The deflections of screw rotors under machining forces cause mismatch between the male and female rotors and, consequently, accelerated wear and suboptimal efficiency in their performance. Optimizing the machining process to minimize the generated forces and accounting for the resulting mismatch in the design of the rotor profile requires accurately computing the machining forces in computer simulations. Virtual machining systems combine graphics-based computation of the Cutter-Workpiece Engagement (CWE) with the physics-based models of machining mechanics to simulate the forces during complex machining processes. However, because of the high computational load of graphical simulations, virtual machining is not suitable for the repetitive force simulations that are required for optimizing the design and manufacturing of rotors. In this work, we present a new method that simulates screw milling forces based on the process kinematics instead of graphical simulations. Utilizing mathematical equations that describe the process kinematics, the theoretical rotor profile is determined for feasible combinations of cutting tool profile, setup angle, and centre distance. Subsequently, to find the milling forces, the cutting edge is discretized into multiple small edge segments and a mechanistic cutting force model is used to determine the local cutting forces at each segment. After geometric and kinematic transformations of these local forces, the screw milling forces are obtained for each roughing and finishing pass. Instead of graphics-based methods, the engagement conditions between the cutter and workpiece are determined by the ensemble of 2D rotor and tool profiles; as a result, the computational efficiency is increased substantially. The semi-analytical nature of the presented method allows for computing the forces with arbitrary resolution within a reasonable time. The accuracy and efficiency of the presented method is verified by comparing the simulated forces against a dexel-based virtual machining system. / Graduate

Twin-screw pumps are positive displacement machines. Two meshing screws connected by timing gears convey the fluid trapped in the screw chambers axially from suction to discharge and force it out against the back pressure. Because of the screw geometry, the circumferential pressure field around the screws is not balanced, resulting in net dynamic and static pressures applied on the rotors. The research work presented here aims at building and verifying a model to predict both: (1) the exciting lateral hydrodynamic forces produced by the unbalanced pressure field, and (2) the rotor response due to those forces. The model rests on the screw pump hydraulic models for predicting the pressure in the screw chambers as a function of the discharge pressure. These models are extended to predict the steady state dynamic pressure field as a function of the rotational angle of the rotor. The dynamic force resulting from the dynamic pressure field is calculated and applied to the rotor as a set of super-synchronous periodic forces. The structural model of the screw, although nonsymmetrical, was found to be accurately represented by an axisymmetric equivalent structure. The rotor response to the dynamic super-synchronous forces is calculated to predict the pump rotordynamic behavior. The work in this dissertation presents: (1) the axisymmetric structural model of the rotors (2) the proposed dynamic pressure model, (3) the screw pump rotor response, (4) the experimental validation of the dynamic pressure model and rotor response. The topic of twin-screw pump rotordynamics is absent from the literature. The original contribution of the work presented in this dissertation to the field of rotordynamics includes: (1) demonstrating the adequacy of an axisymmetric model for modeling the screw section, (2) developing a model for predicting the dynamic pressure field around the screws, (3) characterization of the dynamic forces (synchronous and its harmonics) applied at the screw pump rotors, (4) predicting the dynamic response of twin-screw pump rotors due to hydrodynamic forces, (5) measuring the axial dynamic pressure in two circumferential planes around the screws to verify pressure predictions, (6) measuring the dynamic response of twin-screw pump rotor.

<div>The purpose of this research is to analyze the overall energy consumption of an industrial compressed air system, and identify the impact of various energy saving of individual subsystem on the overall system. Two parameters are introduced for energy consumption evaluation and potential energy saving: energy efficiency (e) and process effectiveness (n). An analytical energy model for air compression of the overall system was created taking into consideration the modeling of individual sub-system components: air compressor, after-cooler, filter, dryer and receiver. The analytical energy model for each subsystem included energy consumption evolution using the</div><div>theoretical thermodynamic approach. Furthermore, pressure loss models of individual components along with pipe friction loss were included in the system overall efficiency calculation.</div><div>The efficiency analysis methods and effectiveness approach discussed in this study were used to optimize energy consumption and quantify energy savings. The method</div><div>was tested through a case study on a plant of a die-casting manufacturing company. The experimental system efficiency was 76.2% vs. 89.3% theoretical efficiency. This showed model uncertainty at ~15%. The effectiveness of reducing the set pressure increases as the difference in pressure increase. The effectiveness of using outside air for</div><div>compressors intake is close to the compressors work reduction percentage. However, it becomes more effective when the temperature difference increase. This is mainly due to extra heat loss. There is potential room of improvement of the various component using the efficiency and effectiveness methods. These components include compressor, intercooler and dryer. Temperature is a crucial parameter that determines the energy consumption applied by these components. If optimum temperature can be determined, plenty of energy savings will be realized.</div>

