LOW-SPEED CENTRIFUGAL COMPRESSOR

8. LOW-SPEED CENTRIFUGAL COMPRESSOR

This tutorial employs the configuration of a low-speed, centrifugal compressor blade to
demonstrate the use of imported geometry and the turbo volume decomposition operation.
It illustrates how to adjust decomposition split points and employs a structured hexahedral
mesh.
In this tutorial, you will learn how to:
• Create a turbo volume based on imported ACIS geometry
• Decompose a turbo volume

8.1 Prerequisites
To understand this tutorial, you should review and understand the steps, principles, and
procedures outlined in Tutorials 1, 2, 3, 4, and 7.

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Problem Description LOW-SPEED CENTRIFUGAL COMPRESSOR

8.2 Problem Description

Figure 8-1 shows the turbomachinery configuration to be modeled and meshed in this
tutorial. The configuration represents the rotor of a low-speed centrifugal compressor
containing 20 identical, highly skewed blades, each of which is spaced equidistant from
the others on the rotor hub. The configuration is designed such that the angles of the inlet
and outlet flow directions are offset from each other by 90º.

Outlet flow

Inlet flow

Figure 8-1: Low-speed centrifugal compressor rotor

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LOW-SPEED CENTRIFUGAL COMPRESSOR Strategy

8.3 Strategy
The GAMBIT turbo modeling procedure includes seven basic steps:
1) Creating or importing edge data that describes the turbo profile
2) Creating the turbo profile
3) Creating the turbo volume
4) Assigning zone types to regions of the turbo volume
5) Decomposing the turbo volume
6) Meshing the turbo volume
7) Viewing the turbo volume
This tutorial illustrates all of the steps listed above. In this example, the edge data that
describes the turbo profile is imported from an ACIS file, and edges of the turbo volume
are pre-split in the zone-type assignment step (Step 4) to facilitate decomposition (Step 5).
NOTE: In this tutorial, the turbo-volume viewing operation (Step 7, above) is illustrated
in conjunction with the mesh examination step (see “Step 11: Examine the Mesh,”
below).

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8.4 Procedure

1. Copy the file

path/Fluent.Inc/gambit2.0/help/tutfiles/lscc-smooth.sat

from the GAMBIT installation area in the directory path to your working directory
(for example, “/home/user/tutorial/”).

2. Start GAMBIT using the session identifier “LS_Centrifugal_Comp”.

Step 1: Select a Solver

1. Choose the solver from the main menu bar:

Solver → FLUENT 5/6

The choice of solver affects the types of options available in the Specify Boundary
Types form (see below). The currently selected solver is shown at the top of the
GAMBIT GUI.

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Step 2: Import ACIS Geometry

To create a turbo model, GAMBIT requires the specification of a set of edges that
define the shapes of the turbo hub and casing and the cross-sectional shapes of the
turbo blade(s). In this tutorial, the edge specification data is imported from an ACIS
file.

1. Select the Import ACIS File option from the main menu bar.

File → Import → ACIS

This command sequence opens the Import ACIS File form.

2. Click the Browse... button.

This action opens the Select File form.

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Procedure LOW-SPEED CENTRIFUGAL COMPRESSOR

a) In the Files list, select lscc-smooth.sat.

b) On the Select File form, click Accept.

3. On the Import ACIS File form, click Accept.

GAMBIT reads the information contained in the ACIS file and constructs the
geometry shown in Figure 8-2.

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LOW-SPEED CENTRIFUGAL COMPRESSOR Procedure

Blade cross sections

Hub edge

Casing edge

Figure 8-2: Imported ACIS geometry for low-speed centrifugal compressor

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Procedure LOW-SPEED CENTRIFUGAL COMPRESSOR

Step 3: Create the Turbo Profile

The turbo profile defines the basic characteristics of the turbo volume. In GAMBIT,
the edges that describe the hub, casing, and blade cross sections are defined by
means of their inlet endpoint vertices.

1. Specify the hub, casing, and blade-cross-section edges of the turbo profile.

TOOLS → TURBO → CREATE PROFILE

This command sequence opens the Create Turbo Profile form.

In this step, you will specify vertices that define the hub, casing, and blade cross-
sections. In addition, you will specify the axis of revolution for the turbo configu-
ration. All instructions listed in this step refer to the vertex labels shown in Figure
8-3.

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LOW-SPEED CENTRIFUGAL COMPRESSOR Procedure

Hub Inlet D
A E
Blade Tips

Casing Inlet
B

Figure 8-3: Vertices used to specify the turbo profile

a) Activate the Hub Inlet list box on the Create Turbo Profile form.

b) Select vertex A.

c) Activate the Casing Inlet list box.

d) Select vertex B.

e) Activate the Blade Tips list box.

f) Select (in order) vertices C, D, and E.

