Simulation of the subsonic flow in a high-speed centrifugal compressor impeller by the pressure-based method

Abstract

A pressure-based finite volume procedure developed previously for incompressible flows is extended to predict the three-dimensional compressible flow within a centrifugal impeller. In this procedure, the general curvilinear coordinate system is used and the collocated grid arrangement is adopted. Mass-averaging is used to close the instantaneous Navier-Stokes equations. The covariant velocity components are used as the main variables for the momentum equations, making the pressure-velocity coupling easier. The procedure is successfully applied to predict various compressible flows from subsonic to supersonic. With the aid of the k-ɛ turbulence model, the flow details within a centrifugal impeller are obtained using the present procedure. Predicted distributions of the meridional velocity and the static pressure are reasonable. Calculated radial velocities and flow angles are favourably compared with the measurements at the exit of the impeller.