On the Efficiency of Compressors With Diabatic Flows

In most compressors the flow is adiabatic, but in micro-compressors, and in turbochargers at low speeds, the compression process has both heat transfer and work input. The classical adiabatic efficiency definition found in most text books is then incorrect. This paper extends the text book definitions of compressor efficiency to diabatic flows. The paper explains different compressor efficiency definitions in a logical way and identifies fundamental flaws in the use of isentropic efficiency for a diabatic flow. It shows that the polytropic efficiency can be used with or without heat transfer without ambiguities. Other significant advantages of the polytropic efficiency are also summarized, as they are not fully covered in any turbomachinery text books. The advantages of the polytropic approach for a practical application are demonstrated by analyzing the heat transfer in a turbocharger compressor. A simple model of the heat transfer allows a correction for this effect on the polytropic efficiency at low speed to be derived. Compressor characteristics that have been corrected for this surprisingly large effect maintain a much higher efficiency down to low speeds.