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GT2004-53821
DESIGN OF SMALL CENTRIFUGAL COMPRESSORS PERFORMANCE TEST
FACILITY
Al-Sulaiman , Fahd A.
Graduate Assistant
AI-Qutub , Amro M.
Associate Professor
ABSTRACT
Actual performance testing is a key element in the design
stage, development and troubleshooting of centrifugal
compressors. The present work discusses the procedure for
designing the experimental setup and the selection of drive unit
for variable centrifugal compressors sizes. It starts with setting
criteria of selection. A survey over different types of drive units
and facility setup was conducted. It was found that the electric
drive unit with the aid of transmission for stepping-up the
speeds is the most suitable type. This is due mainly to the
excellent control property of electric motors allowing for wide
range of operational speed and power. A new methodology was
developed for selecting operational power and speeds of the
drive unit for different sizes of impellers. The code, used for the
analysis, was developed by the authors. It calculates the range
of input power, input torque, and rotational speeds, as well as,
the mass flow rate, total pressure and temperature ratios for
different sizes of impellers. This will aid in selecting the proper
instrumentation for the experiments. The code was validated
with experimental results in the literature. It is expected that the
present methodology will enhance selection procedure for
designing compressor test facility.
INTRODUCTION
Designing a flexible centrifugal compressor test facility
where different compressor configurations and sizes can be
tested with minor modifications, means reduction in cost and
time. Also, the quality of the experimental results depends on
the design of the test facility. That is the instrumentation used
for the measurement and the layout of the test rig. This raises
the need to find a methodology to satisfy these requirements.
M Mach number
r Impeller radius
rpm
Rotational speed per minute
T Temperature
U Impeller blade velocity
PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS
One of the main requirements of designing the centrifugal
compressor test facility is estimating the required input power
and rotational speed to select the proper drive unit. This can be
achieved through using the proper analysis. In addition to that,
input torque, mass flow rate, stagnation pressure and
temperature ratios can help in estimating the range of operating
conditions and selection of proper instrumentation. Based on
the analysis below a computer program was constructed to
perform the calculations for different impeller sizes and
configurations.
Analysis
The operating conditions for a given centrifugal
compressor can be obtained theoretically through using
reasonable assumptions , as well as available information from
the literature. Equations for input power, input torque, mass
flow rate, stagnation pressure and temperature ratios, as well as
some other related equations were derived. The main derived
equations are shown below. Most of the analysis, with
additional modifications, is based on Hill and Peterson [2]
derivation for centrifugal compressor.
Geometry
The geometry of the analyzed impeller is shown in Figs. I
and 2.
Major Assumptions:
Ideal gas,
Bulk flow,
No preswirl at the inlet,
Adiabatic flow.
Subscripts
act
Actual case
cr Compressor rotor
c Compressor stage
h Value at hub
ideal Ideal case
01 Impeller inlet (compressor) stagnation condition
02 Impeller exit stagnation condition
04 Compressor exit tagnation condition
I Impeller inlet
2 Impeller exit
4 Compressor exit
11
I-V
Fig. 2: Impeller exit geometry and velocity vector
Governing Equations:
cosf2)
as =(1-2
Nb
(4.a)
To account for the bulk flow assumption in the analysis an
estimated coefficient for the average mass flow rate was
implemented in the code . It was chosen based on a wellestablished experimental investigation in literature for smooth
pipes Schlichting [3]. Also, to account for the flow separation
(off design condition ) an estimated relative flow angle, 10
relative to inducer tip as flow off design limits, was
implemented.
m !deal
In this case, the inlet axial velocity is:
M act =
0.1
(1)
(2)
tan /3,
X(1-
ace tan /t 2)
m
2P2 7r2 r2 b( )
30
The slip factor is also defined as:
OS
Ce2
(4.b)
U2
-1
Using the isentropic relation , the static density ratio can be
written as:
( 0,Qri2
i
Y-l
Y tan/31
m-,=P01
P2 Po2
0, Or,
tan /31
2)( 0,
rI)
Slip
(3)
(5)
1+Y] M 2
P, Poi
L 2
yR(To1 - )
x7c(r,2 -
[1+M 2
'
Factor
r
1 r-I
P 02
Poi
141+77,
2
U2
RTo
Fez
(6)
U2
M, _
' 2
C, )
Input Power
(12)
(7)
Substituting into Eq. 12 for the slip factor and write blade
velocity at the impeller tip as a function of the angular velocity,
the power can be obtained as:
YR(T01-2C
Cr
Substituting for C, in term of the angular velocity and the
inlet angle and then square the Mach number leads to:
(1- cosfl2)
b
of .
M21
_ (tan 13 )
x(1
(8)
2C r
(9)
2 C2
YR (T02 - )
n
where C, is the absolute velocity at the impeller exit as
ttanQ2)_
tan/i2)(2r2)
z
C2
C2= (U2- Wr
M2 =
mom, m
2P2 n2 r2 b(0 )
0, Qr.
yR To,
(13)
Pw =M'
tan /3,
2
+Wr2
(10)
Y-^
1t^^
Impeller radiuses,
Impeller configuration (angles and number of blades),
Inlet conditions, total pressure and temperature, as
well as flow factor,
Gas properties (ideal gas only).
2
NqJ
y y ) RT of
The third type produces plots of the total pressure ratio vs.
impeller size for different input power and rpm. This output is
the distinguish one which will aid in designing compressor for
a given system, as well as aid in the design of a drive unit for
different impeller sizes and configurations. Further details are
given in the example set in results and discussion section.
