The three main aspects of compressor inlet. performance are incidence, oll presture loss, and flow uniformiy/distorton. A good uniform flow at the impeller outlet increases. the compressor stage efficieney due to the reduction in mixing losses (Ramamurthy and Murugeshan (1996). “The impeller performance characteristics depend onthe reridonal channel geometry andthe blade geometry. A potential flow analysis for a given impeller geometry, including the blade shape, would give the basic velocity distribution. This veloiy distribution can be used to evaluate the loading distribution andthe viscous effets arising out of the velocity gradients, Boundary layer characteristics forthe velocity distribution would show the supremacy of one geometry over the other. The design of the impeller is essentially to optimize the performance with regard to the characteristics as Aiscussed above. Many centrifugal compressors have the leading ‘edges of alternate blades cut back so that there are effectively fewer blades in the inducer than in the passage further downstream. This is because the number ‘of blades needed to prevent stagnation of the flow on the pressure surface increases in the radial purt of the passage due to the Coriolis effect on the blade-to-blade pressure gradient (Hanlon (2006)) These blades would ‘be wasted and cause extra loss due to extra wetted area if they extended to the axial part of the passage. The thickness of the blades would also reduce the throat area ‘of the impeller (the throat normally occurs in the inducer) and so would limit the mass flow it could pass i itis choked. Ifthe throat is not choked the extra blockage of the blades would increase the relative velocity and hhence the loss. Hence there are good arguments for using less blades in the inducer than, in the est of the machine and most centrifugal compressors have such splitter blades, LA Objectives of the Study ‘Through this project work an attempt is made to address the following points, > Simulate the flow through impeller without spliter blades > — Suidy the effect of tip clearance on impeller performance > Optimize the length ofthe splitter blade > Simulate flow through the impeller with spliter blade positon circumferentilly sasTECH 36 2 DESIGN OF THE CENTRIFUGAL COMPRESSOR ‘The centrifugal compressor was t be designed for an automotive engine of 2498cc, The airflow required per second was a function of the engine volume, ‘maximum speed ofthe engine, volumetric effciecy and the density. The most obvious parameters to vary inthe impeller design are the merdonal channel, the blade angle distribution and the number of blades, which ‘essentially determine the deceleration and the blade loading. The position of th blade leading edge is mainly determined by the typeof the compressor for which the impeller is designed. The blade loading in ny definition ‘or the incidence angle at the blade leading edge can be sed as a general design rule to predict the limit of the stable operating range of a radial impeller. The overall axial length of an impeller is usually restricted to about 15 pereent, but may range ffom a maximim of 30 percent to'a minimum of about 10 percent of the Giameter Dp, whereas the shaft diameter cannot be smaller than 35-40 percent of D. The shroud diameter is determined by the flow coefficient and the maximum relative Mach number at the tip and ends up being approximately equal to 05-0.72 D;, The blade angle distribution and the number of blades determine the blade loading. I is usually defined as the state pressure difference between the blade suction and pressure sides in relation to the mean dynamic pressure ofthe relative flow. Values of Cy range fiom 0-7-1 (albert eal (1999), Another very important parameter in the design proces i the blade angle at the leading edge. The ID analysis shows a strict dependence ofthe inlet ow angle and the relative inlet Mach number on the mass flow function and the axial inlet Mach number. 3 GEOMETRIC MODEL AND FLOW DOMAIN DISCRETISATION ‘The centrifugal compressor is shown in Fig.1 ‘The impeller consists 18-main blades. The impeller ‘model is generated in Unigraphics-Nx and diseritised i GAMBIT 2 using structured hexahedral elements. ‘Similar approach is made for impeller with tip clearance ‘and for impeller with spliter blades Fig CAD model and domain discretization 3.1 Boundary Conditions Figure 2 shows the boundary condition as applied t0 the impeller domain, Fluent 6.2, 2 commercially available 3D viscous code, was selected for the CFD ‘analysis. The boundary conditions were specified as 470880 Celts Pressure Ratio Po3/Po: ‘ante mass flow rate (kgls) me an" Fig 5: Grid independence study Vol. V, No.2, Nov 2006 4, RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS ‘The numerical results are presented in terms of compressor characteristic maps