! The order in which the Blade Tips vertices are selected is important to the
definition of a turbo profile. Specifically, the Blade Tips vertices must be
selected in order from hub to casing.

g) Click Apply to accept the vertex selections and create the turbo profile.

GAMBIT creates the turbo profile shown in Figure 8-4.

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Procedure LOW-SPEED CENTRIFUGAL COMPRESSOR

Figure 8-4: Turbo profile for low-speed centrifugal compressor blade

The turbo profile for this tutorial includes six (real) rail edges and three (virtual)
medial edges, each of which corresponds to one of the turbo blade cross sections.

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Step 4: Modify the Inlet and Outlet Vertex Locations

It is often useful to control the shape of the turbo volume such that its inlet and outlet
surfaces represent smooth flow transitions to and from the inlet and outlet ends,
respectively, of the turbo blade. In GAMBIT, you can control the shape of the turbo
volume by adjusting the positions of the medial-edge endpoint vertices prior to con-
structing the volume.

1. Open the Slide Virtual Vertex form.

TOOLS → TURBO → SLIDE VIRTUAL VERTEX

This command sequence opens the Slide Virtual Vertex form.

a) Select the inlet endpoint vertex of the medial edge for the hub blade cross section
(vertex A in Figure 8-4, above).

b) In the U Value field, enter the value 0.962.

As an alternative to entering a value in the U Value field, you can select the
vertex in the graphics window and drag it along its host rail edge until the U
Value field value is 0.962.

c) Retain the (default) Move With Links option.

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Procedure LOW-SPEED CENTRIFUGAL COMPRESSOR

The Move With Links option specifies that GAMBIT is to apply the current Slide
Virtual Vertex specifications to all medial-edge inlet endpoint vertices in addi-
tion to the selected vertex.

d) Click Apply to accept the new position of the medial-edge inlet endpoint vertices.

e) Select the outlet endpoint vertex of the medial edge for the casing blade cross
section (vertex B).

f) In the U Value field, enter the value 0.981.

g) Retain the Move With Links option.

h) Click Apply to accept the new position of the medial-edge outlet endpoint vertices.

The modified turbo profile appears as shown in Figure 8-5.

Figure 8-5: Turbo profile with modified inlet and outlet vertex locations

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Step 5: Create the Turbo Volume

The turbo volume characteristics are determined by the turbo profile and by specifi-
cation of the number of blades on the rotor (or angle between blades), the tip clear-
ance, and the number of spanwise sections. This example does not include either a tip
clearance or spanwise sectioning.

1. Specify the pitch for the turbo volume.

TOOLS → TURBO → CREATE TURBO VOLUME

This command sequence opens the Create Turbo Volume form.

a) In the Pitch text box, enter 20.

b) On the Pitch option button (located to the right of the Pitch text box), select the
Blade count option.

c) In the Spanwise Sections text box, enter 1.

d) Click Apply.

(NOTE for Linux users: ACIS operation on Linux platforms differs slightly
from its operation on other platforms. When working on a Linux platform, it is
necessary to resample the blade profiles prior to creating the turbo volume
(due to the complexity of the imported curves). To do so, open the Edit Defaults
form, and set the TURBO.GENERAL.SMOOTH_BLADE_PROFILES default
variable to 1. The resampling process causes a slight loss in accuracy of the
blade profiles. To improve the accuracy and thereby compensate for the loss,
increase the value of the GEOMETRY.EDGE.SAMPLING_POINTS default
variable.)

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Figure 8-6 shows the resulting turbo volume.

Outlet face
Blade
suction side

Blade
pressure
side

Hub face

Inlet face
Casing face

Figure 8-6: Turbo volume for low-speed centrifugal compressor blade

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Step 6: Define the Turbo Zones

This step assigns standard zone types to surfaces of the turbo volume. The zone-type
specifications determine which faces are linked for meshing. In addition to assigning
zone types, this step employs pre-decomposition options that presplit periodic
surfaces in order to facilitate turbo volume decomposition (see “Step 8: Decompose
the Turbo Volume,” below).

1. Specify the faces that constitute the hub, casing, inlet, and outlet of the turbo volume,
as well as the pressure and suction sides of the turbo blade.

TOOLS → TURBO → DEFINE TURBO ZONES

This command sequence opens the Define Turbo Zones form.

a) Activate the Hub list box, and select the bottom (hub) face of the turbo volume.

b) Activate the Casing list box, and select the top (casing) face of the turbo volume.

c) Activate the Inlet list box, and select the inlet face of the turbo volume.

d) Activate the Outlet list box, and select the outlet face of the turbo volume.

e) Activate the Pressure list box, and select the front two faces (excluding the flat,
trailing-tip face) on the inner-curve (pressure side) of the turbo blade.

f) Activate the Suction list box, and select the front two faces (excluding the flat,
trailing-tip face) on the outer-curve (suction side) of the turbo blade.

