Study of the Effect of the Contra-Rotating Component on the Performance of the Centrifugal Compressor

This article presents a study of the effect of
a contra-rotating component on the efficiency of centrifugal
compressors. A contra-rotating centrifugal compressor (CRCC) is
constructed using two independent rotors, rotating in the opposite
direction and replacing the single rotor of a conventional centrifugal
compressor (REF). To respect the geometrical parameters of the REF
one, two rotors of the CRCC are designed, based on a single rotor
geometry, using the hub and shroud length ratio parameter of the
meridional contour. Firstly, the first rotor is designed by choosing
a value of length ratio. Then, the second rotor is calculated to be
adapted to the fluid flow of the first rotor according aerodynamics
principles. In this study, four values of length ratios 0.3, 0.4, 0.5, and
0.6 are used to create four configurations CF1, CF2, CF3, and CF4
respectively. For comparison purpose, the circumferential velocity at
the outlet of the REF and the CRCC are preserved, which means that
the single rotor of the REF and the second rotor of the CRCC rotate
with the same speed of 16000rpm. The speed of the first rotor in this
case is chosen to be equal to the speed of the second rotor. The CFD
simulation is conducted to compare the performance of the CRCC
and the REF with the same boundary conditions. The results show
that the configuration with a higher length ratio gives higher pressure
rise. However, its efficiency is lower. An investigation over the entire
operating range shows that the CF1 is the best configuration in this
case. In addition, the CRCC can improve the pressure rise as well
as the efficiency by changing the speed of each rotor independently.
The results of changing the first rotor speed show with a 130% speed
increase, the pressure ratio rises of 8.7% while the efficiency remains
stable at the flow rate of the design operating point.

Authors:

• Van Thang Nguyen
• Amelie Danlos
• Richard Paridaens
• Farid Bakir

Keywords:

• Centrifugal compressor
• contra-rotating
• interaction rotor
• vacuum.

References:

[1] R. H. Young. Counter rotating fans. JHIVE, 18, (1952).
[2] Ward W. Wilcox. An analysis of the potentialities of a two-stage
counter-rotating supersonic compressor. (1952).
[3] P. B. Sharma and A. Adekoya. A review of recent research
on contra-rotating axial flow compressor stage. In ASME 1996
International Gas Turbine and Aero engine Congress and Exhibition,
pages V001T01A073V001T01A073. American Society of Mechanical
Engineers, (1996).
[4] P. B. Sharma, Y. P. Jain, N. K. Jha, and B. B. Khanna. Stalling behavior
of a contra-rotating axial compressor stage. In International Symposium
on Air Breathing Engines, 7th, Beijing, Peoples Republic of China, pages
734740, (1985).
[5] A. Furukawa, T. Shigemitsu, and S. Watanabe. Performance test and
flow measurement of contra-rotating axial flow pump. Journal of Thermal
Science, 16(1):713, (2007).
[6] J. Fukutomi, T. Shigemitsu, T. Yasunobu. Performance and internal flow
of sirofoilcco fan using contra-rotating rotors. Journal of Thermal Science,
17(1), 3541, (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11630-008-0035-8.
[7] L. Moroz, P. Pagur, Y. Govorushchenko and K. Grebennik. Comparison
of counter rotating and traditional axial aircraft low-pressure turbines
integral and detailed performances. In Int. Symp. On Heat Transfer in
Gas Turbine Systems, (2009).
[8] H. Nouri, A. Danlos, F. Ravelet,F. Bakir, C. Sarraf. Experimental Study
of the Instationary Flow Between Two Ducted Counter-Rotating Rotors.
Journal of Engineering for Gas Turbines and Power, 135(2), 22601,
(2013). https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4007756.
[9] S. Tosin, A. Dreiss,J. Friedrichs. Experimental and numerical
investigation of a counter-rotating mixed-flow single stage pump. ASME
Expo 2015, 111, 2015.
[10] H. Pitknen,H. Esa, P. Sallinen,J. Larjola. CFD Analysis of a Centrifugal
Compressor Impeller and Volute. International Gas Turbine Aeroengine
Congress Exhibition, (1997), 18. https://doi.org/10.1115/99-GT-436.
[11] C. Robinson,M. Casey,B. Hutchinson,R. Steed. Impeller-Diffuser
Interaction In Centrifugal Compressors, 111, (2011).