Numerical Simulation of Flow through a Centrifugal Impeller
Seralathan S1, Mukesh Nadarajan2, Mujibur Rahman K3, Micha Premkumar T4, Hariram V5
1Seralathan S, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Hindustan Institute of Technology and Science, Chennai, India.
2Mukesh Nadarajan, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Hindustan Institute of Technology and Science, Chennai, India.
3Mujibur Rahman K, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Hindustan Institute of Technology and Science, Chennai, India.
4Micha Premkumar T, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Hindustan Institute of Technology and Science, Chennai, India.
5Hariram V, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Hindustan Institute of Technology and Science, Chennai, India.
Manuscript received on 23 August 2019. | Revised Manuscript received on 08 September 2019. | Manuscript published on 30 September 2019. | PP: 2997-3003 | Volume-8 Issue-11, September 2019. | Retrieval Number: K23010981119/2019©BEIESP | DOI: 10.35940/ijitee.K2301.0981119
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© The Authors. Blue Eyes Intelligence Engineering and Sciences Publication (BEIESP). This is an open access article under the CC-BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)
Abstract: The paper reports computational results of the flow through an impeller (backward curved) of a centrifugal compressor. 3D steady state investigations are performed at off-design and design mass flow rates. The static pressure as well as stagnation pressure distribution contours and velocity vector reveals the behavior of flow through the impeller at different flow coefficients. The flow pattern observed within the impeller passage is complex and influenced by several factors. Flow through the impeller is distorted due to presence of jet and wake. As flow happens through the impeller, energy is transferred from the impeller’s blades to the fluid. This creates the jet at pressure side region and wake at suction side region of the impeller. This fluid with different energy level gets mixed at the exit of the impeller causing mixing losses as well as secondary flows. These loss leads to a considerable fall in static pressure rise in the compressor and thereby affecting the overall efficiency of the centrifugal compressor. Also, existence of vortices in the flow field as flow turned from axial direction to radial is seen.
Keywords: Backward curved, centrifugal compressor, impeller, flow through impeller.
Scope of the Article: Simulation Optimization and Risk Management