Product Introduction

Flow path design has always been the cornerstone of the turbomachinery design process, be it for new concepts or retrofitting/upgrading the existing units. Each percentage improvement in capacity and/or efficiency means money for your customer and a competitive edge for your products and services. The AxSTREAM suite of multidisciplinary design, analysis and optimization software provides an integrated and streamlined solution that encompasses the complete process of conceptual flow path design for both radial and axial turbomachinery (turbines, compressors, fans, blowers, turbopumps etc). Starting from preliminary design (calculating basic cylinder performance from a few simple parameters), AxSTREAM proceeds through inverse and direct 1D analysis, 2D axisymmetric analysis, planes sections profiling, 3D profiling of the airfoils, finite element analysis, then to export of the results to 3D CFD programs. AxSTREAM is professional turbomachinery design software that reduces the engineering cycle from months to weeks and from weeks to days. AxSTREAM is constructed on a modular foundation so it is ideally suited to be a complete stand-alone preliminary design tool or complement and enhance your current PD tools. Click on any of the links below to discover more about key features and benefits of AxSTREAM

• Axial Compressor
• Axial Turbine
• Centrifugal Compressor/Fan
• Radial Turbine
• AxSTREAM for Retrofits

 

Submit a Test Case Analysis Using AxSTREAM

We invite you to submit a test case based on one of your designs and we will perform an analysis with AxSTREAM. Please note that all information will be held in total confidence. Click on one of the links below to download an excel spreadsheet that contains the datum needed to run the test case. Complete the sheet, save the file, then email it to support@sthua.com with your name, company and position being indicated in the message. We will consider your request and prepare a report of our findings.

Axial Turbine

Axial Compressor

Radial Compressor

Radial Fan

Radial Turbine

 

Axial Compressor

Key Features and Benefits

• The scope of axial compressor design and analysis: flow path with normal (rotor-stator) and single row stages, mixed flow (axial/radial) flow path, multi-section flow path, flow path with counter-rotating rotors.
  


• Axial compressor flow path preliminary design/sizing/optimization, choosing the optimal number of compressor stages and cascade angles.
  
• 
  
• Multistage flow path meanline analysis and optimization with support of “as-designed” and “off-design” operational conditions.
  
  
• Meanline analysis of combined axial-radial compressor flow path.
  
  
• Turbomachinery flow path throughflow analysis and stage throughflow analysis with search for optimal blade twist using the optimization methods through design cycle in the interactive mode.
  
  
• Axial compressor analysis and optimization in the “off-designed” mode using the integrated optimizer based on the design-of-experiment (DoE) methodology.
  
  
• Performance map generation including flow path of variable geometry: vanes/blades rotation schedules.
  
  
• Generation, interactive editing, and optimization of the cascades. Flow and boundary layer calculation.
  
  
• 3D airfoil design in the automatic and interactive modes with geometric and strength criteria monitoring; 3D fan and compressor blade design with custom lean and sweep.
  
  
• Custom profiles database.
  
  
• Reusable axial compressor stages libraries.
  
  
• Experimentally confirmed empiric and custom loss models.
  
  
• Embedded fluids library with custom extension option.
  
  
• Embedded material library with custom extension option.
  
  
• Export of 3D blade geometry for detailed CFD analysis to NUMECA, CFX, and Fluent solvers; export of properties of fluids in a table for CFD analysis to CFX™.
  
  
• Export of 3D blade geometry to CAD in IGES formats.
  
  
• Express structural and modal axial compressor airfoil analysis via the embedded FEA module with automatic mesh generation.
  
  
• Express 3D flow analysis via the embedded FEA potential flow solver with automatic mesh generation.
  
  
• Detailed Mollier diagram.
  
  
• Charts for blade loading on Profiling and AxFLOW (Eulier).
  
  
• Availability of section of 3D domain (AxSTRESS, AxFLOW), Campbell diagram (AxSTRESS).
  
  
• 1D/2D Streamline solver allows finding compressor surge, stall and choke. It is capable to calculate transonic and subsonic stages of compressor
  
  
• AxMAP helps develop compressor map and can show dependence of pressure ratio of mass flow and rotation speed.

Axial Gas & Steam Turbine Design

Key Features and Benefits

• The scope of axial turbine design and analysis: flow path of Curtis and Rateau stages, flow paths with multiple flows, mixed flow (axial/radial) flow path, multi-section flow path, flow path with counter-rotating rotors.
  
  
• Axial turbine flow path design "from scratch" using a handful of basic parameters such as entry pressure, enthalpy/temperature, exit pressure/capacity and some geometric constrictions.
  
  
• Enhancement and optimization of radial and axial dimensions of a stage.
  
  
• Suitable for new axial turbine design, analysis of existing turbomachinery design, analysis and optimization for retrofit/upgrades.
  
  
• Interactive adjustment of Mollier Diagram, interactive design of turbomachinery flow path meridional dimensions with instant performance recalculation.
  
  
• Design and analysis of cooled gas turbine.
  
  
• Pressure/Suction and Camber/Thickness profiling methods with interactive editing and 3D profile stacking including lean and sweep control.
  
  
• Corporate-value features turbine/stage/profile/material database generation and exploration of corporate network.
  
  
• Pressure/Suction and Camber/Thickness profiling methods with interactive editing and 3D profile stacking.
  
  
• Loadable custom-defined fluid models and loss models.
  
  
• Powerful meanline analysis of multistage axial turbine with the help of as-designed and off-design operational conditions.
  
  
• Throughflow analysis of large-sized blade stages and lean/twist optimization.
  