<p>  </p> <p>Environmental challenges, increasing energy costs and demand, and upcoming regulations (e.g., new equipment performance ratings, phase-down of HFCs) are a few of the main drivers behind the research on advanced HVAC&R equipment. The HVAC&R systems are one of the largest energy consumers in both commercial and residential buildings and their operation is essential to ensure thermal comfort as well as other industrial needs. Within this context, large chillers provide chilled water to condition commercial buildings and the new generation of smart chillers feature variable speed compressors that enable active capacity modulation. In turn, variable speed operation along with other factors can contribute to performance degradation. Understanding mechanisms of degradation and developing models that enable predicting the decrease in performance with respect to the rated values are still open topics in the literature. </p> <p>The overarching goal of this research is to investigate the performance degradation of a water-cooled variable-speed screw chiller under long term operation and to gain insights on the behavior of the chiller under accelerated life testing. In particular, this thesis covers the initial task of designing an experimental test setup that enables performance testing according to the AHRI 550/590 standard. Once the experimental setup was commissioned, a set of four standard-conform baseline tests was conducted to map the rated performance of the chiller at both full and part-load conditions. After completing the baseline tests, an accelerated life test cycle procedure was developed and implemented in order to conduct 24/7 automated testing on the chiller. To this end, two test modes were established to simulate a real-life use of the chiller and induce high level of thermo-mechanical stresses on the compressor. Furthermore, eight recurring baseline tests were conducted to determine the performance behavior after 1000 operating hours. Finally, a preliminary system model was set up. This thesis describes the design of the system, the commissioning and control and provides insights on the performance testing as well as long-term testing methodology and the modeling work that was done so far. </p>

Production of steel powder is done by atomization of a molten steel stream. Atomization is done by feeding high pressure nitrogen gas through nozzles, creating jets of gas which scatter the molten steel stream into powder. The steel powder falls through the atomization tower whilst it cools and solidifies. Finally, the steel powder is transported for further processing. The compressor is used for two main purposes, to compress the nitrogen gas to desired pressure and enable recycling of nitrogen gas. As nitrogen is inert and do not react with its surrounding, the gas can be recycled. Filtering nitrogen gas from the atomization process, one is able to reuse the gas, which is led to the inlet side of a compressor. A closed loop is thus created which is economically important. In 2021 a major compressor failure occurred, which caused large production losses. iba systems is a commercially available product extensively utilized in the Swedish steel industry for data acquisition, production monitoring and generating key performance indicators. Therefore, this thesis investigates what modules and functionality iba systems have to offer. Process and machine signals are studied to assess both their utility in predicting machine failure and relevant iba modules for the predictive maintenance purposes, based on a literature review. This thesis shows the possibility to implement an anomaly detection to detect abnormal behavior, related to historic compressor failure. Estimating when maintenance is needed is possible but requires implementation of new sensors to obtain useful information, mainly vibration data from machinery. Anomaly detection is implemented using ibaAnalyzer. Additional analysis is done in Matlab.

