Whittle Laboratory Radial Compressor Designer

Design variables

Plot

$\PRtt$

$\phiin$

$\Main$

$\HTRin$

$\DHin$

$\Alout$

$\Cga$

$\tipg$

Reset to datum

Inlet conditions

$\Poin$ $\Toin$
$\mdot$

Scroll down for more information.

Efficiency $\etatt = $ , $\etats = $

Total-to-total Pressure Ratio, $\PRtt$ Inlet Relative Mach, $\Main$ Inlet Flow Coefficient, $\phiin$ Hub-to-tip ratio, $\HTRin$ Outlet Relative Yaw, $\Alout$ Blade Circulation Coefficient, $\Cga$ Tip Clearance, $\tipg$ Rotor De Haller, $\DHin$

Output mean line

$\Omega \, [\mathrm{rpm}] =$	Beans	$\dot{W}_\mathrm{x} \, [\mathrm{kW}] =$	Beans
$r_\mathrm{h1} \, [\mathrm{m}] =$	Beans	$r_\mathrm{c1} \, [\mathrm{m}] =$	Beans
$r_{2} \, [\mathrm{m}] =$	Beans	$\mathrm{span}_{2} \, [\mathrm{m}] =$	Beans
$\mathit{R\kern-.1emR} =$	Beans	$r_\mathrm{c1}/r_2 =$	Beans

Usage instructions

Select non-dimensional design variables using sliders on the left.
Specify inlet stagnation conditions and mass flow rate using text boxes on the left.
Choose which design variable to plot on the horizontal axis using the radio buttons.
Estimated total-to-total isentropic efficiency as a function of the chosen design variable is plotted on the vertical axis, with other design variables held constant. The current design point is the filled circle.
The loss mechanisms responsible for reduction in efficiency at extreme values of the design variable are displayed on top of the plot area.
Geometry and shaft speed for the current mean-line design are shown in the table to the right.

How it works

Turbo Expo talk slides

First, a database of 3708 radial compressors is generated using the TURBIGEN design code. For mean-line designs sampled from the full eight-dimensional design space, geometry is created and a Reynolds-averaged Navier--Stokes solution obtained. Then, polynomial surface regression is used to create a continous function mapping efficiency as a function of the design variables. By quantifying the influence of different loss sources, the physical mechanisms that cause drops in efficiency at the boundaries of the design space can be deduced. See the paper for more details:

Brind, J. "Data-driven radial compressor design space mapping." Proc. ASME GT2024, paper No. GT2024-123250.

This online demonstration makes the following assumptions:

The working fluid is a perfect gas with $\gamma = 1.4$ and $c_p = 1005\,\mathrm{kJ/kgK}$.
Reynolds number based on suction surface length is held constant at $\mathit{Re}_\ell = 5\times 10 ^6$
Downstream of the rotor is a vaneless diffuser with a constant velocity ratio of 0.75.
75% of the total loss occurs in the rotor.