Research on the design method of highly loaded helium compressor based on the physical properties

ABSTRACT

A highly loaded design method of helium compressor is presented in this paper. First, particular loss prediction models based on corrections of isentropic index and velocity triangle are deduced for highly loaded helium compressor. Then the influence of design parameters such as reaction, flow coefficient and load coefficient on aerodynamic loss of highly loaded helium compressor is analyzed in detail with the loss models. The design principles are also discussed. A highly loaded helium compressor design study is carried out based on a 300-MW high-temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGR) helium multistage compressor to validate the method. The results indicate that the 16-stage helium low-pressure compressor of the 300-MW HTGR can be reduced to a 3-stage compressor by the proposed highly loaded design method at the same tip tangential velocity. The isentropic efficiency could be as high as 90% under design condition.

KEYWORDS:

• HTGR
• helium compressor
• highly loaded
• loss prediction model

Acknowledgement

The authors wish to thank the financial supports of National Natural Science Foundation of China [Grant Number 51476039].

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

The authors wish to thank the financial supports of National Natural Science Foundation of China [Grant Number 51476039].