Numerical Analysis of Suction Mufflers
Numerical Analysis of Suction Mufflers
Numerical Analysis of Suction Mufflers
Purdue e-Pubs
International Compressor Engineering Conference
2014
Joan Lpez
Heat and Mass Transfer Technological Center Universitat Politcnica de Catalunya, Terrassa (Barcelona), Spain,
[email protected]
Giorgos Papakokkinos
Heat and Mass Transfer Technological Center Universitat Politcnica de Catalunya, Terrassa (Barcelona), Spain,
[email protected]
Oriol Lehmkuhl
Termo Fluids S.L., Sabadell (Barcelona), Spain, [email protected]
Assensi Oliva
Heat and Mass Transfer Technological Center Universitat Politcnica de Catalunya, Terrassa (Barcelona), Spain,
[email protected]
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additional information.
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ABSTRACT
The aim of this paper is to present the numerical resolution of suction muffler configurations (by means of a
tridimensional, unstructured, parallel and object oriented CFD&HT TermoFluids code (Lehmkuhl, et al. 2007)
specially adapted to low Mach models (Lopez et al. 2012), coupled with the numerical resolution of the whole
compressor domain (by means of a modular, unstructured and object oriented NEST-compressors tool (Damle et al.
2011) to simulate the thermal and fluid dynamic behavior of hermetic reciprocating compressors).
The numerical results aim to evaluate the influence of the suction muffler geometry on the mass flow rate and
compressor efficiency performance, while considering the whole compressor working conditions in a coupling
manner. In that sense, the CFD&HT resolution of the muffler is obtained with boundary conditions obtained from
the numerical simulation of the rest of the hermetic reciprocating compressor.
The use of Large Eddy Simulation (LES) models for the turbulent suction muffler analysis; the adaptation of Low
Mach formulation avoiding the full incompressible numerical problem, and the coupling of a numerical simulation
model of the whole compressor as boundary conditions, are the important updated numerical aspects presented in
this paper.
1. INTRODUCTION
One of the most important aspects of compressor design and efficiency improvement is to fully understand the
thermal and fluid dynamic behavior of the fluid flow. In that sense suction muffler plays an important role, where
pressure pulsation reduction through it to avoid noise has a significant influence on compressor performance
reduction. Thus, suction muffler design has to be a compromise between the better performances with a low noise
level.
(Singh and Soedel, 1974) presented a numerical model for the analysis of pulsating flows oriented to muffler design,
mainly based on one dimensional acoustic wave equation through each one of compressor components. In a similar
manner, (Prez-Segarra, et al. 1994) presented a numerical simulation model of the thermal and fluid dynamic
behavior of hermetic reciprocating compressors based in the transient and one-dimensional resolution of the
conservation equations of mass, momentum and energy under a fully implicit and compressible formulation,
allowing not only the performance efficiency analysis of the compressor but also the pressure pulsations and
transmission losses generated.
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On the other hand, (Choi et al. 2000) presented the first CFD analysis of suction muffler behavior based on Navier
Stokes equations resolution by means of finite volume techniques. In this case, suction muffler is analyzed as an
independent element with constant boundary conditions. (Nakano et al. 2008) presented the first CFD analysis of
suction muffler behavior using as a pressure boundary condition the once obtained from a numerical simulation of
the whole compressor based on one-dimensional acoustic wave (Singh et al. 1974). (Pereira et al. 2008) do the same
although using as a boundary condition experimental compression chamber pressure distribution experimentally
obtained. Finally, (Sarioglu et al. 2012) presented a wide range of numerical cases using these last numerical scheme
usually used.
The present paper is focused on: the CFD&HT numerical resolution using 3D unstructured, parallel and object code
that mainly uses Large Eddy Simulation (LES) turbulence models, instead of the classical Reynolds Average
Navier-Stokes equations, where compression chamber pressure is numerically obtained from a one dimensional
transient and fully compressible formulation code. A first numerical illustrative analysis of two different geometries
has been carried to show the possibilities that this kind of tools can offer.
(4)
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2007) obtaining a first estimated predictor velocity field. With the velocity field obtained, an updated density and
temperature map is evaluated by means of state and energy equations. Finally, a second fractional step is solved to
obtain the next time-step velocity field. Present resolution keeps incompressible fractional step resolution as a
particular case (Rigola et al. 2012).
Scalar transport terms discretization involves a second order backward difference scheme for the temporal term, and
an Adams-Bashforth for the other terms at the predictor-step and a Crank-Nicholson scheme at the corrector-step.
conjugate transpose of the discrete gradient operator is exactly equal to the divergence operator ( ( c G c ) * = M c ) .
Since the diffusive terms must be strictly dissipative (u c* ( Dc + Dc* )u c 0 ) the diffusive operator
Dc must be
p
pc = ~
pcn +1t ( + 1 / 2) and u c is the predicted velocity. The discrete Poisson equation
where the pseudo-pressure is ~
pc is obtained by taking the divergence of equation (9) and after applying the continuity equation
for ~
Lpc = M 'c u cp + c c t
where the discrete Laplacian operator L
(8)
In an iterative manner, energy equation and gas law equation updates temperature Tcn+1 = Tc' and density
cn+1 = c' maps, which allows obtaining a final ucn+1 = u 'c velocity field.
