Title: Reverse engineering and performance analysis of a small-scale centrifugal compressor impeller

Authors: Bosman Van der Merwe; Johan Van der Spuy; Theodor Von Backström; Kristiaan Schreve

Addresses: Department of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X1, MATIELAND 7602, South Africa ' Department of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X1, MATIELAND 7602, South Africa ' Department of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X1, MATIELAND 7602, South Africa ' Department of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X1, MATIELAND 7602, South Africa

Abstract: Analysing the performance of centrifugal compressors can be a time-consuming process, depending on the direction from which the problem is approached: conventional or reverse. For devices such as micro gas turbines (MGTs), the methodology of design often involves taking existing components (e.g., turbocharger impellers) and modifying them to fit into an MGT assembly. The reengineered design is analysed aerodynamically and structurally to predict the performance of the design under normal operating conditions. To achieve this, the reengineered design must be virtualised using methods of reverse-engineering. The purpose of this project was to compare two methods of virtualisation and to evaluate the performance of the resulting CAD models based on CFD calculations and experimental measurements. The ultimate goal was to determine which of the two methods would deliver the best solution in future virtualisation projects.

Keywords: reverse engineering; centrifugal compressors; parametric; computational fluid dynamics; CFD; performance evaluation; experimental; small-scale compressors; micro gas turbines; MGTs; turbocharger impellers; virtualisation; CAD; modelling.

DOI: 10.1504/IJCAET.2016.077602

International Journal of Computer Aided Engineering and Technology, 2016 Vol.8 No.3, pp.217 - 233

Received: 18 May 2013
Accepted: 18 Nov 2013
Published online: 07 Jul 2016 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article