at design and off design conditions and are compared with the design intent. The meridional velocity variations through the impeliee The numerical results are presented in terms of compressor characteristic blade channel are also plotted to gain insight into the flow behaviour a it moves from inlet exit, 4.1 Performance Characteristics The impeller without spliver and without tip clearance was analyzed for design speed of 81000 pm and off design speeds of 40000, 60000 and 90000 rm. ‘The performance curves are potted in Fig6. The desired performance based on I-D. mean ine analysis is Compared. While the predicied pressure ratio i closer to the designed intent, the priced efficiency is higher than the design valu since the effect of tip clearance has sot been considered ‘The decrease in efficiency at off design flow rates can be atibuted to the increased losses occuring towards stall and towards choke, where flow separation and blockage may occur due to inidence change inthe inducer "To characterize the effect of tip clearance on the pesformance of the impeller two diferent clearance heights of 0.15 and 0.3 mm corresponding to the relative tp clearances of 2.5% and 4.5% ofthe ext blade eight respectively were used, Tip clearance has contributed 10 4 significant drop in performance as can be sen from Fig 7. The efficiency drops from 85% x 2cr0 Up clearance 10 76% at 43% tp clearance. The efficiency drop is about 2% for relative clearance increase from ‘9.015 to 0.03 mm. The pressure ratio drops from 23 at zero tp clearane o 2.15 at 4.5% tp clarence, The drop in efficiency is due to the leakage flow in the tip gap due to the presure difference scross the blade surfaces and this generates cross flow normal to the main channel flow, which is Loss of the impeller work, The drop in presture ratio is duet the fac tha the ip leakage flo does nt have enovgh momentum or veloiy to support set against the adverse pressure gradient and in det to maintain steady state the flow crosses over the ip region resulting in resure toss. Ithas been epoted by Mashimo etal (52) that the average compressor performance dropped by 4% when relative clearance was Increaced from 00125 0.125, Many’of the existing impellers in use today have splter blade located at diferent stances from the leading edge of the main blade. The ceria for exact locations of the splitter blades have not been reported in. the leratue. Hence allemate apiter blades were introduced inthe present impeller and the comptatonal analysis was carried out to optimize the location and length of the splitter vanes. The ratios of the splitter blade length to the main Blade length considered in this analysis were 0.35, 050,065 and 081. The performance and efficiency curves ae plod in Fig.8. The optimum pressure ratio and efficiency is achieved when the length ‘of the spliter blade is 50% ofthe main blade length. The mass flow parameter improves as the splitter length is reduced but below a spliter length rato of 05, n0 Significant improvement inthe mas flow is observed. A Aro in pressure ratio is observed for spite length ratio fof 0.35. It is therefore concluded that the optimum sasTECH 38 performance can be achieved when the splitter blade is located at about half the axial distance from the main blade. 100%9m P1000 2 Goon © $0000 sm a o Daien 3. i a Pressure Ratio Pia, Comected mats flow rats (kolay™ 17 Fig 6 Performance characteristics without tip clearance 4.596 Tip clearance} O Tip clearance ls Desion point Pressure Ratio Fate Corrected mass flow (kp/s) ™\% Fig 7 Performance characteristics without and with tip clearance Vol. V, No.2, Nov 2006 In many of the existing impellers with splitier blades, the spliter blades are circumferential located in the middle of the two main blades and in some cases ‘there are more than one spiter blades provided between the two main blades. After concluding that the maximum performance is obtained with splitter blade ratio of 0.5, the position of the splitter was varied circumferentally from suction surface to pressure surface. The object of ths study was to find out whether a change in position cof the spliter blade will alter the flow field within the {impeller blade channels favourably resulting in improved compressor performance in terms of pressure ratio, efficiency and stall margin. In the first case, the spiter was located at 1/Brd the angular distance between the two main blades from suction side; in the second case the spliter blade was at ¥ the angular distance between the two blades and in the third case the splitter was at 23rd the angular distance from the suction surface. ‘The performance curves are plotted as shown in Fig. 10. It can be observed thatthe impeller performance in terms of pressure ratio does not improve when the spliter blades are located at angular distance of 1/3rd or 