LAUSR

Abstract In order to obtain performance characteristics of special media turbomachinery conveniently and accurately, it is essential to study the similarity method for turbomachinery with different working media. Based on kinematic similarity, a new similarity method, consisting of a new similarity criterion and performance transfer methods, is presented in this paper. In order to validate the method, helium turbomachinery are investigated and air is used as the substitute working medium to simulate the helium turbomachinery. Both the velocity triangle and flow field are contrasted between helium and air turbomachinery when they achieve the similarity criterion derived. Performance map of helium turbomachinery obtained by the performance transfer methods is also compared with that obtained by numerical simulation. Results show that, the new similarity method proposed can be applied to obtaining performance characteristics of special media turbomachinery accurately.