Turbomachinery Design, Analysis and Optimisation
The AxSTREAM® software platform for multidisciplinary design, analysis and optimization provides an integrated and streamlined approach to turbomachinery design. This best-in-class software solution encompasses the complete process for radial, axial and mixed flow turbomachinery design. This includes gas and steam turbines, compressors, blowers, pumps, fans, rotors, bearings, secondary flows, and cooling.
AxSTREAM® Software Suite – Turbomachinery Design
SoftInWay already provides over 500 global clients with the turbomachinery software and services needed to make their projects a success. Each module seamlessly integrates with one another so you can use AxSTREAM® as your one stop shop or to assist you with a specific part of your design. AxSTREAM®’s capabilities and features include:
- Preliminary Design for single-stage, multi-stage and multi-module turbomachines.
- Meanline/Streamline Analysis allows users to check the performance, velocity triangles, leakages, etc. of a machine for any set of boundary conditions as well as review the streamwise and spanwise distribution of thermodynamic, kinematic and loss parameters.
- AxMAP for performance mapping of operational conditions and geometric variations for a given design.
- AxPLAN of various design tasks, utilizing fast design of experiment (DoE) study methods.
- Profiling and 3D Blade Design to create and edit 3D airfoils via various geometric features and interactive charts for plane sections profiling and 3D blade stacking.
- AxCFD for the calculation of 2D and 3D analysis in blade-to-blade channels.
- AxSTRESS for rapid 3D finite element analysis on blades and attachments.
- AxSLICE used for reverse engineering to extract the profile geometry of 3D blade models to analyze existing machines in the AxSTREAM software platform
- Bearing Calculation and Analysis to determine the hydrodynamic performance and mechanical characteristics of journal (radial load and axial thrust), aero, squeeze film dampers and rolling element bearings as well as annular seals.
- RotorDynamics used to calculate rotor trains natural frequencies (including modes shape), unbalance response and conclude on stability for both lateral and torsional analyses while accounting for accurate bearing and support characteristics.
AxSTREAM ION Software – Co-Simulation Environment
- AxSTREAM ION for process automation, artificial intelligence, digital twin generation, and multidisciplinary optimization
PROFILER & 3D BLADE DESIGN CAPABILITIES – AXSTREAM®
Axial Blade Profiling Capabilities
Blades of axial machines can be pretty complex and can range in height from a few millimeters to more than one meter (~3 feet). Depending on the blade size, performance to achieve, manufacturing capabilities and cost different technologies can be used and are available in AxSTREAM®; prismatic (cylindrical), twisted blades, lean (including box), sweep, etc.
An interactive and user-friendly editing allied with a potential flow solver allow instantaneously reviewing flow parameter contours upon changes to the profile geometry to ensure optimum flow in the blades channel.
FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS CAPABILITIES – AXSTRESS
Introduction
An efficient blade that does not break is always preferable to a highly efficient blade that has snapped in half. This is why it is always important to investigate the structural characteristics of a blade once its aero design has been optimized.
AxSTRESS is a structural, modal and harmonic analysis solver that uses the Finite Element Method with a customizable, automatic turbomachinery-specific mesh generation. AxSTRESS also performs Campbell and interference (SAFE) diagram calculations as well as hot-to-cold and cold-to-hot calculations to consider the effect of blade untwist under operation. All of this can be performed using unlimited cores and parallel processing.
Bearing Calculation and Analysis Capabilities – AxSTREAM®
Introduction
Rotor dynamics analysis would neither be complete nor reliable without accurate modeling of bearings. The AxSTREAM Bearing™ module is used to determine hydrodynamic and mechanical characteristics for different types of hydrodynamic journal and thrust bearings as well as auxiliary component characteristics such as seals, squeeze film dampers, etc.
The AxSTREAM Bearing™ module enables users to analyze hydrodynamic bearings of the following types:
- Journal Hydrodynamic Bearing Types (Plain Cylindrical/Fixed Pad /including Elliptical Type/Tilting pad
- Thrust Hydrodynamic Bearing Types (Fixed Pad /Tilting Pad )
- Gas Foil Bump Bearing (Bump foil / Spiral groove /
- Additionally, the following can also be calculated in AxSTREAM Bearing™:
- Hydrostatic Bearings / Rolling Element Bearings (utilizes radial stiffness as a parameter)
- Auxiliary Component Simulation
- Squeeze Film Dampers (stiffness & damping equivalent characteristics)
- Liquid and Gas Seals (stiffness, damping, mass equivalent characteristics)
- Aerodynamic Cross-coupling
Rotor Dynamics Analysis Capabilities – AxSTREAM® Introduction
Without proper rotor dynamics analysis, rotating machinery is at a higher risk of failure during operation. It is with this in mind that rotor dynamics software is arguably one of the most important tools in the turbomachinery design process.
The AxSTREAM® RotorDynamics module is a software tool that can account for a number of things such as bearing characteristics, rotor imbalance and general excitation, critical speeds and whirl frequencies, and much more.
AxSTREAM.SPACE™ was created for organizations and startups in the space industry that are working on innovating technology in space propulsion. Using AxSTREAM.SPACE™, engineers can run through each step of the development process from conceptual design, to geometry of the turbomachinery components, the nozzles, and the engine.
AxSTREAM.SPACE™ Capabilities:
- Module liquid rocket engine cycles
- Perform 1D/2D/3D aerodynamic design and structural analysis on turbopump components (oxidizer and fuel pumps as well as turbine(s)).
- Design the rocket nozzle and the accompanying cooling system/measures.
- Execute the full scope of rotor dynamics and bearing design and analysis.
- Design, analyze and optimize the entire rocket engine layout.
- Perform system level design and analysis including modeling piping, secondary flows, as well as determine leakages and optimize axial forces.
- Automate the entire design and development process for the turbopump and its components to save on time and human resources while ensuring optimal system integration.
This powerful program bundle permits users to design, analyze and optimize new liquid propulsion systems faster than ever before in one, easy-to-use, program. The convenient interface allows engineers to test “what if” scenarios and provides them with the ability to check thousands of turbopump component cases in minutes to identify suitable sets of design parameters for each stage of the design process.
Key Benefits:
- Automation and AI capabilities which can substantially reduce required manpower and the need for advanced expertise, perfect for small businesses breaking into the market.
- Unique conceptual user-friendly turbomachinery design and multidisciplinary optimization tool which is easy to integrate into any engineering process.
- Integrated end-to-end engineering platform, which was developed to commercialize turbopump designs from clean paper to metal.
- Global Technical Support team of 75+ engineers with a guaranteed 1-hour response time.
- A 20 Year Track Record of corporate excellence and successful execution of internal and external turbomachinery and system commercialization.
- Runs on any standard PC or laptop with minimal requirements.
