Analysis of Alternatives in ModelCenter Enables Rapid Selection of Optimal Centrifugal Compressor Configuration
Executive Summary
- Industry: Turbomachinery
- Products: ModelCenter Integrate , ModelCenter Explore
- Applications: MBE: Model Based Engineering , MDAO: Multi-Disciplinary Analysis and Optimization
Challenge
Identify Best Design Alternative to Meet Customer Demands
A manufacturer must respond to a customer’s demand for an industrial centrifugal compressor factoring a set of inlet conditions—flow rate, gas composition, pressure, temperature—and desired outlet conditions. Highly-engineered turbomachines, industrial centrifugal compressors vary greatly in configuration from order to order. The manufacturer must size the machine according to diameter of each stage, number of stages, and shaft speed before parts can be made or, if needed, further detailed design. Many basic configurations will fit the requirements. The challenge is to quickly identify the best alternatives when many variables can be changed across a very wide design space. All alternatives must be assessed to arrive at the optimal machine configuration while achieving the best performance with minimized risk, equipment cost, and annual operating cost.
Solution
Easily Reduce Thousands of Design Choices to the Best Alternative
ModelCenter is a decision support environment for performance, cost, and operational assessments, offering unique trade study, visualization, and optimization tools specifically designed for AoA and used frequently by engineers and analysts who are evaluating multiple design concepts. By enabling AoA for sizing and cost analysis, thousands of design choices were quickly and easily reduced to the best few alternatives. In addition to time savings, the economic implications of pinpointing viable design options at the conceptual stage are significant. By conducting AoA in the conceptual phases of design, time is not wasted on infeasible or weak design possibilities. Instead the optimal machine configuration, factoring all requirements and desired outcomes, can be determined efficiently and effectively.
Benefit
Easily Reduce Thousands of Design Choices to the Best Alternative
ModelCenter is a decision support environment for performance, cost, and operational assessments, offering unique trade study, visualization, and optimization tools specifically designed for AoA and used frequently by engineers and analysts who are evaluating multiple design concepts. By enabling AoA for sizing and cost analysis, thousands of design choices were quickly and easily reduced to the best few alternatives. In addition to time savings, the economic implications of pinpointing viable design options at the conceptual stage are significant. By conducting AoA in the conceptual phases of design, time is not wasted on infeasible or weak design possibilities. Instead the optimal machine configuration, factoring all requirements and desired outcomes, can be determined efficiently and effectively.