An investigation of thermo-compressor design by analysis and experiment: Part 2. Development of design method by using comprehensive characteristic curves

In the first part of this study, the numerical evaluation of the thermo-compressor performance was validated with the experimental data and a precise CFD method for studying the internal flow was presented. The reliable simulation approach will enable us to introduce a design methodology for geometry selection for a thermo-compressor under the known operating conditions. In the current study, some important shape parameters of a conventional thermo-compressor will be introduced and the influence of these parameters on the overall performance will be investigated. In a further step, a wide range of geometrical parameters will be presented through the use of validated numerical method, and a collection of design curves will be produced. Finally, a practical relationship between characteristic parameters and non-dimensional geometrical parameters will be revealed. The objective of present work is to develop the design diagrams in order to establish a robust procedure for designing thermo-compressors with several facilities that one should expect from a standalone group of design charts. If the results of this procedure are carefully implemented to select shape parameters, a remarkable improvement to the overall performance of a thermo-compressor will be achieved perceptibly.

► Introducing two non-dimensional geometrical variables in the thermo-compressor.
► Non-dimensional volume of the mixing zone has not been investigated previously.
► Producing comprehensive graphs for design purposes on the basis of these two variables.
► Generating a correlation to express the performance as a function of these variables.
► Developing the design method of thermo-compressors for obtaining an optimized design.