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The flat edges on the trailing tips of the blade cross sections are not included
in the definitions of the pressure and suction surfaces; therefore, they will not
be merged into their respective surfaces in the decomposition step.

g) In the Pre-decompose section, select both the Link spanwise and Split edges options.

The Pre-decompose options specify that GAMBIT is to merge the pressure

and suction surfaces of the blade, link the spanwise (hub and casing) faces of
the turbo volume, and split the periodic edges of the hub and casing faces to
facilitate decomposition of the turbo volume. The split locations for the peri-
odic faces are determined by a set of default variables that can be modified by
means of the Edit Defaults form (see Section 4.2.4 in the GAMBIT User’s
Guide).

h) Click Apply.

GAMBIT assigns the zone types and splits the blade and periodic edges as shown
in Figure 8-7.

Pre-decompose
split points

B
A

Figure 8-7: Turbo volume with pre-decomposition splits

Because the flat trailing edges are not included in the pressure and suction
surface definitions, the sharp edges at the trailing tip of the edge are maintained
and are used for the turbo decomposition.

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Step 7: Adjust Edge Split Points

It is often useful to modify the default split-point locations prior to decomposing the
turbo volume. Such adjustments can facilitate success of the decomposition operation
and the creation of spanwise faces that can be meshed with high-quality elements.
You can adjust the split-point locations either before or after decomposition, but the
adjustment process is less time-consuming if it is performed prior to decomposition,
because it does not involve updating the face and volume configurations associated
with each adjustment.
In this step, you will adjust the turbo blade split points such that they are close to, but
not coincident with, the leading edge vertex.

1. Open the Slide Virtual Vertex form.

TOOLS → TURBO → SLIDE VIRTUAL VERTEX

This command sequence opens the Slide Virtual Vertex form.

a) Select the suction-side, upstream split-point vertex on the casing face turbo blade
cross section (vertex A in Figure 8-7, above).

b) In the U Value field, enter the value 0.005.

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Procedure LOW-SPEED CENTRIFUGAL COMPRESSOR

As an alternative to entering a value in the U Value field, you can select the
vertex in the graphics window and drag it along its host rail edge until the U
Value field value is 0.005.

c) Retain the Move With Links option.

The Move With Links specifies that GAMBIT is to apply the current Slide Virtual
Vertex specifications to all linked vertices in addition to the selected vertex. In
this case, the suction-side split-point vertex on the casing face turbo blade
cross section is linked to a corresponding vertex on the hub face turbo blade
cross section. (NOTE: In all subsequent Slide Virtual Vertex operations listed
below, you will retain the Move With Links option.)

d) Click Apply to accept the new split-point location.

e) Select the pressure-side, upstream split-point vertex on the casing face turbo blade
cross section (vertex B).

f) In the U Value field, enter the value 0.995.

g) Click Apply to accept the new split-point location.

h) Select the pressure-side, upstream split-point vertex on the casing face periodic
edge (vertex C).

i) In the U Value field, enter the value 0.24.

j) Click Apply to accept the new split-point location.

Figure 8-8 shows the turbo volume configuration with the adjusted split points.

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Figure 8-8: Turbo volume with adjusted split points

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Step 8: Decompose the Turbo Volume

The decomposition step splits the turbo volume into four geometric volumes the
topologies of which are suitable for the creation of structured hexahedral meshes.

1. Decompose the turbo volume.

TOOLS → TURBO → DECOMPOSE TURBO VOLUME

This command sequence opens the Decompose Turbo Volume form.

a) Retain the (default) Type:H option, and click Apply.

GAMBIT decomposes the volume as shown in Figure 8-9.

Figure 8-9: Decomposed turbo volume for low-speed centrifugal compressor

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LOW-SPEED CENTRIFUGAL COMPRESSOR Procedure

Step 9: Unlink Spanwise Surfaces

To produce a high-quality mesh for this tutorial, it is advisable to unlink the hub and
casing faces (but retain edge links) prior to meshing. If the faces are not unlinked
prior to meshing, the volume meshing operation (Step 10, below) creates mapped
meshes on one set of faces and copies smoothed versions of the meshes to the
corresponding linked faces. Such copied-and-smoothed meshes are inferior to those
created by direct meshing of the linked faces; therefore, the unlinking step results in
superior overall mesh quality.
This procedure is applicable only to structured meshes, because the mesh topology is
completely defined by the edge mesh.

1. Unlink the spanwise faces.

TOOLS → TURBO → LINK/UNLINK EDGE/FACE MESHES

R

This command sequence opens the Unlink Face Meshes form.

a) Select the four hub faces.

b) Unselect the Lower topology option.

c) Click Apply.

