DESIGN AND OPTIMIZATION OF THE IMPELLER ON
CENTRIFUGAL COMPRESSOR IN FUEL CELL VEHICLE
l l
Guangyu Wu , Sichuan Xu , Yu Wan
iClean Energy Automotive Engineering Center, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
leones.wu@gmail.com, scxu@tongji.edu.cn
Keywords: Centrifugal Compressor, Impeller, Numerical
Simulation, Optimization, Fuel Cell Systems.
Abstract
Compressor plays a crucial role in the air management
system (AMS), which is used in fuel cell systems (FCS).
In this paper, an impeller of centrifugal compressor for
AMS of a 65 kW FCS was designed. The performance of
initial designed impeller was investigated by computa­
tional fluid dynamics (CFO). The univariate parameters of
initial impeller were analyzed. The simulation results
show that the geometric parameters of the impeller inlet
section, blades and outlet section have a great influence on
its performance. According to the simulation results and
theoretical analysis, the impeller was optimal designed.
The optimal designed impeller has higher pressure ratio
and efficiency. The impeller has relatively flat operating
characteristics not only at the design condition but also at
other operation conditions. These could meet the require­
ments.
1 Introduction
In vehicle applications, Fuel Cell System needs O2 for the
oxidation of H2 into H20 and electrical energy. The air
compressor supplies pressurized air by taking it from the
environment. But the air pressure increased is at the ex­
pense of the output power of FCS. AMS consists of com­
pressor, humidifier, condenser and other components. The
consumption of air compressor accounts for 90% of the
whole power consumption of auxiliary system and about
13% of the total output power. It becomes the biggest
energy consumption components of FCS other than the
operating load [1], which largely determines the system
performance. Because of all commercial compressors are
not suitable for FCS in automotive applications. The de­
velopment of air compressor is a big challenge. Therefore,
to develop a compressor which has high efficiency, relia­
ble and low cost has become an important task in the FCS
research.
Recently, the centrifugal compressors and the positive
displacement compressors have been used in FCS. Centri­
fugal compressors have a relatively mature application in
turbochargers of automotive, but the application in FCS is
still at the exploratory stage [2] -[6] . The air compressor in
FCS has its unique characteristics and requirements [7].
Such as the air must be clean and free of oil, volume and
mass should be as small as possible, high efficiency, ex-
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l
cellent transient response, low noise, low specific speed,
etc.
In this paper, an initial impeller was designed by geo­
metric modeling. The performance of the initial impeller
was analyzed by CFD numerical simulation techniques.
The influence of structure parameters of impeller on per­
fonnance was analyzed. And the key parameters are opti­
mized. These univariate analyses provide a reference for
the design of centrifugal compressor in AMS of FCS.
2 The Design of the Initial Impeller
The mass flow rate of a FCS can be calculated by the fol­
lowing formula [8]:
P"
m=3.57xI0-4xAx (1)
Vc
where }, is the equivalence ratio, P., is the output power
of FCS in (kW), V is the voltage of cell.
c
Currently, the equivalence ratio about 2.2 is generally
considered as the global optimum for FCS in automotive
application [9]. When the output power of a stack is 65
kW, according to formula (1), the cell voltage is 0.63 V,
the equivalence ratio is 2.2 and the mass flow rate is 80
g/s. Besides, the compressor revolution is 90,000 rlmin in
design condition.
The impeller is unshrouded. And its direction of rota­
tion is counterclockwise. The control equation of blade
curve, the angle and thickness of blades are chosen. After
above process, the discrete coordinates of blade pressure
surface and suction surface have been obtained. Structure
adjustable and thickness controllable blades are generated.
Then the three-dimensional structural model of impeller is
generated through CAD software. As shown in Figure 1.
Figure 1. Initial impeller model.
 The main characteristics of the blades are backward­
style and back bend, which means the trailing edge of
blades at outlet position is leaning back, while the overall
blade is back bended. The main structural parameters of
the impeller are shown in Table 1.

3 Numerical Simulation

3.1 Meshing

Grid of main blade is 137 x 33 x 41. The number of grid

is about 190,000. Grid of splitter blade is 129 x 33 x 41.
The number of grid is about 170,000. The leading and
trailing edge, surface and tip clearance of blades have
been meshed refinement. The total number of grid is ap­ Figure 3. y+ value near the wall.

