Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Efficiency of shock wave compression in a microchannel

  • Research Paper
  • Published:
Microfluidics and Nanofluidics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The efficiency of compression processes tends to decrease dramatically when the overall dimensions are scaled down to micron level. Then it can be assumed that the compression is more efficient if no moving parts are involved in the process. This is achieved by replacing, at least partially, turbo-compressor stages with a wave rotor. The work starts with estimating wave rotor efficiency at microscale by extrapolation. Then, an analytical model is introduced from which the theoretical efficiency of compression process in a microchannel is deduced. Knowing the inlet conditions and the pressure gain across the shock, the overall efficiency of the compression can be calculated. The model assumes constant friction along the walls and no heat exchange with the surroundings. The results suggest that an efficiency of 70–80% can be achieved in the channels of an ultra-micro wave rotor. It is shown that if the inlet temperature is high enough (about 1500 K), the efficiency is even higher, up to 90%.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11
Fig. 12
Fig. 13
Fig. 14
Fig. 15

Similar content being viewed by others

Abbreviations

a :

Speed of sound (m/s)

Cp :

Specific heat (J/kg K)

D H :

Hydraulic diameter (m)

f :

Friction coefficient

γ:

Specific heat ratio

Δ p :

Pressure drop (Pa)

η:

Isentropic efficiency (%)

ηC :

Isentropic compression efficiency (%)

ηP :

Polytropic efficiency (%)

L :

Channel length (m)

L * :

Distance to sonic conditions (m)

k :

Entrance loss coefficient

M :

Mach number

μ:

Kinematic viscosity (St)

μref :

Reference viscosity (St)

Π:

Pressure ratio

p :

Pressure (Pa)

PR W :

Wave rotor compression ratio

R :

Specific gas constant (J/kg K)

ρ :

Density (kg/m3)

Re :

Reynolds number

S :

Effective temperature (K)

T ref :

Reference temperature (K)

T :

Temperature (K)

u :

Flow velocity (m/s)

u p :

Induced flow velocity behind shock wave (m/s)

w :

Shock wave velocity (m/s)

0:

Inlet port

1:

Entry of the microchannel

2:

Location before shock (relative to fixed reference frame)

3:

Location after shock (relative to fixed reference frame)

4:

Exit of the microchannel

air:

Pre-compressed air from compressor

C:

Compressor

comb:

Combustor

gas:

Exhaust gases from combustion chamber

S:

Shock

t:

Total (stagnation)

T:

Turbine

WC:

Wave rotor compression

WT:

Wave rotor expansion

References

  • Akbari P, Müller N (2003) Performance investigations of small gas turbine engines topped with wave rotors. In: Proceedings of the 39th AIAA/ASME/SAE/ASEE joint propulsion conference, AIAA2003-4414. Huntsville, AL

  • Anderson JD (2003) Modern compressible flow: with historical perspective. McGraw-Hill, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Brouillette M (2003) Shock waves at micro scale. Shock Waves 13:3–12

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dessornes O, Dumand C, Gaffie D, Guidez J, Ribaud Y (2003) Micro combustion chambers principles dedicated to micro-turbines. Power MEMS 122–125

  • Dixon SL (1998) Fluid mechanics, thermodynamics of turbomachinery. Butterworth-Heinemann, Oxford, UK

    Google Scholar 

  • Epstein AH (2003) Millimeter-scale, MEMS gas turbine engines. ASME turbo expo 2003, GT-2003-38866. Atlanta, GA

  • Epstein AH (2004). Millimeter-scale, micro-electro-mechanical systems gas turbine engines. J Eng Gas Turbines Power 126:205–226

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Epstein AH, Ayón AA, Fréchette LG, Senturia SD (1997a) Micro-heat engines, gas turbines, and rocket engines—The MIT Microengine Project. In: Proceedings of the 28th international symposium AIAA fluid dynamics conference, AIAA Paper 97-1773. Snowmass Village, CO

  • Epstein AH, Senturia SD, Mehra A, Ayón AA (1997b) Power MEMS and microengines. IEEE transducers ’97 conference. Chicago, IL

  • Epstein AH, Jacobson SA, Protz JM, Fréchette LG (2000) Shirtbutton-sized gas turbines: The engineering challenges of micro high speed rotating machinery. In: Proceedings of the 8th international symposium on transport phenomena and dynamics of rotating machinery. Honolulu, Hawaii

  • Fatsis A, Ribaud Y (1999) Thermodynamic analysis of gas turbines topped with wave rotors. Aerosp Sci Technol 5:293–299

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Frechette LG (2000) Development of a microfabricated silicon motor-driven compression system. Mechanical engineering. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA

    Google Scholar 

  • Fréchette LG, Lee C, Arslan S, Liu Y-C (2003) Design of a microfabricated rankin cycle steam turbine for power generation. ASME international mechanical engineering congress& exposition, IMECE2003-42082. Washington, DC

  • Frechette LG, Jacobson SA, Breuer KS, Ehrich FF et al (2005) High-speed microfabricated silicon turbomachinery and fluid film bearings. J Microelectromech Syst 14(1):141–152

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Iancu F, Akbari P, Müller N (2004) Feasibility study of integrating four-port wave rotors into ultra-micro gas turbines (UμGT). In: Proceedings of the 40th international symposium AIAA/ASME/SEA/ASEE joint propulsion conference and exhibit, AIAA2004-3581. Fort Lauderdale, FL

