Aerodynamic Performance of Small Turbocharger Compressors

Automotive turbocharger compressors are characterized by small dimensions. These small dimensions make detailed measurements of the flow field inside the compressor very challenging. However, it is very important to investigate and understand the aerodynamic performance of these machines in order to enhance the ability to improve their performance. The present paper aims at investigating the aerodynamic performance of the individual compressor components and the interaction between these components. The aerodynamic performance of a GT1749V 70 Trim turbocharger compressor is investigated with particular attention to measurements of the static pressure distribution at the inlet and outlet of the diffuser. A 1D-model is developed to solve the conservation equations along the streamlines inside the diffuser with the measured static pressure distributions as boundary conditions. The loss coefficients of the impeller, the diffuser, and the volute as well as the slip factor of the impeller are estimated from the experimental data with the help of the 1D-model developed in the present work. The model is also validated using available experimental data from a large radial compressor and shows a good agreement with the experimental results.