Influence of volute-induced distortion on the performance of a high-pressure-ratio centrifugal compressor with a vaneless diffuser for turbocharger applications

Abstract

As the geometry of the volute of a turbocharger centrifugal compressor is non-axisymmetric, it causes a distortion at the outlet of the diffuser and influences the upstream components to make the distribution of the flow parameters non-axisymmetric. To quantify the circumferential distortion induced by the volute, a distortion model was proposed to replace the volute by imposing a circumferentially asymmetric pressure distribution. The simulation results prove that this model could reproduce the distortion induced by the volute and, therefore, was sufficient to allow research on the volute’s effect. Based on the distortion model, variable amplitudes of distortion were realized, and the influence of the amplitude of the distortion on the performance of a centrifugal compressor was studied in detail. The results show that the distortion severely harms the aerodynamic stability of the compressor. Larger amplitude distortion cause worse compressor performance. The distortion induced by an asymmetric volute propagates to the upstream components and causes local flow separations in the diffuser and impeller, contributing to compressor surge. When the amplitude of the distortion increases up to 15%, the stable flow range of the compressor decreases 37.7%. The results provide useful guidelines to improve the performance of turbocharger compressors by decreasing the distortion induced by the asymmetric volute.

Keywords

Turbocharger centrifugal compressor stability distortion

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Ricardo

Apostolos

Yang

. Overview of boosting options for future downsized engine. Sci China Ser E Tech Sci 2011; 54: 318–331.

Lake T, Stokes J and Murphy R. Turbocharging concepts for downsized DI gasoline engines. In: SAE world congress, Detroit, Michigan, USA, 8–11 March 2004, Paper 2004-01-0036.

Clenci

Descombes

Podevin

. Some aspects concerning the combination of downsizing with turbocharging, variable compression ratio, and variable intake valve lift. Proc IMechE, Part D: J Automobile Engineering 2007; 221: 1287–1294.

Zheng

Zhang

Yang

. Research and development on transonic compressor of high pressure ratio turbocharger for vehicle internal combustion engines. Sci China Ser E Tech Sci 2010; 53: 1817–1823.

Maiboom

Tauzia

Héteta

. Experimental study of various effects of exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) on combustion and emissions of an automotive direct injection diesel engine. Energy 2008; 33: 22–34.

Yu GL, Ohashi K, Uchtama Y, et al. Influence of environmental conditions on diesel engine performance. In: 5th international pacific conference on automotive engineering, 1989, paper no. 891347.

Rodgers C. Turbocharging a high altitude UAV C.I. engine. In: 37th AIAA joint propulsion conference and exhibit, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA, 8–11 July 2001, paper no. 2001-3970.

Engeda

Cave

. A numerical investigation on the volute/diffuser interaction due to the axial distortion at the impeller exit. J Flu Eng 2001; 123: 475–483.

Tarek

Seung

. A study of impeller-diffuser-volute interaction in a centrifugal fan. J Turbomach 2005; 127: 84–90.

10.

Steglich

Kitzinger

Seume

. Improved diffuser/volute combinations for centrifugal compressors. J Turbomach 2008; 130. : 011014.1–011014.9.

11.

Xu C and Amano RS. Eliminating static pressure distortion by a large cut back tongue volute. In: Proceedings of ASME turbo expo, Barcelona, Spain, 8–11 May 2006, paper no. GT2006-90001.

12.

Khalfallah

Ghenaiet

. Analyses of impeller—vaneless-diffuser—scroll interactions in a radial compressor. Proc IMechE, Part A: J Power and Energy 2010; 224: 851–867.

13.

Hillewaert

Braembussche

. Numerical simulation of impeller-volute interaction in centrifugal compressors. J Turbomach 1999; 121: 603–608.

14.

Reunanen A, Pitkanen H, Siikonen T, et al. Computational and experimental comparison of different volute geometries in a radial compressor. In: Proceedings of ASME turbo expo, Munich, Germany, 8–11 May 2000, paper no. 2000-GT-469.

15.

Shaaban S and Seume J. Aerodynamic performance of small turbocharger compressors. In: Proceedings of ASME turbo expo, Montreal, Canada, 14–17 May 2007, paper no. GT2007-27558.

16.

Yang MY, Zheng XQ, Zhang YJ, et al. Stability improvement of high-pressure ratio turbocharger centrifugal compressor by asymmetric flow control—part I: non-axisymmetric flow in centrifugal compressor. In: Proceedings of ASME turbo expo, Glasgow, UK, 14–18 June 2010, paper no. GT2010-22581.

17.

Fatsis

Pierret

Braembussche

. Three-dimensional unsteady flow and forces in centrifugal impellers with circumferential distortion of the outlet static pressure. J Turbomach 1997; 119: 94–102.

18.

Dickmann

Thomas

Szwedowicz

. Unsteady flow in a turbocharger centrifugal compressor: three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics simulation and numerical and experimental analysis of impeller blade vibration. J Turbomach 2006; 128: 455–465.

19.

Zheng

Huenteler

Yang

. Influence of the volute on the flow in a centrifugal compressor of a high-pressure ratio turbocharger. Proc IMechE, Part A: J Power and Energy 2011; 224: 1157–1169.

20.

Lin

Zheng

Jin

. A novel experimental method to evaluate the impact of volute’s asymmetry on the performance of a high pressure ratio turbocharger compressor. Sci China Ser E Tech Sci 2012; 55: 1695–1700.

21.

Jameson A and Baker T. Solutions of the Euler equations for complex configurations. In: 6th AIAA computational fluid dynamic conference, Danvers, Massachusetts, USA, 13–15 July 1983, paper no. 83-1929.

22.

Jameson A, Schmidt W and Turkel E. Numerical solutions of the Euler equations by finite volume methods using Runge–Kutta time stepping schemes. In: 14th AIAA fluid and plasma dynamic conference, Palo Alto, California, USA, 23–25 June 1981, paper no. 81-1259.

23.

Zheng XQ, Lin Y, Zhuge WL, et al. Stability improvement of turbocharger centrifugal compressor by asymmetric vaneless diffuser treatment. In: Proceedings of ASME turbo expo, San Antonio, Texas, USA, 3–7 June 2013, paper no. GT2013-94705.