proximately 780,000. The first layer of wall grid scale is

0.01. Finally, the minimum mesh orthogonality is 20.4, 3.2 Numerical Computation Method and
the maximum length-width ratio of grid is 3463, the max­ Boundary Conditions
imum extend ratio of grid is 3.1. The mesh quality is meet
the demand. Figure 2 shows the grid. For centrifugal compressor impeller simulation, the
Before analysis, the first layer grid scale must be simplified flow channel is 117 of the original impeller. S­
checked to meet the selected turbulence model. Figure 3 A turbulence model, Semi-Implicit Method for Pressure
is y+ values near the wall at trailing edge. y+ is less than Linked Equations (SIMPLE) algorithm, Finite Volume
lO in the most area of impeller grid. That is suitable for Method (FVM) and Central Difference Scheme (CDS) are
Spalart-Allmaras (S-A) turbulence model. chosen. Gas model is real gas.
No-slip and insulation wall is the solid boundary condi­
Table 1. The main structural parameters of the impeller. tion. Circumferential edges on both sides are periodic
boundary. The inlet is total temperature, total pressure and
Structural parameters Numerical value axial intake boundary. The outlet is pressure outlet boun­
z Number of blades 14 ( 7 *7 ) dary condition. Area average static pressure of outlet is
given.
d Hub diameter 16mm Because of large-scale flow separation, secondary flow
D[ Inlet diameter 38mm and another complex flow in the actual operation of com­
pressor, mesh quality and some other factors. It can be
D, Outlet diameter 71mm considered to converge when the residual down to nega­
b, Axial width at outlet 3.8mm tive ten cubic. Besides the mass flow, pressure ratio, effi­
ciency, power and torque are overall converged. These
Axial length of main blades 28mm
_.r,
factors show that the overall characteristics have stabilized.
R Axial length of splitter blades 18mm
3.3 The Performance of Initial Impeller
L'. Tip clearance 0.3mm
Pressure ratio and isentropic efficiency of the initial im­
f3u Installation angle of blades at inlet 36.7" peller at 60,000, 70,000, 80,000, 90,000 and 100,000
r/min are shown in Figure 4.
Blade thickness 1.2mm
In design condition, the impeller static pressure has a
uniform flow field distribution at meridian and 50%
height of blades. A small area at the outlet of blades and
near the shroud has low relative Mach number. As Figure
5 shows.
Figure 6 is the velocity vector distribution at the trail­
ing edge of main blade (right) and splitter blade (left). In
small flow condition, due to the low fluid velocity, sec­
ondary flow and the effect of tip clearance, the flow is
complicated in the trailing edge of suction surface. There
is a great reverse flow area in this region, which cause
large flow losses. The surge occurs in the centrifugal
compress at a small flow rate. At design condition, the
scale and intensity of eddy is much weaker than the eddy
at small flow rate in this area. With the increase of flow,
the high fluid velocity makes flow distribution better at
Figure 2. Grid of impeller. large flow rate.

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 Figure 4. The performance of initial impeller.

(a)

(b)

Figure 5. The flow field distribution. (a) Static pressure distribution; (b) Relative mach number.

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 (a)

(b)

(c )

Figure 6. The velocity vector distribution at the trailing edge of main blade and splitter blade. (a) Small flow rate
condition; (b) Design flow rate condition; (c) Large flow rate condition.

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 4 The Influence of Structure Parameters on
Performance

4.1 Installation Angle of Blades at Inlet

Installation angle of blades at inlet (filA) generally based

on inlet flow angle (fil) should let the impeller inlet flow
losses minimized. Figure 7 shows the simulation results
about the pressure ratio (solid line) and isentropic effi­
ciency (dash line) when the installation angle of blades at
inlet increased S (IS) and reduced S (RS).
From the results, when filA increased and reduced will
cause performance degradation on small flow situation.
On great flow situation, reduced has no effect on the im­
peller performance. But larger filA can improve both pres­
z7
sure ratio and efficiency. Figure 8 is the velocity vector at
SO% height of blades. When filA increased, great local
expansion, separation and eddy will be caused at the lead­
ing edge of blades non-working surface. But the local ex­
pansion can be weakened with the increase of mass flow
rate. When filA reduced, local expansion will be caused at
the blades working surface. However, the expanding of
separation zoon can be confined by the inertia effect of
fluid.

4.2 Number of Blades

Number of blades has a significant influence on impeller.

Figure 9 is the simulation results when the number of
blades is 6 pairs (z6), 7 pairs (z7) and 8 pairs (z8).
From the results, the more blades, the smaller the surge
flow. But the more number of blades, the worse perfor­
mance of impeller at large flows.

4.3 Splitter Blades

I5
The length of splitter blade has a certain influence on the
performance of impeller. Less literature published at home
and aboard in this aspect. Inlet diameter of splitter blade is
about O.S to 0.7 of outlet diameter of impeller (Dz). Fig­
ure 10 shows the influence on performance when the

R5

Figure 8. Velocity vector distribution at 50%

Figure 7. The influence of PIA on performance. height of blades.

