Simulation analysis of the internal flow field in single screw compressor using local re-meshing method

Abstract The single screw compressor (SSC) is considered an excellent competitor to the twin screw compressor due to its symmetrical structure and balanced gas forces on the screw rotor. To enhance the performance of SSC, it is crucial to have a thorough understanding of the internal flow field, particularly in the leakage channels. Nevertheless, the vertical relationship between the star wheel axis and the screw axis leads to mesh distortion, which presents technical challenges for mesh division in CFD simulations. In this paper, the method of local re-meshing is employed to simulate the comprehensive flow field using the Forte software. The mesh is regenerated near the motion boundary, while the mesh in the remaining areas remains unchanged. The pressure and temperature distribution of the internal flow field of the compressor are obtained, as well as its variation during operation. The results indicate a noticeable pressure gradient change in the leakage gap. The pressure and temperature of gas gradually increase along the axis direction of the screw, reaching the maximum value in the exhaust channel. The research can provide support for the future optimization design of the SSC.