Finite Element Analysis of Screw Compressor

Finite Element Analysis of Screw Compressor

M. Selvaraji
Technology Development,
Elgi Equipments Ltd

Abstract

There is a growing demand for all types of screw compressors in the industry due to user requirements.
Design and construction of screw compressors are demanding tasks that require advanced calculations and
theoretical knowledge. The clearances in screw compressors play a major role in performance and reliability.
Screw compressors operate with tip speeds up to 100 m/sec and the discharge temperature up to 250 °C. A
theoretical approach was needed in order to minimize the clearances while avoiding contact between the
rotors and the casing. It was established to calculate the clearances accurately by considering the structural and
thermal deformations. It is essential to incorporate the Computer Aided Engineering in the Screw
Compressor design and development process to validate the theoretical model. Analysis of the stress and
deflection caused by external force and pressure, analysis of the thermal stress and deformation caused by
heat transfer has been performed in the screw compressor rotors, rotor and bearing housings by using
Ansys. Based on the analysis results, a prototype compressor was built and tested. The reliability and
performance of screw compressor was established. The design based on this procedure makes the screw
compressor to reach the customer without any teething troubles. Results of the analysis are presented in the
paper.
(Key words: Screw compressor, clearance management, and structural, heat transfer and thermal analysis)

Introduction

Screw Compressor
A set of intermeshing helical screw rotors is housed in the housing of the screw compressor. The rotor with
profile outside the pitch circle is called male or main rotor, the rotor with profile inside the pitch circle is
called female or gate rotor. The ball bearing on the rotors takes axial forces of the screw compressor.
Similarly, the cylindrical roller bearing on both ends of the rotor receives radial forces from the screw
compressor.

Screw compressors are same as piston compressors in the principle of the rise of the air pressure, one rotor
acts as piston and other forms as cylinder in screw compressor and both belong to positive displacement
compressors.

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 Finite Element Analysis of Screw Compressor

Types

Screw Compressors are classified based on principle of working, type of gas to be compressor and principle
of application as below.

Air compressors
Oil flooded compressors Refrigeration compressors
Process Gas compressors

Screw compressors

Dry compressors
Oil free compressors
Water - Injected compressors

Design

In oil-free screw compressors, air does not contact the lubricating oil and the rotors don’t contact directly
and remain space between each other. Male rotors drive female rotors through timing gear and it keeps the
space between rotors. The main components of screw compressors like bearings, gears etc are lubricated by
methods of normal lubrication, and isolating shaft seals are applied between these lubricated parts and the
compression chamber.

In oil-flooded screw compressors, the lubricant is injected into the compressed air, which helps to lubricate,
compress, cool and reduce noise. There is no timing gear in oil-flooded screw compressors, for the pair of
rotors can work the purpose, the male rotor drive the female rotor directly.

In water-injected screw compressors, the water is injected to the compression chamber in order to reduce
the discharge temperature in dry screw compressors and raise the single stage discharge pressure. As water
can not be used for lubrication, timing gear is also designed in these compressors

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 Finite Element Analysis of Screw Compressor

Theoretical approach to calculate the clearances

The performance of any screw compressor depends on the following design and operating parameters.

1. Sealing line length

2. Blow hole area
3. Radial clearance
4. Interlobe clearance
5. Axial clearance

Sealing line
When the male and female rotors of screw compressors mesh, the surfaces of two rotors contact with each
other forming a space curve which is Sealing line.

Blow hole Area

The tip of the contact line of the rotor usually can not reach the intersecting line between the cylinder holes
of the male and female rotors, and form a space curve triangle between the top of contact line and rotor
cylinder hole of the case, which is called blowhole area.

The significance of the sealing line length and blow hole area is depends on the type of the profile and type
of application and if the profile is optimized for certain application, these parameters are fixed once for all.

The calculation of manufacturing and operating clearances namely, radial, interlobe and axial clearances
are directly depend on the following parameters.

1. Structural deflection of the rotors due to pressure

2. Structural expansion of the housing bores due to pressure
3. Torsional twist of the rotors
4. Backlash of the synchronizing gears (incase of dry and water injected compressors)
5. Thermal expansion of rotors due to the thermal loading due to compression
6. Thermal expansion of housing bore due to the thermal loading due to compression
7. Thermal expansion of the housing center distance of the bores due to thermal loading

In the above list, first 3 parameters can be calculated by using the theoretical formulae with simplified
geometry with assumption and can also be verified using analysis.