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 Figure 11. The influence of tip clearance on performance.

Figure 9. The influence of blades number on performance.

Figure 10. The influence of length of splitter blade on perfor­

mance.

length of splitter blade increased 2 mm (12) and reduced 2

mm (R2).
There is no effect on impeller when the length of split­
ter blade increased 2 mm. But the pressure ratio and effi­
ciency declined at large flow when length reduced.

4.4 Tip Clearance

Figure 11 shows the simulation results when the shroud

tip clearance is 0.3 mm (c3) and the clearance is O.S mm
(cS).
Airflow could flow from one passage to another through
tip clearance. Because differential pressure between the
pressure surface and suction surface. Tip clearance dis­
tance is based on the impeller and volute requirement.
When it changed from 0.3 mm to O.S mm, both pressure
ratio and isentropic efficiency is greatly reduced. There­
fore, it must be minimized within the clearance fit re­
quirement. Figure 12 is the velocity vector at 90% height
of blades. The vector is disorderly at the trailing edge of
blades when the clearance is O.S mm (right side), which Figure 12. The velocity vector distribution at 90% height of
increase the flow losses. blades.

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 4.5 Blades Thickness

Figure 13 is the performance of impeller when the thick­

ness at the top of blades reduced to o.S mm (RS). The si­
mulation result shows that reducing the thickness of blades
will worsen the performance in small flow rate. But the
performance will be improved when the mass flow is larg­
er than S5 g/s.
With the blades thickness reduced, the passage and the
divergence angle are increased. Thus the boundary layer
thickness and the separation of flow are increased. How­
ever, the blockage decreased at large flow rate. As Figure
14 shows.

4.6 Axial Width of Impeller at Outlet

Axial width of impeller at outlet could affect the diver­

gence angle and the hydraulic diameter of cross section.
Figure 15 is the simulation results. When axial width re­
duced to 3.6 mm (R3.6), the pressure has no change and
the efficiency improved at small flow rate. But both of
them decreased at large flow.
As Figure 16 shows, when axial width reduced (right),
the divergence degree decreased. It can effectively restrain
flow separation and the stable operation range is expanded.
However, with the decrease of axial width at outlet, the
influence of tip clearance on performance increase that
will lead to larger leakage loss.

5 Impeller Design and Performance

Optimization

According to the above simulation results and analysis,

the initial impeller is optimized for the selected parame­
ters, which are shown in Table 2.
Figure 17 is the performance of optimal designed im­
peller. The pressure ratio increased by 7.6% and the isen­
tropic efficiency increased by 3% at average. The surge Figure 14. Velocity vector distribution at 50% height
boundary line moved to smaller flow rate. With the mass of blades.

flow change from almost 20 gls to 100 gis, the pressure

ratio can change from 1.3 to 2.1 and the efficiency is more
than SO% at most operating point. If this impeller com­
bined with diffuser and volute, it will certainly meet the
basic requirement of FeS.

Figure 15. The influence of axial width at outlet on performance.

6 Conclusion

The influence of geometry parameters of impeller on per­

formance were analyzed by numerical simulation methods.
Figure 13. The influence of blade thickness on performance. The design method and analytic process have a significant

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Figure 16. The steamline at meridian.
Table 2. Parameters of the optimal designed impeller.
Structure parameters Numerical value
Number of blades 16( 8*8)
Installation angle of blades at inlet 36.T
Axial length of shorter blades 18mm
Axial width at outlet 4 mm
Tip clearance O.3mm
Blade thickness O.8mm
Figure 17. The performance of optimal designed impeller.
reference value for centrifugal compressor used in FCS.
The following conclusions can be drawn concerning the
performances of the optimized impeller.
(f3IA)
The installation angle of blades at inlet
changed. Because large local expansion and flow separa­
tion will be caused at the leading edge of blades when f3IA
increased and reduced 5". The number of blades is 16 (8*8)
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to reduce the divergence degree, restrain the separation
and minimized the surge flow rate. The axial length of
splitter blades ( B) is 18 mm, the pressure ratio and effi­
ciency declined at large flow when B reduced. The air­
flow can flow through tip clearance from pressure surface
to suction surface of blades. The tip clearance remained
the same to reduce leakage loss. Because the blockage
effect decreased at large flow rate, the thickness at the top
of blades reduced to 0.8 mm. The axial width of impeller
at outlet (b2) is 4 mm to reduce the influence of tip clear­
ance.
Acknowledgments
I appreciate my supervisor Prof. Xu Sichuan, who has
provided me lots of valuable guidance to write this thesis.
Without his extraordinary patience and encouragement,
this paper could not be completed.
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