<p dir="ltr">Current industrial processes are energy and carbon emission intensive. Amidst the growing demand for decarbonization, it is critical to utilize alternate sources of energy and innovative technologies that could improve efficiency and reduce power consumption. In this context, twin-screw compressors are used extensively in commercial and industrial applications. Profile optimization and capacity modulation solutions (e.g., slide valves, variable-speed, etc.) are continuously investigated to improve the performance and operation of the compressors. This study focuses on an exploratory investigation of an additively manufactured twin-screw compressor with internal cooling channels to achieve a near isothermal compression process by evaluating both the potential compressor performance improvement and the structural integrity by means of rotordynamics and fatigue analyses.</p><p dir="ltr">To predict the compressor performance, complex coupling between compression process and heat transfer during the operation of the compressor must be investigated. The interactions between solid (i.e., rotors) and fluid phases (i.e., air and coolant) were modeled using a transient 3D CFD model with conjugated heat transfer (CHT). The CFD model predicted compressor performance parameters such as isentropic efficiency, heat transfer rate, work input and compression forces on the rotors. The performance of the twin-screw compressor with internal cooling channels has been compared with a conventional twin-screw compressor for which experimental data was available. Further investigations have been conducted at different operating conditions, including various pressure ratios, rotational speeds, and mass flow rates to improve the compressor efficiency. The results of the CFD model were used to quantify compression loads, assess the characteristics of the heat transfer processes, and optimize the internal flow through the cooling channels. As the rotors can be affected by stress accumulation and deformations due to their hollowness and reduced wall thickness over time, this study also established a detailed rotordynamic simulation model and a fatigue model using the actual compression forces obtained from previous CFD studies. Both hollow and solid rotors have been analyzed and compared. The bearing loads have been verified against Campbell diagrams whereas the fatigue results have been compared with experimental testing. With the validated model, the hollow rotor compressor durability was analyzed and compared with the conventional rotors. Lastly, a general mechanistic model to better understand bearing loads and frictional losses in a twin-screw compressor is also established and studied.</p><p dir="ltr">The CHT study concluded that the hollow rotor with single-phase internal cooling yielded to an increase in isentropic efficiency of 1% for the higher pressure ratio and 2% for lower pressure ratio at 19,000 RPM. More importantly, the hollow rotors also showed a decrease of 40 K and 20 K in discharge temperatures for the two operating conditions respectively, thereby arriving closer to isothermal conditions and reducing the thermal stresses on the rotors. The rotordynamic study revealed that the male rotor would endure highest amount of von Misses stress reaching up to 338 MPa for the pressure ratio of 3.29 bar and 19,000 RPM. Because of this, a maximum fatigue factor of safety of 5 occurs on the male rotor. From the analyses, the rotors were deemed to be safe and optimized for the designed operating conditions and proof of concept rotors were additively manufacturers with an Inconel alloy through Direct Metal Laser Sintering.</p>

Studien är utförd åt Freezing Food Småland Öland AB. Syftet med undersökningen var att ge förslag på åtgärder som minskar anläggningens energibehov samt att beräkna återbetalningstid för åtgärder. Genom användningen av simuleringsprogramvara tillsammans med data från praktiska mätningar så testades olika förändringar i anläggningen. Studien resulterade i förslag på en höjning av frysrumstemperaturen och temperaturen i LTB1. Dessa åtgärder höjer anläggningens köldfaktor och minskar energibehovet. Förslag för att få bukt på istillväxten är att isolera av komponenter så som rör och ventiler. Isolering ger en energibesparing och en minskad risk för korrosion. Genom belastningstester framkom det att kompressorerna arbetar ofördelaktigt så förslag på lämpliga driftområden togs fram för att öka verkningsgraden och minska underhållskostnaderna och energibehovet. Anläggningen visade sig vara väl dimensionerad mot transmissionsförluster men att golvvärmen står för en oproportionerligt stor del av förlusterna i förhållande till dess yta. / The study is conducted for Freezing Food Småland Öland AB. The purpose of the study was to propose measures to decrease the facility’s energy demand and to calculate the payback time for these suggestions. By means of using simulation software along with data from practical measurements different configurations in the facility were tested. The study resulted in suggestions consisting of an increase of the temperature in the freezing room and the temperature in LTB1.Those suggestions increases the facilities COP and decreases the energy consumption. Proposals to curb the ice growth are the insulation of components such as pipes and valves. Insulation results in a small decrease in energy demand but greatly increases the accessibility and also decreases the risk of corrosion. Through load tests conducted on the compressors it showed that the compressors were not driven in the optimal load range, suggestions were made for operation in a more favourable load range. Thus increasing the efficiency and cutting the maintenance costs. From the results it is shown that the facility is well built and dimensioned against thermal transmission. Though it turned out that the floor heating accounts for a disproportionate amount of the thermal transmission.