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 Finite Element Analysis of Screw Compressor

Structural deflection of the rotors due to pressure

The screw compressor rotor is a stepped shaft with variable cross section from one end to the another end
due to the assembly requirements of gears, bearings and seals in to the screw compressor.

The deflection of the stepped shaft can be calculated using moment area method as shown below.

dv dv x2
M
− = dx
dx dx x1
EI
x2 x1

First moment area theorem ------------ Equation No.1

dv dv x2
− (v2 − v1) = x
M
x 2
− x1
EI
dx
dx x2
dx x1
x1

Second moment area theorem ------------ Equation No.2

Solving the above two equations after applying the known boundary conditions the maximum deflection of
the rotor and as well the location can be calculated.

Structural expansion of the housing bores due to pressure

Based on the casting feasibility the wall thickness is higher than one twentieth of the bore diameter, the
Lame' s theory for thick cylinder can be used to calculate the stress induced at inner and out walls and the
corresponding expansion as below.

1 r12 r22
σr = p 2 r22 − p1 r12 + ( p1 − p2 )
(
r22 − r12 ) r2
Lame'
s Equation for radial stress ------------ Equation No.3

1 r12 r22
σc = 2 2 p r − p r + 2 ( p1 − p 2 )
2 2

(
r2 − r1 ) 1 1
r
2 2

Lame'
s Equation for hoop stress ------------ Equation No.4

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 Finite Element Analysis of Screw Compressor

Torsional twist of the rotors

The angle of twist of the screw rotors is the sum of individual twist of each step of the rotors based on the
torsion theory as below.

n
ln
θ= T Torsion Equation ------------ Equation No.5
1 Cn J n

Backlash of the synchronizing gears

The amount by which the width of a tooth space exceeds the thickness of the engaging tooth on the pitch
circles
Manufacturing Backlash - sum of tooth thickness tolerances of mating gears

β m = As1 + As 2 ------------ Equation No.6

Operating Backlash - it is different from manufacturing backlash due to the center distance change and
thermal expansion.

β o = β m + 2CTan(α ) ------------ Equation No.6

C= center distance tolerance + thermal expansion

Thermal expansion of rotors

The rotors are subjected to pressure which causes the structural deformation and also they are subjected to
variable thermal loading which causes the thermal expansion at profile which affects the operating radial,
interlobe and axial clearances and thermal expansion of shaft t end affects seal and bearing clearances.
Radial thermal expansion of rotor

δrr = α r Rr (Tr − T f ) ------------ Equation No.7

Axial thermal expansion of rotor

δar = α r Lr (Tr − T f ) ------------ Equation No.8

Thermal expansion of Housing bores and CD

The housings are subjected to variable thermal loading which causes the thermal expansion rotor bores
which affects the operating radial, interlobe and axial clearances and thermal expansion of bosses affects
seal and bearing clearances.

Radial thermal expansion of rotor bore

δrh = α h Rh (Th − T f ) ------------ Equation No.9

Radial thermal expansion of Housing CD

δcdh = α hCDh (Th − T f ) ------------ Equation No.10

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 Finite Element Analysis of Screw Compressor

Axial thermal expansion of boss

δah = α h Lh (Th − T f ) ------------ Equation No.11

Operating axial clearance

It is the function of cold clearance set during the assembly, internal clearance of the axial bearing, thermal
expansion of the shaft and housing between axial bearing and discharge end face.

Operating Inter-lobe clearance

It is the function of cold clearance set during the assembly, internal clearance of the radial bearing, thermal
expansion of the rotor, thermal expansion of housing bore, torsional deformation of rotors and operating
backlash of the gears.

Operating Radial clearance

It is the function of cold clearance set during the assembly, internal clearance of the radial bearing, thermal
expansion of the rotor and housing bore.

Finite Element Analysis

Flow diagram

Structural Analysis
of rotors

Thermal Analysis of
rotors Results

Thermal Analysis of
Housings

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 Finite Element Analysis of Screw Compressor

Structural Analysis of rotors

GEOMETRY
The equivalent circular cross-section of the screw rotor profile has been calculated and modeled instead of
the actual helical rotor, because the helical rotor is symmetric about its axis. (Ref fig .1)

ELEMENT / MESH CONSIDERATIONS

Beam elements are used to create a mathematical one-dimensional idealization of a 3-D
structure. They offer computationally efficient solutions when compared to solid and shell
elements.
Beam 188, used here, has 6 degrees of freedom- 3 translations, 3 rotations; at each of its
two nodes and can support 3-D displacement plots/contours. It also supports line/3-D plots.
Circular Beam Sections were attributed to each line, with the same no. of elements in radial and
circumferential directions. (Ref Fig.1)

BOUNDARY CONDITIONS
The model was constrained at two keypoint locations, with pure radial support
at one end and with radial & axial support at the other. The loads were previously estimated point loads for
the resultant gas & gear loads in 2 locations. (Ref Fig.2)

Thermal Analysis of rotors

GEOMETRY
The equivalent 3D-stepped shaft model was made.

