Turbomachinery Preliminary Design Software Functionalities

A unified interface between machines allows users to learn a single user-experience while machine-specific equations run in the background.

AxSTREAM^® can design single-stage, multi-stage and multi-module turbomachines with special machine-specific design features (see information in the blue box below) to ensure maximum flexibility as well as optimized calculation and post-processing times.

Product information

AxSTREAM^®

Radial Turbine Webinar | Turbomachinery Design Technology

1. Introduction

The Preliminary Design set of modules includes:

Solution Generator that is used to produce a number of flow path geometries (solutions) for subsonic, transonic and supersonic flows that satisfy user-defined boundary conditions and geometric parameters within given constraints while accounting for real fluid properties (See Fluid Toolbox);
Design Space Explorer to review machine characteristics (geometry, performance, flow conditions) for all the designs generated;
Post-Design tool to further optimize the selected geometry.

2. Turbomachines of Interest

Depending on the license(s) available, machines that can be created using the Preliminary Design modules of AxSTREAM^® include:

Axial turbines
Axial compressors
Axial pumps
Single-stage axial fans / blowers
Multi-stage axial fans
Axial hydraulic turbines
Single-stage radial turbines
Multi-stage radial inflow turbines
Multi-stage radial outflow turbines
Radial compressors
Radial pumps;
Single-stage radial fans / blowers
Multi-stage radial fans
Radial hydraulic turbines
Radial-axial turbines
Axial-radial compressors / pumps
Mixed-flow (diagonal) compressors

A unified interface between machines allows users to learn a single user-experience while machine-specific equations run in the background.

3. Solver, Data Input as Ranges and Design Space Explorer

AxSTREAM-Solver
The inverse solver allows the generation of large amounts of designs in a short span of time (up to dozens of thousands of geometries created per min) and is coupled to an optimizer to seek sets of parameters resulting in higher performances and ensures that the geometry selected for detailed design is already as optimized as it can be at the 1D level.

This is made possible due to the inputs being provided as ranges rather than fixed values, wherever desired. These ranges can then be analyzed in the Design Space Explorer tool to allow users to search for optimal values based on performance, size, manufacturability, etc.

In addition, filters can be applied to keep only geometries that fit user-defined criteria to eventually select the one design that provides the best compromise of performance vs size, for example. The design space can even be exported to a spreadsheet format for additional post-processing.

Moreover, Preliminary Design default settings allow getting as close to the final geometry as possible by including shrouds and seals information or clearance data, for example.

4. Add-On: Results Validation and Geometries Comparison at Design and Off-Design Conditions

AxSTREAM^®’s Preliminary Design modules also include a meanline direct solver which is enabled when the Meanline or Streamline license is available and allows validating the performances obtained for each geometry at design and off-design conditions. This makes it very convenient to compare performances across the entire range of operation (from surge / stall to choke, for example) as well as operation ranges themselves (surge margin comparison, for example). Note that in order to study off-design conditions the AxMAP license is required.