Effect of Gas Composition on Aerodynamic Performance and Internal Flow of Ethane Oxidation Dehydrogenation Centrifugal Compressor
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Effect of gas composition on aerodynamic performance and internal flow in ethane oxidation dehydrogenation (ODH) centrifugal compressors is investigated. Although inert gases are widely used to reduce explosion risk in ODH processes, the effects of multi-component inert gases on compression thermodynamics and internal flow structures are not fully understood. The novelty of this work lies in a systematic quantification of how different inert-gas compositions change the evolution of internal flow, thereby influencing the loss mechanisms and isentropic efficiency in a high-pressure ODH environment. Three gas mixtures are evaluated: Mixture 1 (C2H6 55%, O2 15%, CO2 15%, 10%, H2 5%), Mixture 2 (C2H6 55%, O2 18%, CO2 10%, 7%, He 5%, N2 5%), and Mixture 3 (C2H6 53%, O2 18%, CO2 8%, N2 15%, 6%). Numerical simulations are conducted using a steady-state mean streamline model coupled with the SST turbulence model. The isentropic efficiency varies non-monotonically with mass flow rate, staying nearly constant from 6.5 to 7.1 kg/s and then decreasing markedly. Detailed flow analysis shows that low-density gases such as H2 and He promote leakage flow and flow separation, increasing energy dissipation; in contrast, N2 reduces separation-related losses. Compared with Mixture 1, the isentropic efficiency increases by 21.65% for Mixture 2 and further improves by 30.25% for Mixture 3 (a cumulative increase of 8.6% over Mixture 2). Overall, the results provide quantitative trends and mechanistic understanding of multi-component inert-gas effects on compressor performance, which can help researchers evaluate and design safer ODH compression systems and motivate further studies under other inert-gas combinations and operating conditions.
Language: English
Subfield: Aerospace Engineering
Field: Engineering
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W7221533865
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