It is very important to highlight that this numerical algorithm resolution applied for low Mach conditions, gives
incompressible hypothesis as a particular case where Tc' Tcn+1 and u 'c ucn+1 in the one step algorithm.
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ij
u c
+ C(u c )u c + Du c + Gp c = C(u c )u c C(u c )u c
t
x j
(9)
where the filtered velocity is denoted by u c and the SGS stress ( ij ) is defined as, 2 S S ij + 1 3 ij ij . Now is only
necessary to define a suitable expression for the SGS viscosity.
The last model implemented in TermoFluids code, has been the wall-adapting eddy viscosity model (WALE)
proposed by (Nicaud and Ducros 1999). This model is based on the square of the velocity gradient tensor. In its
formulation the SGS viscosity accounts for the effects of both, the strain and the rotation rate of the smallest
resolved turbulent fluctuations. In addition, the proportionality of the eddy viscosity near walls is recovered without
any dynamic procedure,
( 'ij : 'ij )3 / 2
2
sgs = (Cw )
(10)
(S 'ij : S 'ij )5 / 2 + ( 'ij : 'ij )5 / 4
1
(11)
S 'ij = G u 'c + G * u 'c
2
2
2
2
1
1
(12)
'ij = G u 'c + G * u 'c G u 'c I
3
2
[ ( ) ( )]
[ ( ) ( )] ( ( ) )
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Figure 2. The compressor as a set of elements exchanging flow and/or heat information between each other.
The phenomena taking place inside the elements that compose a reciprocating compressor are resolved by means of
the computational models from Table 1.
Tube
Chamber
ValveOrifice
CFD_Cham
SolidBlock
Solid1D
FixedValue
The mathematical formulation of these models is detailed in (Prez-Segarra et al 2003, Damle et al. 2008). For
details in the CFD&HT models one must refer to (Lehmkuhl 2007, Lehmkhul 2012, Borrell 2012). In Table 2
different zones from the compressor configuration in Figures 2 and 3 are associated with the models used to their
resolution.
Figure 3. Muffler geometry (a) indirect (b) direct fluid flow from first chamber to second chamber.
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Both configurations present a mesh depicted in Figure 4. The mesh consists of tetrahedral cells exclusively. During
the meshing process, special attention has been given in the regions where steep gradients are present (jet path, tubes
interior etc.), while a coarser mesh is used in regions where the flow is dictated mainly by natural convection.
Indicatively, the average density of the meshes under consideration ranges between 5 and 10 cells/cm3
approximately.
Dirichlet (no-slip) condition is imposed for the velocity at all the walls of the muffler. At the inlet, the velocity has a
uniform fixed value. The temperature boundary condition is Dirichlet at the inlet and the walls, while at the outlet
the temperature boundary condition is Neumann. The pressure at the outlet is provided in terms of two values the
static pressure after the outlet (p) and the expansion coefficient at the outlet ().
The exact values of the boundary conditions arise from the numerical interaction of the muffler with the other
compressor elements.
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Mesh size
Pressure drop
1200k
2.0379
5. NUMERICAL RESULTS
Two different numerical illustrative results are here presented for both (A) and (B) suction muffler configurations
presented above. The aim of these numerical results is to show the influence of pressure drop on both
configurations, for an inlet mass flow rate and an outlet muffler pressure obtained from the numerical interaction
with all compressor simulation behavior as boundary conditions.
Figure 7 shows both instantaneous velocity profiles where expected phenomena are verified. In geometry (A) all
inlet suction muffler mass flow rate is impinged through first chamber and consequently goes mainly indirectly to
the second chamber. On contrary, in geometry (B), inlet suction mass flow rate comes directly through the tube to
the suction muffler outlet and only a few percentage of fluid is flowing to the first suction chamber.
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Figure 9. Mass flow rate at the outlet of the muffler for the two configurations (left), and instantaneous pressure
drop across the muffler over one cycle (right).
Figure 10. Mass accumulation inside the muffler over one cycle
Figure 11. Inlet and outlet mass flow rate, superimposed on the outlet pressure for A (left) and B(right).
6. CONCLUSIONS
A numerical simulation model for compressor suction muffler design is presented based on CFD&HT analysis of
suction muffler geometry using as boundary conditions the interaction with numerical simulation tool for the whole
compressor analysis. The CFD&HT tool based on LES turbulence models, allowing the use of coarse meshes and
high numerical software scalability (improved algorithms) and hardware (High Performance Cluster) shows the real
capacity that this kind of tools offer for compressor optimization design. A first academic illustrative case is
presented to show the influence of the fluid flow configuration on pressure drop or mass flow rate though geometry.
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The authors acknowledge the collaboration between CTTC-UPC and Termo Fluids, S.L. company (C06550).