Numerical Simulation of Unsteady-Flow Processes in Wave Rotors

Abstract

The wave rotor (pressure exchanger) is a device working based on a relatively simple idea of operation, but is challenging in its technical realization and difficult to simulate numerically. It has been common practice to create and use specialized codes for simulating the wave rotor operation. The current work presents an attempt of developing 2D and 3D models of radial and axial wave rotors using the commercial software package FLUENT. In this study geometrical models are used for the device casing and rotor cells. The application of carefully chosen initial and boundary conditions enabled the realization of relative motion of the rotor model. The vast information about the unsteady processes occurring during simulation are visualized. It occurs that such type of models are useful for the final test of devices, after the geometry was optimized by the use of specialized but much simpler 1D codes.