Parameterizing Compact and Extensible Compressor Models Using Orthogonal Distance Minimization

Abstract

A complete and compact control-oriented compressor model consisting of a mass flow submodel and an efficiency submodel is described. The final application of the model is a complete two-stroke mean value engine model (MVEM) which requires simulating the compressor operating at the low-flow and low-pressure ratio area. The model is based on previous research done for automotive-size compressors, and it is shown to be general enough to adapt well to the characteristics of the marine-size compressors. A physics-based efficiency model allows, together with the mass flow model, extrapolating to low-pressure ratios. The complexity of the model makes its parameterization a difficult task; hence, a method to efficiently estimate the 19 model parameters is proposed. The method computes analytic model gradients and uses them to minimize the orthogonal distances between the modeled speed lines (SpLs) and the measured points. The results of the parameter estimation are tested against nine different standard marine-size maps showing good agreement with the measured data. Furthermore, the results also show the importance of estimating the parameters of the mass flow and efficiency submodels at the same time to obtain an accurate model. The extrapolation capabilities to low-load regions are also tested using low-load measurements from an automotive-size compressor. It is shown that the model follows the measured efficiency trend down to low loads.