Fluid-structure Interaction Analysis and Lifetime Estimation of a Natural Gas Pipeline Centrifugal Compressor under Near-choke and Near-surge Conditions

Up to present, there have been no studies concerning the application of fluid-structure interaction（FSI） analysis to the lifetime estimation of multi-stage centrifugal compressors under dangerous unsteady aerodynamic excitations. In this paper, computational fluid dynamics（CFD） simulations of a three-stage natural gas pipeline centrifugal compressor are performed under near-choke and near-surge conditions, and the unsteady aerodynamic pressure acting on impeller blades are obtained. Then computational structural dynamics（CSD） analysis is conducted through a one-way coupling FSI model to predict alternating stresses in impeller blades. Finally, the compressor lifetime is estimated using the nominal stress approach. The FSI results show that the impellers of latter stages suffer larger fluctuation stresses but smaller mean stresses than those at preceding stages under near-choke and near-surge conditions. The most dangerous position in the compressor is found to be located near the leading edge of the last-stage impeller blade. Compressor lifetime estimation shows that the investigated compressor can run up to 102.7 h under the near-choke condition and 200.2 h under the near-surge condition. This study is expected to provide a scientific guidance for the operation safety of natural gas pipeline centrifugal compressors.

Numerical Study of the Feed Flow and Its Influence on the Separation Efficiency of a Gas Centrifuge

In a Zippe-type 3-pole gas centrifuge, feed gas is introduced through a sonic nozzle into the rarefied region in the rotor. Introduction of the nonrotating feed gas will slow the whirl flow and introduce a secondary recirculating flow in the meridian plane. The effects of feed gas on the output of a gas centrifuge are investigated. The non-linear. axisymmetric N-S equations are used to calculate the secondary flow induced by the feed gas. Three types of numerical schemes. an implicit scheme similar to the Beam-Warming scheme. an implicit unfactorized scheme and an improved Newton-Raphson scheme are used. The Cohen separation theory with axial variation is used forcalculating the isotope concentration. Optimization of the output is achieved by automatic variation of the weighting factors for a number of linear flow solutions which can be superimposed. A Rome type centrifuge is analyzed as an example. Results show the recirculating flow caused by the feed gas. especially the acceleration loss. has an important effect on the output of a gas centrifuge.

Influence of Some Physical Parameters on the Separation Efficiency of a Gas Centrifuge

To increase the separation efficiency of a gas centrifuge is one of the key objectives for uranium isotope separation. It can provide great benefit with little effort. The separation efficiency is affected by many parameters.Some physical parameters, such as the pressure of UF, at the wall of the centrifuge cylinder. the position of the wastescoop. the tempwrature profile on the wall of the centrituge cylindwer. the direction of the feed into the gas centrifuge are chosen as variables to optimize the separation efficiency of a gas centrifuge. The optimization is based on analytical and experimental results. Local separation efficiency distribution is a good method to describe the separation phenomena in the gas centrifuge.