Electronic Notes & Work Sheets

Chapter 2. Dimensional Analysis of Turbomachinery

1. SI Units

There are 7 SI base/primary units in physics and engineering. Other quantities, called derived quantities, are defined in terms of the seven base quantities via a system of quantity equations. In thermodynamics, we frequently use 4 units (marked with red colour). In this course, only three base/primary units (mass, lengthand and time) are used in analysis of a pure mechianical system (in which the density, temperature and enthalpy of the working fluids do not change). In dimensional analysis, we use M, L, and t to represent these three base dimensions, repectively. In a thermal-mechanical system (e.g., where temperture varies, heat transfer is involved, and fluid is compressible), the fourth base unit (temperature) needs to be considered. In dimensional analysis, we use T to represent this base dimension.

Note that there is an analogy between the momentum and the angular-momentum systems, indicated using * and **, respectively: mass ~ moment of inertia, velocity ~ angular velocity, force ~ torque, acceleration ~ angular acceleration, momentum ~ angular momentum.

2. Buckingham Pi Theorem (Peng, 2008)

Theorem: the Buckingham pi theorem states that the number of independent nondimensional parameters needs to correlate the variables for a given process is n m . Here, n is the number of relevant dimensional parameters involved and m is the number of primary dimensions, i.e. (M, L, t or F, L, t) for a pure mechanical system; and (M, L, t, T or F, L, t, T) for a thermal-mechanical system. Procedure: See page 19 in Peng (2008) for the 10-step method to perform a dimensional analysis based on the Buckingham pi theorem. These 10 steps can be further summarized as: 1. Determine n and m, and the functional relation of the quantities: List the n physical quantities (Qn) with dimensions and the m primary/base dimensions. There will be (n-m) -terms. 2. Select the primary quantities: Select m number of these quantities, none dimensionless and no two having the same dimensions. All primary dimensions must be included collectively in the quantities selected. 3. Write down the -terms: Express each -term as the product of the selected quantities (each to an unknown exponent) and one remaining (unused) quantity (to a known power usually taken as unity). 4. Group exponents: Group the exponents for the same primary dimension in each -term. 5. Determine the exponents: Solve for the unknown exponents, and then report the final formulae of the -terms and the nondimentionalized functional relation. Try to analyze their physical meanings.
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3. Key Concepts in Dimensional Analysis for Turbomachinery (pp. 19-27, Peng, 2008)
Write down the definitions of the following key concepts. Try to thoroughly understand the physical meaning of these parameters, and their applications in turbomachinery. Work____________________________ Head____________________________ Lift coefficient____________________ Head coefficient___________________ Reynolds number__________________ Speed ratio_______________________ Specific speed_____________________ Specific work_____________________ Efficiency (general)________________ Drag coefficient___________________ Flow coefficient___________________ Power coefficient__________________ Unit power_______________________ Specific diameter__________________

TheMoodydiagramshowsthatthedragcoefficientisafunctionoftheReynoldsnumber.Italso demonstratestheadvantagetousenondimensionalparametersintheanalysisallexperimental resultsofdifferenttypesofsandgrainroughwallflowscollapse.

VariableGeometryTurbomachines(Dixon,2005)

Try to understand the meaning of the Envelope of the optimum efficiency under different geometrical conditions of a turbomachine.

Different bladesetting angles

Different bladesetting angles

 Efficiencyoftheturbomachineryvs.thespecificspeed
Specific speeds characteristic of different types of turbomchinery.

For the fixed turbomachine, when the Reynolds number effects are ignored, the efficiency is approximately a function of the specific speed. There is an optimum specific speed which corresponds to the highest efficiency of a fixed turbomachine.

Efficiency vs. specific speed. Volume flow rates vs. specific speed for different types of turbomachinery. It shows the range of specific speeds and efficiencies for a turbomachine.

Specific speed vs. specific diameter. Redial type: low specific speeds with larger impeller diameters. Axial type: high specific speeds with smaller rotor diameters.

4. Compressible Fluid Analysis (pp.15-16, Dixon, 2005; Case 3 on p.22, Peng, 2008)
4.1 Compressibility Compressible = specific volume is changeable (or, density is changeable) True or false? If we put a huge pressure on a substance, it must become compressible. Your answer is____ If the total volume of a certain amount of substance can change, then this substance is compressible. Your answer is____ 4.1 Stagnation properties: Sound speed______________________ Stagnation enthalpy______________ __ Stagnation pressure________________ Mach number_____________________
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Isentropic process_____________________ Stagnation temperature_________________ Stagnation density_____________________ Rotational/blade Mach number___________

The Mollier (h-s) diagram is useful in analyzing the performance of an adiabatic steady-flow process, such as the flows in nozzles, diffusers, turbines and compressors. Questions: 1. Show the constant p lines (isobaric processes), constant s lines (isentropic processes), and constant enthalpy lines (constant h processes). 2. Show where the two-phase region is and where the vapour region is. 3. Show the direction of compression and expansion between two pressure lines. 4. Can a gas turbine run in a two-phase region? Why?

Water

Temperature-Entropy (T-S) Diagram

5. Similitude
Similitude is a concept used in the testing of engineering models. A model is said to have similitude with the real application (full-size prototype machine) if the two share geometric similarity, kinematic similarity and dynamic similarity. Similarity and similitude are interchangeable in this context. Purposes: Small model data can be used to predict the performance of a full-scale prototype; Predict the machine performance at other operating conditions. Geometrical Similarity: (L/D)m = (L/D)p Linear dimension ratios are the same everywhere; Photographic enlargement. Kinematic Similarity: (V1/V2)m=(V1/V2)p Same flow coefficients; Same fluid velocity ratios (triangles) are the same. Dynamic Similarity: (F1/F2)m=(F1/F2)p Same head/power/loading coefficients; Same force ratios (and force triangles).

m = p;

m = p,

The efficiencies of the model and prototype are the same providing the similarity laws are satisfied.

Example 1 (the same machine at different operating conditions. Example 2.1S, pp.29, Peng, 2008)

Example 2 (two machines: model and prototype machines. Example 1.1, pp.35, Gorla and Khan, 2003)
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