ELEMENT / MESH CONSIDERATIONS

3D ELEMENTS were used with the free mesh option to obtain a
sufficiently fine Mesh.

BOUNDARY CONDITIONS
Convective heat transfer coefficients were calculated using the
equations 12 -15 and input to areas where heat transfer was known to take place.
Bulk temperatures were also given.

Theoretical calculation of the thermal distribution of the rotors at different locations is very complex due to
the geometry, loading and boundary conditions and the Computer Aided Engineering assistance become
mandatory to determine the steady state temperature distribution.

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 Finite Element Analysis of Screw Compressor

Heat transfer coefficient of hot medium

Reynolds number

vh D
Re h =
γh
Nusselt number
0.8 0.4
Nu h = 0.023 Re h Prh ------------ Equation No.12

Heat transfer coefficient of air

Nu h λ h
hh = ------------ Equation No.13
D

Heat transfer coefficient of cold medium

Reynolds number
vo D
Re o =
γo
Nusselt number
0.8 0.4
Nuo = 0.023 Re o Pro ------------ Equation No.14

Heat transfer coefficient of oil

Nuo λo
ho = ------------ Equation No.15
D
The boundary condition obtained from the above calculation is applied in the thermal analysis and found
the temperature distribution of the rotors and the average value at required locations.

Thermal Analysis of Housings

GEOMETRY
The equivalent 3D model was imported. (Ref Fig. 6)
ELEMENT / MESH CONSIDERATIONS
3D ELEMENTS were used with the free mesh option to obtain a sufficiently fine Mesh. (Ref Fig. 7 & 12)
BOUNDARY CONDITIONS
Convective heat transfer coefficients were calculated using the equations 12 & 16 and input to areas where
heat transfer was known to take place. Bulk temperatures were also given. (Ref Fig. 7 &13)
Theoretical calculation of the thermal expansion of the housing bores at different location is very complex
due to the geometry, loading and boundary conditions and the Computer Aided Engineering assistance
become mandatory.

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 Finite Element Analysis of Screw Compressor

Heat transfer coefficient of cooling medium

Reynolds number

vc D
Re c =
γc
Nusselt number
0.8 0.4
Nu c = 0.023 Re c Prc ------------ Equation No.16

Heat transfer coefficient of water

Nu c λc
hc = ------------ Equation No.17
D

The thermal boundary condition obtained from the above calculation is applied in the thermal analysis and
found the temperature distribution of the discharge end of the housing, bearing bore and seal bore. The
analysis result is shown in the figure no.3

The above model is verified with temperature testing at many locations in the housing and found that the
comparison shows a close match with prediction and actual testing values.

Analysis results and discussion

The structural analysis of rotor shows that the deflection of the rotor is 18 microns, refer the fig. 3&4,
which correlates with the theoretical calculation.
The thermal analysis of the rotor shows that the maximum temperature due to convection is about 207
degC for the bulk temperature of 250 degC, refer the figure no. 5.
Based on the thermal analysis of the bearing housing, the bearing bore temperature is about 60 degC
against the measurement of 61 degC and the seal bore temperature is about 75 degC against the
measurement of 80 degC, refer the figure no. 8-11
Based on the thermal analysis of the rotor housing, the rotor bore temperature is about 160 degC, fig. 14.
The above analysis indicated the hot and cold zones of the housings and hence the operating clearance is
depending on the surface temperature.
Based on the model, the compressor clearances are calculated and tested with and without the above
procedure and found the performance improvement, which is shown in the figure no.15

Conclusion
Theoretical model has been developed and the same is verified by structural, thermal analyses using
ANSYS 8.1. Based on the analysis results, the clearances have been designed and tested the machine
reliably and there is a significant performance improvement by using this procedure.

