Centrifugal-compressor-model

This is a 1-D Matlab model of a centrifugal compressor (impeller + vaneless diffuser) that simulates the compressor performance given the machine's geometrical specifications. The model is thought explicitly to allow you to:

• optimize the compressor geometry to maximize the total-to-static isentropic efficiency given a prescribed total-to-static pressure ratio (single objective optimization);
• optimize the compressor geometry to simultaneously maximize the total-to-static isentropic efficiency and the total-to-static pressure ratio (multi-objective optimization);
• generate the machine performance maps by simulating off-design operation once the geometry is fixed;

Content

The repository includes the following files:

• centrifugal_compressor.m simulates the compressor given some machine's geometrical specifications, including blade angles, radiuses, blade passage height, and volute and exhaust cone dimensions;
• compressor_validation.m allows you to visualize the comparison between model predictions and the often-used Eckardt's compressor experimental data, which refers to three different impeller geometries;
• compressor_optimisation_test.m runs two optimizations, a single- and a multi-objective one, allowing you to compare the results between the two approaches. This file requires the presence of the experimental datasets, included in the repositories in the .mat files named eckardt_impeller_A/B/O.mat;
• compressor_map_test.m simulates the performance of a compressor geometric design specified in the file for several combinations of rotating speed and mass flow rate. Finally, the file plots a compressor performance maps, including the total-to-static pressure ratio and total-to-static isentropic efficiency.

Citation

The explanation of the model equations and hypotheses, as well as the validation against experimental data from the literature, are reported in the paper:

• Frate, G.F., Benvenuti, M., Chini, F., and Ferrari, L. (2024). Optimal design of centrifugal compressors in small-size high-temperature Brayton heat pumps, Proceedings of 37th International Conference on Efficiency, Cost, Optimization, Simulation and Environmental Impact of Energy Systems (ECOS), Rodhes, Greece, 30 June - 5 July 2024, doi: insert doi here once published

Please cite this paper if you use the compressor model in your publications!