23rd, infact there is a drop in pressure ratio when the spliter blades are located at 2/3rd the angular distance. But the efficiency does improve marginally when the blade is located at 1rd the angular distance from the suction side 3 Efficiency z, 11000 m= a Pressure Ratio Poy/Pa: 51000 mm Gone ims flow 56 Fig 8 Performance showing comparison between different splitter lengths Figure 11 shows the meridian planes along the flow path to study the development of the flow field. The relative velocity contours from plane 1 t0 7 shown in Fig. 12 correspond to the design point. I is observed that a plane 3 a vortex formation takes place and this ‘migrates from pressure surface to suction surface as the flow proceeds. The formation of the vortex is due 10 diferent forces acting onthe Now namely the cetrfugal force, Coriolis fore, pressure forces ete. To understand the flow pattern the contributions of various forces on te flow are to be considered, Tec 39 ey Corrected mass flow (kg/s) ™*|% Spiro 12 foreman finde 2 Spimeat rom rence ution as She 2rd fon jas nse Fig 9 Performance map showing effect of splitter blade position Fig 10 Impeller with optimized splitter length 4.2 Meridional Velocity Profiles ‘The velocity profiles at design condition along the ‘meridional cross-section at plane 7 for impeller without spliter and tip clearance are shown in Fig 13. The ‘computed relative velocity referred tothe rotor tip speed. W/U2 is plotted along the low area. Planes 1 to 3 ig. 12) shows the potential flow along the meridional planes. As reported earlier the formation of a low velocity region on the shroud at plane-4 can be observed. ‘This is due tothe formation of a vortex, which results in the distortion of the flow pattern from plane-5 onwards ‘The vortex rapidly enlarges downstream (plane-6 and plane-7) and develops into a pronounced wake region under the influence of adverse pressure gradient. At plane-6 the stable velocity gradient to the flow surrounding the wake region can be observed illustrating the separation of the high and low energy fluid and the Vol. V, No.2, Nov 2006 suppression of the turbulent mixing along the jevwake shear layer due to the effects of Coriolis force and ‘meridional channel curvature. There is pronounced difference in flow pattem at impeller exit for cases of zero clearance and 0.1mm clearance ‘The flow behavior in the spliter passage seems similar to that in the impeller blade passage without splitter. There is formation of two independent vortices in the two-splitter channels, which grow in size but remains in the mid channel near tothe shroud as the flow proceeds towards the impeller exit (plane-7) as shown in Figi4. ‘The velocity profiles at impeller exit for spliter Position circumferentially varied are shown in Fig.15. ‘The formation of the vortex is similar to those seen when the spliters are not present but the location and magnitude varies with the spliter position being circurnferentially varied. Fig 11 Meridional cross section of the impeller from inlet to outlet ‘The channel for impeller with splitter is shown in Fig16. ‘The mass flow in channel A and channel B is ploted in Fig.17 for spliter blade positions circumferentially varied. Channel A is the flow passage between the suction side of the main blade and the pressure side of the splitter blade and channel B is the flow passage ‘between suction side of spliter blade and pressure surface of main blade. It can be observed that at design condition when the splitter blade is located at the centre ‘of the two main blades the mass flow in channel A and channel B remains same and in off design condition there is considerable deviation, Obviously the mass flows in channel A and channel B do not remain same in ‘other two cases, since the area i different for channel A and channel B, Fig 12. Relative velocity contours at design point for impeller without splitter vanes sasTECH 40 Fig 13 Velocity profiles for impeller (no splitter) without tip clearance and with tip clearance of 0.15mm Figl4 Velocity profiles for impeller with splitter in mid channel without tip clearance. Fig 15a Velocity profiles for splitter at 1/3rd from suction surface of main blade Vol. V, No.2, Nov 2006 ee Fig 1Sb Velocity profiles for splitter at 23rd the angular distance from suction surface of main ABs rey eee Pressure Ratio (Po3/P01) Fig 17 Mass splitting between two channels with splitter 5 CONCLUSIONS © The predicted performance of the compressor ‘without spliter vanes is found to be almost close 10 the design intent, particularly when the tip clearance is taken into account, © The impeller with zero clearance exhibits an ‘exit flow pattem similar to Krain’s impeller. However, the flow patter changes tothe classic jet- wake pattern of the Eckardt impeller when the tip

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