AN OPTIMUM SET OF LOSS MODELS FOR PERFORMANCE PREDICTION OF CENTRIFUGAL COMPRESSORS

The present study has tested most of the loss models previously publis hed in the open literature and found an optimum set of empirical loss models for a reliable performance prediction of centrifugal compressor s. In order to improve the prediction of efficiency curves, this paper recommends a modified parasitic loss model. The performance analyses by using various empirical loss models are also compared with those by the two-zone modelling. Predicted performance curves by the proposed optimum set agree fairly well with experimental data for a variety of centrifugal compressors. The prediction method developed through this study can serve as a tool for preliminary design and assist the unders tanding of the operational characteristics of general purpose centrifu gal compressors.