  
• Integrated multidisciplinary optimizer based on design-of-experiment (DoE) methodology capable of developing gas and steam turbine characteristics curves and searching for optimal solution of multi-criteria problems.
  
  
• Easy and versatile copy and paste function to add and delete axial turbine stages, and to import the results of design from one project to another.
  
  
• Performance map generation.
  
  
• Capability to export 3D gas and steam turbine blade geometry in formats acceptable for NUMECA, CFX and Fluent CFD solvers and in IGES format for CAD/CAE packages.
  
  
• Express structural and modal analysis of axial turbine blade via embedded FEA module with automatic mesh generation.
  
  
• Express 3D flow analysis via embedded FEA potential flow solver with automatic mesh generation.
  
  
• Charts for blade loading on Profiling and AxFLOW (Eulier).
  
  
• Availability of section of 3D domain (AxSTRESS, AxFLOW), Campbell diagram (AxSTRESS).
  

Fan and Centrifugal Compressor Design with AxSTREAM

Key Features and Benefits

• Mixed axial/radial flow path design "from scratch" using a small number of basic parameters and a set of geometric constraints.
  
  
• Corporate-value features: loadable custom-defined fluid models, loss models and material databases.
  
  
• Camberline/Thickness interactive profiling.
  
  
• Meanline analysis of multistage mixed axial/radial compressor flow path using as-designed and off-design operational conditions.
  
  
• Integrated multi-variant optimizer capable of developing centrifugal compressor maps and searching for optimal solution.
  
  
• Performance map generation for more effective fan and centrifugal compressor design.
  
  
• Capability to export 3D compressor airfoil geometry in formats acceptable for Numeca, CFX, etc. CFD solvers and in IGES format for CAD/CAE packages.
  
  
• Express structural and modal analysis of centrifugal compressor via embedded FEA module with automatic mesh generation.
  
  
• Express 3D flow analysis via embedded FEA potential flow solver with automatic mesh generation.
  
  
• Detailed Mollier diagram.
  
  
• Charts for blade loading on Profiling and AxFLOW (Eulier).
  
  
• Availability of section of 3D domain (AxSTRESS, AxFLOW), Campbell diagram (AxSTRESS).
  
  
• 1D/2D Streamline solver allows finding compressor surge, stall and choke. It is capable to calculate transonic and subsonic stages of compressor.
  
  
• AxMAP helps develop compressor map and can show dependence of pressure ratio of mass flow and rotation speed.

AxSTREAM for Radial Turbine Design

Key Features and Benefits

• Mixed radial/axial flow path design "from scratch" using a small number of basic parameters and a set of geometric constraints.
  
  
• Interactive meridional design of radial turbine stage.
  
  
• Enhancement and optimization of stage radial and meridional dimensions.
  
  
• Corporate-value features: loadable custom-defined fluid models and loss models.
  
  
• Camberline/Thickness profiling methods with interactive editing.
  
  
• Meanline analysis of mixed radial/axial turbomachinery flow path using as-designed and off-design operational conditions.
  
  
• Radial stage axisymmetric analysis.
  
  
• Integrated optimizer based on design-of-experiment (DoE) methodology capable of developing radial turbine characteristics curves and searching for optimal solution of multi-criteria problems.
  
  
• Performance map generation.
  
  
• Interactive 3D turbine airfoil design.
  
  
• Capability to export 3D radial turbine airfoil geometry in formats acceptable for Numeca, CFX, etc. CFD solvers and in IGES format for CAD/CAE packages.
  
  
• Express structural and modal analysis of radial turbine blade via embedded FEA module with automatic mesh generation.
  
  
• Express 3D flow analysis via embedded FEA potential flow solver with automatic mesh generation.
  
  
• Detailed Mollier diagram.
  
  
• Charts for blade loading on Profiling and AxFLOW (Eulier).
  
  
• Availability of section of 3D domain (AxSTRESS, AxFLOW), Campbell diagram (AxSTRESS).

 

AxSTREAM for Turbomachinery Retrofits and Upgrades

Utilities, industrial companies and power producers have been upgrading/retrofitting power plants and major components to extend life and improve performance. One primary area for performance improvement has been the turbine, and this has usually been accomplished by retrofitting turbines and compressors with new rotor systems to incorporate a new, more efficient flow path.

AxSTREAM has been widely recognized and used as a powerful tool for design and optimization of new flow paths. More and more, OEM’s and turbomachinery service/overhaul businesses are looking at AxSTREAM to evaluate and analyze existing turbomachinery flow paths, and then develop new, high efficiency designs with AxSTREAM that can be installed into the existing cylinders with rotors.

AxSTREAM can contribute to turbine and compressor retrofit/upgrade projects in a number of ways:

• Analyze the performance of the existing flow path through easy import of 3D compressor and turbine airfoil geometry.
  
  
• Examine the effects of modification to the flow path (removal of a row of blades, for example).
  
  
• Perform turbomachinery vane and blade design to optimize efficiency, increase through-flow, etc.
  
  
• Calculate/validate effects of cycle modifications in the turbine and compressor, such as boiler capacity increase and changed characteristics of combustor.
  
  
• Conduct off-design point performance analysis through powerful Design of Experiment (DoE) studies.
  
  
• Develop new performance maps.
  
  

AxSTREAM has been used many times to analyze the performance of existing turbomachinery flow path. Through its optimization process, gains in steam turbine performance of 2 to 3 percentage points in efficiency have commonly been realized.

AxSTREAM provides power producers and turbomachinery service companies with the best of both worlds: reaping the benefits of a higher efficiency flow path without having to purchase new rotors.