  • Iancu F, Piechna J, Müller N (2005) Numerical solutions for ultra-micro wave rotors. In: Proceedings of the 35th international symposium AIAA fluid dynamics conference and exhibit. Toronto, ON, Canada

  • Johnston JP, Kang S, Arima T, Matsunaga M, Tsuru H, Prinz FB (2003) Performance of a micro-scale radial-flow compressor impeller made of silicon nitride. International gas turbine congress, IGTC2003Tokyo OS-110. Tokyo

  • Kang S (2001) Fabrication of functional mesoscopic ceramin parts for micro gas turbine engines. Mechanical engineering. Stanford University, Stanford, CA

    Google Scholar 

  • Kang S, Johnston JP, Arima T, Matsunaga M, Tsuru H, Prinz FB (2004) Microscale radial-flow compressor impeller made of silicon nitride: manufacturing and performance. J Eng Gas Turbines Power 126:358–365

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kollbrunner TA (1981) Comprex supercharging for passenger diesel car engines. SAE

  • Mathur A (1985) A brief review of the GE wave engine program (1958–1963). ONR/NAVAIR wave rotor research and technology workshop, NPS-67-85-008. Naval postgraduate school, Monterey, CA, pp 171–193

  • Moritz R (1985) Rolls-royce study of wave rotors (1965–1970). ONR/NAVAIR wave rotor research and technology workshop, Report NPS-67-85-008. Naval postgraduate school, Monterey, CA, pp 116–124

  • Müller N, Fréchette LG (2002) Performance analysis of brayton and rankine cycle microsystems for portable power generation. ASME international mechanical engineering congress& exposition, IMECE2002-39628. New Orleans, LA

  • Okamoto K, Nagashima T (2003) A simple numerical approach of micro wave rotor gasdynamic design. ISABE-2003-1213

  • Okamoto K, Nagashima T, Yamaguchi K (2003) Introductory investigations of microwave rotor. International gas turbine congress, IGTC 2003Tokyo FR-302, Tokyo

  • Papautsky I, Ameel T, Frazier AB (2001) A review of laminar single-phase flow in microchannels. ASME international mechanical engineering congress and exposition. New York, NY

  • Peirs J, Verplaesten F, Reynaers D (2004a) A micro gas turbine unit for electric power generation: design and testing of turbine and compressor. In: Proceedings of the 9th international conference on new actuators, ACTUATOR2004-P115. Bremen, Germany, pp 796–799

  • Peirs J, Reynaers D, Verplaesten F (2004b) A microturbine for electric power generation. Sens Actuators A 113:86–93

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Piechna J (2005) Wave machines, models and numerical simulation. oficyna wydawnicza politechniki warszawakiej. Warsaw, Poland

    Google Scholar 

  • Ribaud Y (2003) Internal heat mixing and external heat losses in an ultra micro turbine. International gas turbine congress, IGTC2003Tokyo OS-109. Tokyo, Japan

  • Sabersky RH, Acosta AJ, Hauptmann EG, Gates EM (1998) Fluid flow: a first course in fluid mechanics. Upper Saddle River, Prentice-Hall Inc, NJ

  • Spadaccini CM, Lee J, Lukachko S, Waitz IA, Mehra A, Zhang X (2002) High power density silicon combustion systems for micro gas turbine engines. ASME TURBO EXPO 2002, GT-2002-30082. Amsterdam, Netherlands

  • Sun M, Ogawa T, Takayama K (2001) Shock propagation in narrow channels. ISSW23, Fort Worth, TX

  • Sutherland W (1893) The laws of molecular force. Philosophical magazine 35(214)

  • Taussig RT (1984) Wave rotor turbofan engines for aircraft. Mechan Eng 106:60–66

    Google Scholar 

  • Thayer WJ (1985) The MSNW energy exchanger research program. ONR/NAVAIR wave rotor research and technology workshop, NPS-67-85-008. Naval postgraduate school, Monterey, CA, pp 85–116

    Google Scholar 

  • Wilson J, Paxson DE (1993) Jet engine performance enhancement through use of a wave rotor topping cycle. NASA-TM-4486, NASA

  • Xue H, Chen S (2003) DSMC simulation of microscale backward-facing step flow. Microscale Thermophys Eng 7:69–86

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ying-Tao D, Zhao-Hui Y, Meng-Yu S (2002) Gas flow characteristics in straight silicon microchannels. Chinese Phys 9:869–875

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zehnder G, Mayer A (1984) Comprex pressure-wave supercharging for automotive diesels—state-of-the-art. international congress& exposition. Detroit, MI

  • Zhang X, Mehra A, Ayón AA, Waitz IA (2002) Development of polysilicon igniters and temperature sensors for a micro gas turbine engine. IEEE, pp 280–283

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors acknowledge Michigan Space Grant Consortium (MSGC) and NASA for partial funding of this research.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Michigan State University, 2500 Engineering Building, East Lansing, MI, 48909, USA

    Florin Iancu & Norbert Müller

Authors
  1. Florin Iancu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Norbert Müller
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Florin Iancu.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Iancu, F., Müller, N. Efficiency of shock wave compression in a microchannel. Microfluid Nanofluid 2, 50–63 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10404-005-0054-7

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10404-005-0054-7

Keywords

Search

Navigation