Research by Dr. Mei Han, Dr. Xuejun Liu (from Beihang University), and Dr. Min Huang (from Beihang University), and Dr. Matthias Tan (supervised Dr. Mei Han, corresponding author*, from City University of Hong Kong), solves a challenging problem of determining a robust design and tolerances for a centrifugal compressor based on a time-consuming computational fluid dynamics computer model was featured in Journal of Quality Technology (JQT) on 2019. Founded in 1969, JQT is dedicated to publishing high-quality papers about the technical advancement of the field of quality technology. “The optimal solution of the formulated integrated parameter and tolerance design problem obtained via the proposed approach provides a more robust and economic compressor design than the existing design”, the authors noted. Abstract is copied below.
Problem: We apply integrated parameter and tolerance design (IPTD) to optimize the nominal values and tolerances of ten geometric design variables of a centrifugal compressor based on a computational fluid dynamics simulator. The compressor quality is quantified by the conformance probabilities of three performance measures (PMs) and optimizing the simulator directly is time-consuming.
Approach: Gaussian process (GP) emulators are constructed to predict the PMs. A conservative conformance probability estimator penalized by its standard deviation and an efficient method to compute it are developed to facilitate optimization.
Result: Eight tolerances are loosened and two are tightened. Design variable effects on quality are better understood.

 
Fig. 1 The meridian plane and the 3D structure of the centrifugal compressor under investigation
 

 
Fig. 2: (1) 3D meshes for the blades in the impeller; (2) The outer diameter and the tip clearance of the impeller
Read the paper “Integrated Parameter and Tolerance Optimization of a Centrifugal Compressor Based on a Complex Simulator,” just accepted by Journal of Quality Technology.

If you are interested in the research, please cite this article as:

Han, M., Liu, X., Huang, M., and Tan, M. H. (2020). Integrated parameter and tolerance optimization of a centrifugal compressor based on a complex simulator. Journal of Quality Technology, 52(4), 404-421.

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00224065.2019.1611358?journalCode=ujqt20