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 Finite Element Analysis of Screw Compressor

Nomenclature

M - Bending moment, m
E - Young'
s modulus, N/m2
C - Shear modulus, N/m2
I - moment of Inertia, m4
J - Polar moment of Inertia, m4

σ r - Radial stress in casting wall, N/m2

σθ - Hoop stress in casting wall, N/m2

P1, P2 - Pressure acing at the radii r1, r2

θ - Angle of twist, rad
L - Length of shaft, m
As1, As2 - Tooth thickness tolerance for mating gears, m

βm - Backlash of the gear under manufacturing, m

βo - Operating backlash, m

C - Variation in center distance of gears, m

α - Pressure angle, deg

α h,r - Thermal expansion coefficient of housing and rotor material, m/mdegC

R1,2 - Housing and rotor radii, m

Th,r,f - Temperature of housing, rotor and reference, degC
Vh,c - Velocity of hot and cold fluid and oil, m
D - Hydraulic mean diameter, m
hh,c, o - Heat transfer coefficient of hot, cold fluid and oil, W/m2K

λh,c,o – Thermal conductivity of hot, cold fluid and oil, W/mK

Reh,ec,eo - Reynolds number of hot, cold fluid and oil
Prh,rc,ro - Prandtl number of hot, cold fluid and oil
Nuh,c,o - Nusselt number of hot, cold fluid and oil

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 Finite Element Analysis of Screw Compressor

References

1. Ahmed kovacevic, Nikola Stosic, Ian K. Smith, Numerical analysis of the fluid-solid interaction in
twin-screw positive displacement machines, ICNPAA 2004: Mathematical Problems in Engineering
and Aerospace Sciences, June 2-4, 2004, The West University of Timisoara

2. Dr A Kovacevic, CFD and stress analysis in screw compressor design, City University London, UK

3. C. Zamfirescu, N. Nannan, M. Marin and C. A. Infante Ferreira OIL FREE TWO PHASE AMMONIA
(WATER) COMPRESSOR, FINAL REPORT, DELFT UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY Faculty
of Design, Construction and Production , Contract BSE-NEO 0268.02.03.03.0002 , Report K-336

4. Takao Inoue, Tomokazu Nakagawa, Eiji Fujita, Hisao Hamakawa, Thermo-elastic analysis of Oil free
screw compressors, Kobe steel Engineering reports, Vol.49, No.1 April 1999. (Translated from
Japanese)

5. Mikio Oi,Mariko Suzuki,Natsuko Matsuura, Structural Analysis and Shape Optimization in

Turbocharger Development, Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries Co., Ltd.

6. N.Seshaiah, Subrata Kr. Ghosh, R.K. Sahoo, Sunil Kr. Sarangi, MATHEMATICAL ANALYSIS OF
OIL INJECTED TWIN SCREW COMPRESSOR, Mechanical Engineering Department, National
Institute Of Technology, Rourkela, Orissa

7. N.Seshaiah, Subrata Kr. Ghosh, R.K. Sahoo, Sunil Kr. Sarangi

, Mechanical Engineering Department, National Institute Of
Technology, Rourkela, Orissa

8. Xing Ziwen, SCREW COMPRESSOR-Theory, Design and Application, Mechanical Industry

Publishing House (Translated from Chinese)

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 Finite Element Analysis of Screw Compressor

Figures

Fig.1 Force system and Simply Support Constraints on Equivalent 3D BEAM model

Fig .2 Reaction Solution

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 Finite Element Analysis of Screw Compressor

Fig.3 Structural analysis of rotor – Vector sum of Displacement

Fig.4 Structural analysis of rotor – Von Mises stress check

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 Finite Element Analysis of Screw Compressor

Fig.5 Thermal analysis of rotor- Temperature Plot

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 Finite Element Analysis of Screw Compressor

Fig.6 Thermal analysis of Bearing Housing- Meshed Model

Fig.7 Thermal analysis of Bearing Housing- Convective Boundary Conditions

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 Finite Element Analysis of Screw Compressor

Fig.8 Thermal analysis of Bearing Housing- temperature plot (looking from top)

Fig.9 Thermal analysis of Bearing Housing- temperature plot (looking from bottom)

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 Finite Element Analysis of Screw Compressor

Fig.10 Thermal analysis of Bearing Housing- temperature plot (looking from back)

Figure no.11 Thermal analysis of Bearing Housing-Temperature Plots (looking from back)

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 Finite Element Analysis of Screw Compressor

Figure no.12 Thermal analysis of Rotor Housing – Mesh

Fig.13 Thermal analysis of Rotor Housing- Convective Boundary Conditions

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 Finite Element Analysis of Screw Compressor

Fig.14 Thermal analysis of Rotor Housing- Temperature plot

Performance improvement with respect to specification

15.0
% deviation from Spec

12.5

10.0 before
After
7.5

5.0

2.5

0.0
1 1.5 2 2.5 3

pressure (BarG)

Figure no.15 Performance improvement using the above procedure

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