Empirical models for efficiency and mass flow rate of centrifugal compressors

• Reviews empirical models for centrifugal compressor efficiency and mass flow rates.
• Conducts experiments of an ACM centrifugal compressor for air cycle refrigeration.
• Evaluates available models against experimental data from three data sources.
• Accurate empirical models for refrigeration centrifugal compressors is needed.
• Model performances and ranking vary with compressors.

Centrifugal compressors are widely used in refrigeration systems, heat, power and chemical plants, turbochargers, and vehicle engines, including flight vehicles. Empirical models of efficiency and mass flow rates of centrifugal compressors are required for the design, energy analysis, performance simulation, and control- and/or diagnose-oriented dynamic simulation of such compressors and systems. This work presents a comprehensive review of empirical models for efficiency and mass flow rates of centrifugal compressors. An experimental investigation of a centrifugal compressor for air-cycle refrigeration systems of aircraft is carried out. Then, the available models are evaluated with the experimental data of the refrigeration centrifugal compressor and two turbocharger centrifugal compressors. It is found that the most models for centrifugal compressors of vehicle engines and turbochargers are not satisfactory for refrigeration centrifugal compressors, and thus accurate models for refrigeration centrifugal compressors need to be developed.