Pipeline Compressor Redesign With the Consideration of Both Noise and Performance

A complete effort to redesign the aerodynamic characteristics of a single-stage pipeline compressor is presented. The components addressed are the impeller, diffuser region, and the volute. The innovation of this effort stems from the simultaneous inclusion of both the noise and aerodynamic performance as primary design parameters. The final detailed flange-to-flange analysis of the new components clearly shows that the operating range is extended and the tonal noise driven by the impeller is reduced. This is accomplished without sacrificing the existing high efficiency of the baseline machine. The body of the design effort uses both Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and vibro-acoustics technology. The predictions are anchored by using the flange-to-flange analysis of the original design and its experimental performance data. By calculating delta corrections and assuming that these deltas are approximately the same for the new design, the expected performance is extrapolated.