Extending the role of computational fluid dynamics in screw machines

Previous publications show that computational fluid dynamics (CFD) can be readily used for the flow prediction and analysis of screw compressors. Several case studies are presented in this article to show the scope and applicability of such methods. These include solid–fluid interaction in screw compressors, prediction of flow generated noise in screw machines, cavitation modelling in gear pumps, and flow in multiphase pumps for oil and gas industry. Numerical grids for all these cases were generated by the authors using an in-house grid generator, while the CFD calculations were performed with a variety of commercially available CFD codes. In order to validate the accuracy of the CFD calculations, an extended test programme was carried out using laser Doppler velocimetry to measure the mean and fluctuating velocity distribution in screw compressor flow domains. The measurement results are then compared with the CFD simulations. The results confirm the viability of the developed techniques. It is shown in this publication that the flexibility of the developed method creates further opportunities for a broader use of CFD for analysis of twin screw machines in a range of new applications.

[1]  Nikola Stosic.  On gearing of helical screw compressor rotors , 1998 .

[2]  Joel H. Ferziger,et al.  Computational methods for fluid dynamics , 1996 .

[3]  I. Demirdzic,et al.  Numerical method for coupled fluid flow, heat transfer and stress analysis using unstructured moving meshes with cells of arbitrary topology , 1995 .

[4]  M. F. Onuchin.  Screw compressors , 1977 .

[5]  Ahmed Kovacevic,et al.  The influence of port shape on gas pulsations in a screw compressor discharge chamber , 2008 .

[6]  L. Drain.  The Laser Doppler Technique , 1980 .

[7]  Ahmed Kovacevic,et al.  Three Dimensional Numerical Analysis of Screw Compressor Performance , 2003 .

[8]  Ahmed Kovacevic,et al.  Numerical analysis of heat transfer and fluid flow in rotary regenerative air pre-heaters , 2004 .

[9]  Jan Vimmr,et al.  Numerical simulation of leakage flow between moving rotor and housing of screw compressor , 2006 .

[10]  Ahmed Kovacevic,et al.  A numerical study of fluid-solid interaction in screw compressors , 2004, Int. J. Comput. Appl. Technol..

[11]  C. Tropea,et al.  Laser Doppler and Phase Doppler Measurement Techniques , 2002 .

[12]  F. Durst,et al.  Applications of Laser Techniques to Fluid Mechanics , 1991 .

[13]  E. Mujic,et al.  An integrated model for the performance calculation of Screw Machines , 2007 .

[14]  Ahmed Kovacevic,et al.  Boundary adaptation in grid generation for CFD analysis of screw compressors , 2005 .

[15]  Ahmed Kovacevic,et al.  CFD Integrated Design of Screw Compressors , 2007 .

[16]  Ahmed Kovacevic,et al.  Screw Compressors: Mathematical Modelling and Performance Calculation , 2005 .

[17]  Ahmed Kovacevic,et al.  Cycle-Resolved Velocity Measurements Within a Screw Compressor , 2006 .

[18]  Ahmed Kovacevic,et al.  Screw Compressors: Three Dimensional Computational Fluid Dynamics and Solid Fluid Interaction , 2006 .