Numerical simulation of flow field of a centrifugal compressor with a high pressure ratio

Abstract

In order to study the characteristics of a type of centrifugal compressor with a high pressure ratio and the distribution of the flow field parameters in the design points, CFX software was used to simulate its flow field. According to the results, the pressure ratio and the efficiency of the compressor are high at high RPMS, and the range of mass flow rate is wide at lower RPMS. So the capacity to adapt different working conditions of this compressor is good. At the aspect of the flow field in the design points, the distribution of the overall flow field parameters is homogeneous, but the shock waves exit in the first stator entrance, making the passage narrower and bring much energy loss, which is the one of the reasons to decline the compressor efficiency.