EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION OF IMPELLER DIFFUSER INTERACTION IN A CENTRIFUGAL COMPRESSOR

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EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION OF IMPELLER DIFFUSER
INTERACTION IN A CENTRIFUGAL COMPRESSOR
Background
Transition from circular to annular cross-section
Velocity fields in centrifugal compressors have
been mostly analyzed using CFD. However, an
experimental study is needed to validate the
results from the CFD model.
Flow direction
5 impeller blades and passages
Stationary Cascade Rig Facility, top view
Objective
Seeding Ports
Experimentally investigate the flow field with
the use of LDV and design a novel test facility
to model the flow of an impeller using a
Stationary Cascade Rig Facility.
Seeding ports upstream of impeller blades
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Research Carried Out
10mm diameter
A facility has been designed to validate the use
of LDV and to show that optical access and
seeding into such a highly confined region is
possible. Optical access is gained upstream the
impeller and throughout the blade passages. Upon
validation the LDV technique will be applied to a
full-scale compressor test rig.
15mm diameter
Optical access upstream of the impeller blades in
the Stationary Cascade Rig Facility
Expected Outcomes
Validation of the LDV technique in
highly-confined complex regions. As well,
validation of CFD data and improved understanding
of the unsteady interactions between the impeller
and diffuser flows.
Hub side optical access into blade passages
Hub side