CFD analysis and experimental validation of a stepped early discharge port for over-compression control in a CO₂ scroll compressor.

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Title: CFD analysis and experimental validation of a stepped early discharge port for over-compression control in a CO₂ scroll compressor.
Authors: Zhou, Youxin1 (AUTHOR), Peng, Bin1 (AUTHOR) pengb2000@lut.edu.cn, Liao, Zhixiang1 (AUTHOR), Wei, Mingtong1 (AUTHOR)
Source: International Journal of Refrigeration. Apr2026, Vol. 184, p135-147. 13p.
Subjects: Pressure control, Compressor performance, Computational aerodynamics, Thermodynamics, Flow instability, Mechanical efficiency
Abstract: • A stepped early discharge port (EDP) is proposed for over-compression control. • A coupled thermodynamic-geometric design method determines the EDP location. • It achieves a smoother pressure rise and lowers peak chamber pressure by 0.22 MPa. • It ensures stable flow and temperature uniformity across operating conditions. • It improves both volumetric and isentropic efficiency across operating conditions. Over-compression in transcritical CO₂ scroll compressors leads to considerable energy losses, lower efficiency, and higher thermal loads, thereby compromising both performance and reliability. To address this issue, a novel stepped early discharge port (EDP) is proposed, along with a coupled thermodynamic and geometric design method for determining its location. Using an integrated CFD-experimental approach, the performance of the stepped EDP is evaluated and compared with that of a conventional cylindrical EDP under typical over-compression conditions. Furthermore, its influence on the compressor's flow field and performance is analyzed across conditions ranging from near-design to severe over-compression pressure ratios. Results indicate that the stepped design yields more stable internal flow and better over-compression mitigation than the cylindrical EDP. Analysis of pressure and mass flow rate at the early discharge port reveals that, compared to the circular EDP, the average early discharge pressure decreases by about 4.2%, while the mass flow rate increases by 41.2%. Moreover, the stepped EDP reduces the peak chamber pressure by 0.22 MPa, significantly exceeding the 0.04 MPa reduction achieved by the cylindrical EDP. The variable-condition study confirms that the over-compression mitigation effect of the stepped EDP is maintained across all investigated conditions, consistently lowering working chamber pressure and promoting a more uniform temperature distribution. Under severe over-compression, volumetric efficiency improves by up to 5.99%, and isentropic efficiency shows a maximum increase of 27.02%. Owing to the optimized flow field structure, leakage mass flow rate decreases by approximately 0.8% under severe over-compression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of International Journal of Refrigeration is the property of Elsevier B.V. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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  Label: Title
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  Data: CFD analysis and experimental validation of a stepped early discharge port for over-compression control in a CO₂ scroll compressor.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Zhou%2C+Youxin%22">Zhou, Youxin</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Peng%2C+Bin%22">Peng, Bin</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> pengb2000@lut.edu.cn</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Liao%2C+Zhixiang%22">Liao, Zhixiang</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Wei%2C+Mingtong%22">Wei, Mingtong</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22International+Journal+of+Refrigeration%22">International Journal of Refrigeration</searchLink>. Apr2026, Vol. 184, p135-147. 13p.
– Name: Subject
  Label: Subjects
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Pressure+control%22">Pressure control</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Compressor+performance%22">Compressor performance</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Computational+aerodynamics%22">Computational aerodynamics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Thermodynamics%22">Thermodynamics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Flow+instability%22">Flow instability</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Mechanical+efficiency%22">Mechanical efficiency</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: • A stepped early discharge port (EDP) is proposed for over-compression control. • A coupled thermodynamic-geometric design method determines the EDP location. • It achieves a smoother pressure rise and lowers peak chamber pressure by 0.22 MPa. • It ensures stable flow and temperature uniformity across operating conditions. • It improves both volumetric and isentropic efficiency across operating conditions. Over-compression in transcritical CO₂ scroll compressors leads to considerable energy losses, lower efficiency, and higher thermal loads, thereby compromising both performance and reliability. To address this issue, a novel stepped early discharge port (EDP) is proposed, along with a coupled thermodynamic and geometric design method for determining its location. Using an integrated CFD-experimental approach, the performance of the stepped EDP is evaluated and compared with that of a conventional cylindrical EDP under typical over-compression conditions. Furthermore, its influence on the compressor's flow field and performance is analyzed across conditions ranging from near-design to severe over-compression pressure ratios. Results indicate that the stepped design yields more stable internal flow and better over-compression mitigation than the cylindrical EDP. Analysis of pressure and mass flow rate at the early discharge port reveals that, compared to the circular EDP, the average early discharge pressure decreases by about 4.2%, while the mass flow rate increases by 41.2%. Moreover, the stepped EDP reduces the peak chamber pressure by 0.22 MPa, significantly exceeding the 0.04 MPa reduction achieved by the cylindrical EDP. The variable-condition study confirms that the over-compression mitigation effect of the stepped EDP is maintained across all investigated conditions, consistently lowering working chamber pressure and promoting a more uniform temperature distribution. Under severe over-compression, volumetric efficiency improves by up to 5.99%, and isentropic efficiency shows a maximum increase of 27.02%. Owing to the optimized flow field structure, leakage mass flow rate decreases by approximately 0.8% under severe over-compression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
– Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright
  Label:
  Group: Ab
  Data: <i>Copyright of International Journal of Refrigeration is the property of Elsevier B.V. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1016/j.ijrefrig.2026.01.032
    Languages:
      – Code: eng
        Text: English
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      Pagination:
        PageCount: 13
        StartPage: 135
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Pressure control
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Compressor performance
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Computational aerodynamics
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Thermodynamics
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Flow instability
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Mechanical efficiency
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: CFD analysis and experimental validation of a stepped early discharge port for over-compression control in a CO₂ scroll compressor.
        Type: main
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      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Zhou, Youxin
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          Name:
            NameFull: Peng, Bin
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            NameFull: Liao, Zhixiang
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            NameFull: Wei, Mingtong
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          Dates:
            – D: 01
              M: 04
              Text: Apr2026
              Type: published
              Y: 2026
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              Value: 184
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            – TitleFull: International Journal of Refrigeration
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