| This thesis reviews the status of regenerative flow pumps and compressors (RFP/RFC) for fuel emission reduction, and proposes design guidelines with the aim to improve their flow and efficiency. A brief overview of the fundamentals and hypothesis of the operation of RFP/RFC is presented. An analytical model for regenerative flow pumps and compressors is developed, and a one-dimensional (1-D) performance prediction code of an RFP/RFC model is synthesized using geometric parameters as input. Based on these predictions, design guidelines to improve performance of these turbomachines are proposed. CFD analysis is undertaken to validate these proposed design changes. Prototypes of current and proposed design changes of regenerative flow pumps and compressors are built and tested, and experimental data is studied and compared to the theoretical and numerical simulation findings. Sensitivity analysis is conducted on various design parameters to study their effect on the device's performance, and designs for optimum performance were created. The design approach is generalized and applied to a larger family of RFP pumps and compressors. A streamlined approach to RFC/RFP improvement is developed for future applications and more efficient regenerative flow pumps, which are the result of this study, are built, tested, and used in current applications for emission reduction and control in passenger and industrial vehicles. |
