Upgrade of a 16-Stage Industrial Compressor: Part II — Extension of the Analysis Method to the Design Function and Results

Abstract

A retrofit package that includes a slightly larger inlet and new, custom diffusion airfoils (CDA) was designed to replace the 16-stage axial compressor. The method used, and presented here, builds on earlier developments and is an extension of the scheme used to predict the compressor performance (Part I). The use of results from single-row 3D CFD, and their implementation into a streamline curvature (Throughflow) code lead to a better understanding of the compressor performance, which in turn lead to a better model of the compressor. This paper shows how the role of this newly developed model has been modified and adapted to the design environment. The 3D CFD results had previously provided a more accurate representation of deviation and losses, particularly at and near the end walls. The Throughflow code, when re-converged for design purposes, generated a much different solution for the individual streamlines than had been previously calculated using correlation or S1S2 analyses. Consequently, the newly generated boundary conditions for designing the individual stream sections, such as inlet and exit Mach numbers and air angles were also quite different. The designer then embarked on tailoring the individual sections to their respective duties under the guidelines of the newly developed method in true custom diffusion fashion. Iterations were conducted to optimize the section and airfoil shapes taking into consideration 3D effects. The end result was a systematic technique for designing multi-stage axial compressors and generating 3D airfoil shapes. The retrofit compressor upgrade package achieved its performance targets and delivered a measured polytropic efficiency of 93.4%.