Performance prediction and loss evaluation of the carbon dioxide supersonic nozzle considering the non-equilibrium condensation

Abstract

Abstract Carbon dioxide (CO2) is being considered as a promising working medium in energy conversion and refrigeration cycles due to its unique properties. When carbon dioxide flows with supersonic in turbo machinery (compressor), the non-equilibrium effect is enhanced due to the large change of fluid velocity, resulting in non-equilibrium condensation of the blade, which will seriously affect the performance of the compressor. Considering the similarities in flow characteristics between the nozzle and the compressor blade, the condensing flow of the blade can be predicted by simulating in a nozzle. The real gas model is used. The pressure and the nucleation rate are predicted based on the modified model, and the flow losses and thermal efficiency are analyzed in different states. The results show that the pressure variation in the nozzle aligns well with the experimental data. When the fluid transitions from subcritical to supercritical, the condensation interval decreases and the peak of the nucleation rate increases. The maximum supercooling decreases gradually. The flow losses are relatively large, and the thermal efficiency is low.