Abstract :
Diffuser is an essential element of fluid flow machines, the study of flow nature through diffuser is essential
in understanding and improving the performance. The primary objective of this analysis is to examine the benddiffuser
and to optimize the dimension of the diffuser so that the diffuser efficiency will be maximum. The velocity
field at the exit of a bend diffuser system is mostly not uniform; fluctuation of pressure and its loss are high. The
total pressure loss in the diffuser depends on the entry condition of the fluid and geometrical parameters. In this
work, diffuser is analysed for a given inlet condition and the geometry is optimized to obtain maximum efficiency.
The diffuser is designed in GAMBIT and analysed using FLUENT 6.3. Optimization of the geometry is done using
Taguchi technique by taking the parameters such as diffuser angle, diffuser length, and spacer length as control
factors. Using larger the better quality characteristics, the diffuser efficiency was obtained. Using Taguchi’s
orthogonal array for quality design concept, the optimum diffuser geometry is 7.5° for diffuser angle, Diffuser length
is 490 mm, and Spacer length is 350 mm. The above optimum condition was used to obtain the maximum efficiency
for the Bend diffuser configuration.
Keyword :
Taguchi, Pressure and Velocity Variation, Diffuser.