Centrifugal Compressor Droplet Diverters Mitigate Erosion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Centrifugal compressors face mechanical failures due to liquid droplets accumulating and coalescing in the gas flow, leading to erosion and requiring complex and costly scrubbers and droplet catchers for removal.
Innovation Solution
The compressor design incorporates droplet diverters on impeller blades to alter the speed of liquid droplets relative to the gas phase, promoting break-up and reducing droplet size, potentially eliminating the need for scrubbers and droplet catchers by enhancing droplet break-up within the compressor stages.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If scrubbers and droplet catchers are used to remove liquid phase, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and removes liquid droplets from the gas flow using specialized impeller blade geometries and flow control structures integrated into the compressor stages themselves, eliminating the need for separate scrubbers and droplet catcher devices while maintaining reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The liquid removal function is merged with the compression function by integrating droplet management features directly into the impeller blades and compressor stage design, combining multiple functions into a single integrated system rather than using separate removal devices
2Object-affected harmful factors
If scrubbers and droplet catchers are installed, then erosive damage is reduced, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts liquid droplets through integrated flow control features within the compressor stages, removing the need for expensive external scrubbers and droplet catchers while protecting against erosive damage
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses simple geometric modifications to impeller blades and flow control structures that are cheaper to manufacture than complex external removal systems, accepting that these features are integrated into standard compressor maintenance cycles
3Productivity
If liquid phase is removed before compressor, then compressor performance is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the liquid phase management function with the compression function by integrating droplet separation and control features directly into the impeller blades and compressor stage geometry, achieving performance improvement without adding separate preprocessing devices
4Object-affected harmful factors
If droplet break-up is promoted, then erosive damage is reduced, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies local geometric modifications to specific regions of the impeller blades and flow control structures to promote droplet break-up in critical areas where liquid accumulation occurs, rather than requiring high precision throughout the entire component
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach reduces erosive damage and simplifies the compressor design by maintaining the liquid phase within the working fluid, enhancing operational efficiency and reducing the need for additional removal systems.
Implementation Method 1
droplet diverters arranged on the pressure side of the impeller blades... configured to alter a speed of the liquid phase with respect to a speed of the gaseous phase in the wet gas flowing through said at least one compressor stage
Implementation Method 2
promoting break-up and reducing droplet size... droplet break up is promoted by suitable structures arranged in said compressor stage
Implementation Method 3
A compressor is typically used to boost the pressure in a working fluid by receiving power from a prime mover, e.g. an electric motor or a turbine and applying a compressive force to the working fluid
Implementation Method 4
In the scrubber 15, the liquid phase is separated as a liquid condensate in the bottom of the scrubber 15
Implementation Method 5
The liquid droplets can hit the rotating parts of the compressor, in particular the compressor impeller, collide with each other and form larger droplets... The larger droplets remaining on the impeller surface will coalesce with new droplets impacting the impeller surface
Implementation Method 6
receiving power from a prime mover, e.g. an electric motor or a turbine and applying a compressive force to the working fluid
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
Figure 4~5
AI summary
A centrifugal compressor for processing a wet gas is described. The centrifugal compressor comprises: a casing and least one compressor stage comprising at least one impeller (100) rotatingly arranged in the casing and provided with an impeller hub (107) and a plurality of impeller blades (11 1), each impeller blade having a suction side and a pressure side. The compressor stage comprises at least one droplet breaking arrangement configured for promoting breakup of liquid droplets flowing through the compressor stage.