Researchers from City St George’s, University of London, and ToffeeX have explored physics-driven generative design to address air leakage in Roots blowers, where leakage through small clearance gaps reduces efficiency. The study applies topology optimisation within the cloud-native ToffeeX computational fluid dynamics solver to redesign the rotor tip.
The flow model was validated against experimental particle image velocimetry data, showing reasonable agreement on a simplified geometry. The optimisation produced a rounded tip profile, with shapes varying by flow velocity and an increased pressure drop across the gap, which may help limit leakage. The authors note that further three-dimensional analysis is needed to improve compressor efficiency. The study suggests flow physics can yield designs beyond intuition.
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