Design and Numerical Analysis of Flow Characteristics in a Scaled Volute and Vaned Nozzle of Radial Turbocharger Turbines

Abstract

Over the past few decades, the aerodynamic improvements of turbocharger turbines contributed significantly to the overall efficiency augmentation and the advancements in downsizing of internal combustion engines. Due to the compact size of automotive turbochargers, the experimental measurement of the complex internal aerodynamics has been insufficiently studied. Hence, turbine designs mostly rely on the results of numerical simulations and the validation of zero-dimensional parameters as efficiency and reduced mass flow. To push the aerodynamic development even further, a precise validation of three-dimensional flow patterns predicted by applied computational fluid dynamics (CFD) methods is in need. This paper presents the design of an up-scaled volute-stator model, which allows optical experimental measurement techniques. In a preliminary step, numerical results indicate that the enlarged geometry will be representative of the flow patterns and characteristic non-dimensional numbers at defined flow sections of the real size turbine. Limitations due to rotor-stator interactions are highlighted. Measurement sections of interest for available measurement techniques are predefined.