A radial inflow turbine installed in a large extraction facility in Canada has shown to be a significant contributor to the noise generated in that facility. These high sound pressure levels have led to the expenditure of millions of dollars in sound abatement measures over the last 20 years, and pose a health danger to employees.
Based on shop testing and field data, it was believed that a new rotor design could dramatically reduce the noise generated. It was further believed that Computational Fluid Dynamics with Aeroacoustic analyses was capable of predicting this improvement. Such a process can allow parts to be designed and installed quickly, when time and budget does not allow for detailed factory testing.
This paper describes this turbine redesign procedure and the details of the analyses performed throughout the process.
This new rotor has now been installed on-site, and measurements have been made before and after the replacement. This offers a unique opportunity to validate the numerical work performed through this redesign, which is also presented in the paper.
