TY - GEN

T1 - Numerical investigation of a centrifugal compressor with various diffuser geometries for fuel cell applications

AU - Schödel, M.

AU - Menze, M.

AU - Seume, J. R.

N1 - Funding Information: The investigations presented in this paper are part of the research project ARIEL. The authors thank the Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure (BMVI) which financially supported the work within the framework of the National Innovation Programme (NIP) Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology as well as the NOW GmbH which coordinated the funding guideline. The authors would also like to acknowledge gratefully the entire project consortium consisting of the Volkswagen AG and all the participating institutes of the University of Braunschweig and the Ostfalia University of Applied Sciences.

PY - 2021/1

Y1 - 2021/1

N2 - In automotive fuel cell drives, electrically driven turbochargers are used to increase system pressure and improve efficiency. Due to the low operating temperature of the polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) and the resulting low exhaust gas temperature, the turbine power is not sufficient to drive the compressor. Thus, this paper investigate the potential of efficiency increase when using variable turbine geometries in an experimentally validated numerical study. The variable geometries are analysed in detail. The results of the investigation are compared to the results of a non-variable turbocharger version. The numerical study shows that the use of variable turbine geometries is beneficial in PEMFC air supply systems since the operating range enhancement leads to better coverage of the operating line. In addition, the variable nozzle turbine results in improved efficiency at higher pressure ratios.

AB - In automotive fuel cell drives, electrically driven turbochargers are used to increase system pressure and improve efficiency. Due to the low operating temperature of the polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) and the resulting low exhaust gas temperature, the turbine power is not sufficient to drive the compressor. Thus, this paper investigate the potential of efficiency increase when using variable turbine geometries in an experimentally validated numerical study. The variable geometries are analysed in detail. The results of the investigation are compared to the results of a non-variable turbocharger version. The numerical study shows that the use of variable turbine geometries is beneficial in PEMFC air supply systems since the operating range enhancement leads to better coverage of the operating line. In addition, the variable nozzle turbine results in improved efficiency at higher pressure ratios.

KW - Centrifugal Compressor

KW - Fuel Cell Air Supply

KW - Range Extension

KW - Variable Nozzle Turbine

KW - Energy Recovery

KW - Variable Geometry Turbine

KW - Radial Turbine

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85110788644&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.29008/ETC2021-686

DO - 10.29008/ETC2021-686

M3 - Conference contribution

BT - Proceedings of 14th European Conference on Turbomachinery Fluid dynamics & Thermodynamics

T2 - 14th European Conference on Turbomachinery Fluid Dynamics and Thermodynamics, ETC 2021

Y2 - 12 April 2021 through 16 April 2021

ER -