Efficiency model
Krain et al[6]
Calculate:
0.85
p2rew
u 0.83
N d
N V
0.81
CL m 0.79
- - -^-1
0.77
U
N
0.75
25,000
35,000
45,000 55.000
rpm
^, 0.07&s.-G.tt2r.-0.93
63se.q.. -310.8
sower;'' ,
0-36 b. 010T
5
._
... 1S .2
Anu- 6.wr . 0*%)
2S
Code validation
The present code and analysis are to be validated through
comparison with experimental results of Krain et al. [5]. The
validation of the code is based on the comparison of the total
pressure ratio. So, efficiency model of the compressor must be
first validated with experimental results of Krain et al. [5].
Experimental results shown in Fig. 4 are based on the average
Example
on.at
will lead to a tip speed limit of about 530 m/s at (0, =1). The
second design constrains is the maximum output rpm for the
drive unit (say 100,000 rpm as an example). This would also
put a limit for tip speed of small impellers as shown in Fig. 10.
The third type of output is illustrated in Figs. 15. a and b.
The figures indicate the total pressure ratio vs. impeller size for
two different angles . Iso-lines of input power and rpm provide a
useful tool not only for experimental drive unit setup but also
for selecting impeller size for a given compression system or
gas turbine engine. For example, if the power limit is 200 kW,
speed limit is 100,000 rpm and inlet impeller angle is 67, then
the maximum total pressure ratio that can be tested is 2.9 for
impeller size of (Z= 3) due to power limit. Also, the maximum
total pressure ratio for an impeller size of (Z=1) is 2.8 due to
speed limit. However, the maximum possible total pressure
ratio that can be obtained for 200 kW at 100,000 rpm is 8.2
with impeller size corresponding to (Z= 1.56). The same
outputs of the code may be obtained for any configuration of
impeller for the design purpose of a test facility.
o ........................_......................__.._
0 0.005 0t 0.46 0.2 0.25
Acted mesa now We tkp0s)
03
035 04
Value
0.025
0.008
0.0381
0.005
67,45
25
7+7
^+flrn ^k,afi'
0.3
0.35
04
1I .. 60k rpm
12
... _.., .... _..,._..
0 006 0AO.ti 02 026.. 0 .6 OJ6 Oa
M1* maea now rue ftW
25
.10
U -000.M
7 ..............., .... _...
Fig. 13: Stagnation pressure ratio vs. rpm for different impeller
sizes and impeller exit tangential velocities.
%W" tb
2762
660x,. ^.
25.
a l e _ .. 2.262
22
46Q,
21
,1.762
.7%; 1'5z
0.6
1 1.6 2 2S
1515 .10
Fig. 14: Actual mass flow rate vs. rpm for different impeller
sizes and impeller exit tangential velocities.
Fig. 10: Input power vs. rpm for different impeller sizes
and exit tangential velocities.
Z k m. wlp.[. 1la.
120-
5w,
:,- 32
2 757
100.
60.
252
GO. 400. '..-1' 2165 ..
2Z
a0
^...^ ..1.762
20.
ti
1.52
t26Z
Z
TSZ
00
O5
Y.6
.,2
^,na.i.,.u.12r
In'
Fig. 11: Input torque vs. rpm for different impeller sizes and
impeller exit tangential velocities.
Environment friendly,
Economical.
Control
(rpm, power )
Maintenance
Environmental
issue
Motor (no
vacuum
Sys.)
Expensive
Medium
Motor ( with
a vacuum
system )
Ex pen sive
Medium
V ex pensive
Medium
Blow-down
facility with
turbocharger
Medium
La rge
Isolated
base
-Larger
- Isolated
Extra
ventilation
Blow-down
facility
Difficult
V . difficult
Possible
Possible
High
Relatively
low
Advanced
scaling S ys,
Excellent
Fuel
Compressed air
V. high
V. high
Difficult at
surge
Difficult at
surge
Special
gearbox
Easy
Difficult
( flow
conditions)
Difficult
Excellent
Excellent
Excellent
Bi-directional
OK
OK
Safe ty
Flexibility of
compressors
Hi gh
V. good
High
Excellent
Gas Turbine
Difficult
Medium
Poor
Excellent
gea
Special
rbox
Low
Low
High
Low
No
sizes
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The authors would like to acknowledge KFUPM for the
support in the preparation of this research.
REFERENCES
[1] Colantuoni, S. and Colella, A., 1993, " Aerodesign and
Performance Analysis of a Radial Transonic Impeller for a 9:1
Pressure
Ratio Compressor,"
ASME Journal of
Turbomachinery, July, 115, pp. 573-58 1.
[2] Hill, P. and Peterson , C. 1992), "Mechanics and
Thermodynamics of Propulsion," 2 edition, Addison Wesley,
USA, Chap. 9 and App. VII.
[3] Schlichting, H., 1979, " Boundary Layer Theory", 7th
edition, McGraw-Kill, USA, Chap. 20.
C
I- Centrifugal compressor, 2- Gearbox
3- Torque converter, 4- Electric motor
Fig. 16: General facility layout of the centrifugal compressor,
CONCLUSION
A performance analysis for centrifugal Compressors of
high-pressure ratio was developed and incorporated into a
numerical code. The analysis was validated with experimental
results. A special output configuration was made for
compressor perfomance in which total pressure ratio was
plotted against both power requirements and operating speeds
for different impeller sizes. This proved to be vital tool on the
selection process of the drive unit for testing varies impeller
sizes. Moreover, the results of the analysis will guide the
selection of the instrumentation range . Further improvement of
the code is needed in terms of efficiency prediction.
Alternatives of drive units were studied carefully. As a result,
eclectic motor in combination with a variable speed torque
converter and a gearbox was selected to meet present
requirements. In addition a vacuum loop can be integrated with
the facility to broaden test conditions.