Master thesis: Layout requirements of shrouded impellers in centrifugal compressors considering different manufacturing processes
Currently, shrouded centrifugal impellers are mostly manufactured by five-axis milling. This market leading process is getting compared to the novel method of additive manufacturing. For this purpose, an impeller-model is constructed by using 3D-CAD-software. Based on this model the future operational load is simulated using FEM-Analysis, which considers various basic materials of the additive manufacturing.
Following the FEM-Analysis, an additive manufactured shrouded impeller withstands the operational stress within a centrifugal compressor. Consequently, the additive production of the modelled impeller is commissioned after a comparison of additive manufacturers throughout Germany.
The impeller’s production is more economical and significantly faster and matches the geometric shape of the CAD-Modell. All in all, the additive manufacturing is more economical and faster than the five axis milling. On the other hand the additive manufacturing still requires development regarding the quality of the produced impellers.
GPE-Turbo will continue the research & development in close cooperation with different German universities to push the additive manufacturing to market maturity.
