• S.M.SWAMY
• G.P.Prasada Reddy

This paper presents a numerical investigation of the effects of tip clearance on the performance and flow field in a centrifugal compressor. This study focuses in particular on the tip clearance at the tip of the blade and location of the wake. This investigation deals with performance improvement of a centrifugal compressor by partial shroud placed near the rotor blade tip tested in the flow simulations. Computational study of centrifugal compressor is carried out with finite volume method upwind scheme using ANSYS-CFX software. Centrifugal compressor impeller with three values of clearances i.e. 2.2%, 5.1% and 7.9% of blade height at trailing edge are examined at four flow coefficients 0.12, 0.18, 0.28 and 0.34. The effect of tip clearance on total impeller efficiency, work input coefficient, tangential velocity and radial velocity from inlet to outlet of the compressor are analyzed. The drop in static pressure coefficient and total pressure coefficient with increase in tip clearance is found to be high at the tip of the blade due to high pressure fluid leakage at the tip of the blade. Although the performance improved for low tip clearances, a low tip clearance at the tip of the trailing edge improved the compressor performance more significantly than a lower tip clearance at the leading edge.

Centrifugal compressor, partial shrouds and tip clearance.

"Study of Flow Field at Impeller Exit of a Centrifugal Compressor", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.6, Issue 5, page no.242-248, May-2019, Available :http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR1905A44.pdf

"Study of Flow Field at Impeller Exit of a Centrifugal Compressor", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org | UGC and issn Approved), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.6, Issue 5, page no. pp242-248, May-2019, Available at : http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR1905A44.pdf