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Procedure LOW-SPEED CENTRIFUGAL COMPRESSOR

Step 10: Mesh the Volumes

The decomposition step (above) automatically sets the interval count and grading on
the edges according to the turbo decomposition defaults. In addition, the decomposi-
tion sets face vertex types so that the volume is ready to mesh. To ensure consistent
edge-mesh interval assignments, you will mesh the turbo volume in two steps, each of
which involves meshing two of the four geometric volumes that comprise the turbo
volume.

1. Mesh the geometric volumes on the pressure and suction sides of the turbo blade.

TOOLS → TURBO → MESH EDGES/FACES/VOLUMES

This command sequence opens the Mesh Volumes form.

a) Activate the Volumes list box.

b) Select the volumes on the pressure and suction sides of the turbo blade.

GAMBIT automatically selects the Scheme:Elements:Hex and Scheme:Type:

Map options.

c) Retain the automatically selected Scheme options.

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LOW-SPEED CENTRIFUGAL COMPRESSOR Procedure

d) On the Spacing option button, select Interval size.

e) In the Spacing text box, enter a value of 10.

f) Click Apply.

2. Mesh the geometric volumes at the inlet and outlet tips of the turbo blade.

a) Select the volumes at the inlet and outlet tips of the turbo blade.

Again, GAMBIT automatically selects the Scheme:Elements:Hex and Scheme:

Type:Map options.

b) Retain the automatically selected Scheme options.

c) On the Spacing option button, select Interval size.

d) In the Spacing text box, enter a value of 10.

e) Click Apply.

Figure 8-10 shows the final meshed turbo volume.

Figure 8-10: Meshed turbo volume for low-speed centrifugal compressor

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Procedure LOW-SPEED CENTRIFUGAL COMPRESSOR

Step 11: Examine the Mesh

1. Select the EXAMINE MESH command button at the bottom right of the Global
Control toolpad.

This action opens the Examine Mesh form.

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The Examine Mesh form allows you to view various mesh characteristics for the
3-D mesh. For example, Figure 8-11 displays hexahedral volume mesh elements
for which the EquiAngle Skew parameter is between 0.2 and 0.3 for this example.

Figure 8-11: Hexahedral mesh elements—EquiAngle Skew = 0.2–0.3

2. Display the casing surface in a cascade turbo view.

TOOLS → TURBO → VIEW TURBO VOLUME

This command sequence opens the View Turbo Volume form.

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Procedure LOW-SPEED CENTRIFUGAL COMPRESSOR

a) Select the Cascade surface:Casing option.

The Cascade surface specifications described above specify a flattened, 2-D

display of the casing surface.

b) Click Apply.

Figure 8-12 displays an enlarged view of the quadrilateral face mesh elements
near the blade tip on the casing surface for this example. In this case, the mesh
elements are colored to represent the value of the EquiAngle Skew parameter.

Figure 8-12: Quadrilateral mesh elements near blade tip—EquiAngle Skew = 0–1

c) Select the Off option and click Apply to turn off the cascade turbo view before
specifying zone types.

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Step 12: Specify Zone Types

You can use the Specify Boundary Types command to apply solver-specific boundary
zone specifications to surfaces of the turbo volume. For some solver options, includ-
ing Fluent 5/6, GAMBIT automatically assigns such boundary zone specifications.

1. Check the automatically applied boundary zone types.

ZONES → SPECIFY BOUNDARY TYPES

This command sequence opens the Specify Boundary Types form.

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Procedure LOW-SPEED CENTRIFUGAL COMPRESSOR

Step 13: Export the Mesh and Exit GAMBIT

1. Export a mesh file.

a) Open the Export Mesh File form

File → Export → Mesh…

This command sequence opens the Export Mesh File form.

i. Enter the File Name for the file to be exported—for example, “ls_cc.msh”.

ii. Click Accept.

GAMBIT writes the mesh file to your working directory.

2. Save the GAMBIT session and exit GAMBIT

a) Select Exit from the File menu.

File → Exit

This action opens the Exit form.

b) Click Yes to save the current session and exit GAMBIT.

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LOW-SPEED CENTRIFUGAL COMPRESSOR Summary

8.5 Summary
This tutorial demonstrates the use of ACIS geometry import and turbo decomposition
operations in GAMBIT turbo modeling. In this example, edge data imported from an
ACIS file were used to define a turbo profile, which, in turn, was used to create a turbo
volume representing the flow region surrounding one blade of a low-speed centrifugal
compressor. The turbo zones were assigned, the turbo volume was pre-split, and the split-
point locations on the blade and periodic edges were adjusted to facilitate decomposition
and meshing. The final, decomposed turbo volume consisted of four volumes, each of
which could be meshed using a structured, hexahedral meshing scheme.

© Fluent Inc., Dec-01 8-29