Hottois, R.; Châtel, A.; Verstraete, T. Adjoint-Based Design Optimization of a Volute for a Radial Compressor. Int. J. Turbomach. Propuls. Power2023, 8, 41.
Hottois, R.; Châtel, A.; Verstraete, T. Adjoint-Based Design Optimization of a Volute for a Radial Compressor. Int. J. Turbomach. Propuls. Power 2023, 8, 41.
Hottois, R.; Châtel, A.; Verstraete, T. Adjoint-Based Design Optimization of a Volute for a Radial Compressor. Int. J. Turbomach. Propuls. Power2023, 8, 41.
Hottois, R.; Châtel, A.; Verstraete, T. Adjoint-Based Design Optimization of a Volute for a Radial Compressor. Int. J. Turbomach. Propuls. Power 2023, 8, 41.
Abstract
Numerical optimization methods are widely used for designing turbomachinery components due to the cost and time savings they can provide. In the available literature, shape optimization of radial compressors is mainly focused on improving the impeller alone. However, it is a well-established knowledge that the volute plays a key role in the overall performance of the compressor. The aim of the present paper is to perform the adjoint-based optimization of a volute that is designed for the SRV2-O compressor. The CAD model is first created, using a parametrization of 33 design parameters. Then, a butterfly topology is applied to mesh the computational domain with a multi-block structured grid, and an elliptic smoothing procedure is then used to improve the quality of the fluid grid. A steady-state RANS CFD solver with Spalart-Allmaras turbulence model is used to solve the Navier-Stokes equations, and flow sensitivities are computed with an adjoint solver. The objective function consists in minimizing the loss coefficient of the volute. The optimization is performed to obtain an improved design with 14% losses reduction. Detailed flow and design analysis is carried out to highlight the loss reduction mechanisms followed by the optimizer. Finally, the compressor map of the full stage is compared between the baseline and the optimized volute through CFD simulations using a mixing plane interface. This research demonstrates the successful use of a gradient-based optimization technique to improve the volute of a radial compressor and opens the door towards optimizing simultaneously the wheel and the volute.
Copyright:
This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
