Optimization and flow analysis of helium turbo-expander impeller for hydrogen liquefier through cylindrical projection-based design method

LIU Hongmin; LI Kongrong; KE Changlei; ZUO Jiansheng; HAO Zhaozhang; ZHANG Xiaohua; PENG Nan; XIONG Lianyou; LIU Liqiang

doi:10.11949/0438-1157.20260106

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Optimization and flow analysis of helium turbo-expander impeller for hydrogen liquefier through cylindrical projection-based design method

更新时间：2026-05-28

- Optimization and flow analysis of helium turbo-expander impeller for hydrogen liquefier through cylindrical projection-based design method
- CIESC Journal (2026)
- 作者机构：
  
  1.中国科学院理化技术研究所低温科学与技术重点实验室，北京 100190
  2.中国科学院大学，北京 100049
- 作者简介：
- 基金信息：
- DOI：10.11949/0438-1157.20260106
  CLC： TB 653
- Received：22 January 2026，
  
  Revised：2026-05-20，
  
  Accepted：28 May 2026，
- 稿件说明：
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LIU Hongmin, LI Kongrong, KE Changlei, et al. Optimization and flow analysis of helium turbo-expander impeller for hydrogen liquefier through cylindrical projection-based design method[J/OL]. CIESC Journal, 2026.
DOI：

LIU Hongmin, LI Kongrong, KE Changlei, et al. Optimization and flow analysis of helium turbo-expander impeller for hydrogen liquefier through cylindrical projection-based design method[J/OL]. CIESC Journal, 2026. DOI： 10.11949/0438-1157.20260106.

摘要

本文针对低温透平膨胀机叶轮传统设计方法缺乏叶片几何与内部流动之间显式物理映射的问题，提出了一种柱面投影参数化叶轮设计（CPPID）方法。该方法通过控制轮毂、中心、轮罩三层叶片型线在各自参考圆柱面上的投影曲线形状，实现对三维叶轮流道的精确参数化设计。以一台5吨/天氢液化器末级氦透平膨胀机（TEX3）的高效叶轮为优化对象，固定其制冷功率与进气攻角，系统分析了关键设计参数（

）对性能的影响。数值模拟结果表明：采用CPPID方法优化的叶轮，在维持相同制冷功率时，所需工质质量流量更低，等熵效率更高；其中，中心层叶形对性能影响最为显著，轮罩层叶形能有效调控涡结构并抑制高损失通道涡，而轮毂层影响相对较弱。极端内凹轮罩叶形可实现等熵效率从89.528%提升至91.887%。本研究验证了CPPID方法的有效性，为高性能透平叶轮的精细化设计提供了新途径。

Abstract

To address the limitations of traditional design methods for cryogenic turbo-expander impellers

which often rely on "black-box" optimization and lack direct control over flow physics

this paper proposes a novel Cylindrical Projection-based Parametric Impeller Design (CPPID) method. This method enables precise parametric control of the three-dimensional impeller flow path by shaping the projected curves of the blade profiles (at the hub

center

and shroud) onto their respective reference cylindrical surfaces. The high-efficiency impeller of a 5 t/d hydrogen liquefier's final-stage helium turbo-expander (TEX3) served as the baseline for o

ptimization. Maintaining constant refrigeration power and incidence angle

a systematic analysis of the key design parameter (

) was conducted. Numerical results demonstrate that the impellers redesigned using the CPPID method achieve higher isentropic efficiency while requiring less mass flow rate for the same refrigeration power. The center layer profile had the most pronounced impact on overall performance

while the shroud layer profile effectively manipulated vortex structures and suppressed high-loss passage vortices; the hub layer showed relatively minor influence. Specifically

the extremely concave shroud blade profile achieved an isentropic efficiency increase from 89.528% to 91.887%. This study validates the effectiveness of the CPPID method

providing a new approach for the refined design of high-performance turbo-expander impellers.

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