Some Aspects of Estimating Geometric Characteristics of Screw Compressors

David Buckney
Ahmed Kovacevic
Elvedin Mujic
Nikola Stosic

Abstract

The methods used today for the calculation of screw compressor thermodynamic and fluid flow processes, from quasi one-dimensional thermodynamic models to three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) procedures, require accurate identification and quantification of geometric parameters, such as volume, gradient and cross-section, leakage flow and blow-hole areas. Historically, some of the geometric characteristics have been neglected, or approximated when calculation accuracy was not essential. However, more sophisticated models may lose some of their advantages if accurate geometric characteristics are not included in them. The work presented in this paper is aimed to enhance the accuracy of geometric calculations. The usual geometric calculation procedures are given and modified where necessary. The results are compared with models generated by 3D Computer Aided Design (CAD), software packages, from which improvements in the accuracy of predictions can be demonstrated.