Introduction

A centrifugal compressor is a machine that is “dynamic.” It has a continuous fluid flow that is
powered by an integral shaft impeller.A centrifugal compressor is a type of dynamic compressor
that uses a rotating impeller to compress air or gas . It is a sub-class of dynamic axisymmetric
work-absorbing turbo-machinery. The compressor consists of a housing with flow passages, a
rotating shaft on which the impeller is mounted, bearings, and seals to prevent gas leakage. The
energy is converted into pressure, which occurs partly across the impellers and partly in the
stator section known as diffusers. Compressor are machines used to compress and transfer fluids
(i.e., air or gas) from one place to other. There are multiple types of compressors and a
centrifugal compressor is one of them. Centrifugal compressors are most widely used all over the
world. The main reason is that the construction of these compressors is very easy. In a
centrifugal compressor, the air or gas enters axially in the impeller and discharges radially.
Therefore, it is also called a radial compressor. In the centrifugal compressor, the impeller
increases the speed of the working fluid (gas or air) by converting the kinetic energy of the
air/gas into speed. But the diffuser further converts the speed of the air or gas into pressure
energy. Centrifugal compressors are also used for plant air compression and in air separation
applications. In air separation, nitrogen and oxygen are separated from compressed air. Therefore
we find air compressors, Nitrogen compressors and Oxygen compressors. Compressing air or
nitrogen usually does not put special requirements on the seals, since the compressed gas is
nontoxic. The amount of leakage is therefore strictly based on economic and performance
considerations.
 Types of centrifugal compressors

There are two main types of centrifugal compressors: axial flow and radial flow.
 Axial flow compressors: Axial flow compressors have impellers that rotate
parallel to the axis of the compressor. The gas is accelerated through the
impeller by the blades, and the pressure is increased. Axial flow compressors are
typically used for high-flow, low-pressure applications.

 Radial flow compressors: Radial flow compressors have impellers that rotate

perpendicular to the axis of the compressor. The gas is accelerated through the
impeller by the blades, and the pressure is increased. Radial flow compressors
are typically used for low-flow, high-pressure applications.

In addition to these two main types, there are also a number of other types of centrifugal
compressors, including:
Multistage compressors: Multistage compressors have multiple impellers arranged in
series. This allows the compressor to achieve a higher pressure ratio than a single-
stage compressor.
Inter-cooled compressors: Inter-cooled compressors have a heat exchanger between
the stages. This helps to reduce the temperature of the gas, which improves the
efficiency of the compressor

After cooled compressors: After cooled compressors have a heat exchanger after the
last stage. This helps to reduce the temperature of the gas to ambient temperature,
which improves the efficiency of the compressor and prevents condensation.

Geared compressors: Geared compressors have the impellers driven by a gearbox.

This allows the impellers to rotate at a higher speed, which increases the compressor's
efficiency
Sealed compressors: Sealed compressors are designed to prevent the leakage of
gas. This is important for applications where the gas is hazardous or valuable

Manufacturing of centrifugal compressor

Manufacturing a centrifugal compressor typically involves creating the impeller, which is

the rotating component that compresses the fluid. Here are some methods used for
manufacturing centrifugal compressor impellers:
FDM and investment casting: A recent paper describes a process for manufacturing
centrifugal compressor impellers by combining FDM and investment casting.
Prepreg process: A patent describes a method for manufacturing impellers using a
prepreg process, which is highly labor-intensive .
Titanium alloy forgings: Centrifugal impellers used in gas turbines are commonly made
from titanium alloy forgings. Their flow-path blades are commonly flank milled or point
milled on 5-axis milling machines .
Electrical Discharge Machining (EDM): A study investigated several alternative methods
for manufacturing small tip opening impellers as a single piece, including EDM .
Investment casting: The same study also evaluated investment casting as a method for
manufacturing small tip opening impellers .
Hot Isostatic Pressed Powder Metal (HIP'd PM): The study also evaluated HIP'd PM as
a method for manufacturing small tip opening impellers.
Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS): The study also evaluated DMLS as a method for
manufacturing small tip opening impellers .
Centrifugal compressors are used in a wide range of applications, including air-
conditioning and refrigeration, HVAC, and gas turbines. They provide manufacturers
with an energy-efficient solution to produce 100% oil-free compressed air, with trouble-
free operation and the lowest cost of ownership.

Properties of centrifugal compressor

A centrifugal compressor is a type of dynamic axisymmetric work-absorbing turbo

machinery that is used in a wide range of sizes and configurations. Here are some of
the key properties of centrifugal compressors:
High speed: Centrifugal compressors operate at high speeds .
Non-positive displacement: They are non-positive displacement units, meaning that they
do not trap and compress a fixed volume of gas .
Continuous flow: Centrifugal compressors offer a continuous flow of compressed gas.
Performance characteristics: The performance of centrifugal compressors is typically
specified by illustrating the variation of delivery pressure and temperature with mass
flow rate for various fixed values of rotational speed at a given value of inlet pressure
and temperature .
Efficiency: The coefficient of efficiency of a centrifugal compressor is determined by the
gas-dynamic characteristics of the stage elements, including vaned diffusers .

Apart from the change in density with pressure, other features of compressible flow,
depending upon the regimes, are also observed in course of flow of fluids through turbo
machines. Therefore, the basic equation of energy transfer (Euler's equation) along with
the equation of state relating the pressure, density and temperature of the working fluid
and other necessary equations of compressible flow, are needed to describe the
performance of a turbo machine.

Application of centrifugal compressor in various

chemical industries

Centrifugal compressors are widely used in a variety of industries, including:

 Air compressors: Centrifugal compressors are the most common type of air
compressor used in industry. They are used to provide compressed air for a
 variety of applications, such as pneumatic tools, air conditioning, and
refrigeration.
 Gas turbines: Centrifugal compressors are used in gas turbines to compress the
air before it is burned in the combustion chamber. This helps to increase the
efficiency of the gas turbine.
 Turbochargers: Centrifugal compressors are also used in turbochargers to
increase the air intake of internal combustion engines. This helps to improve the
performance of the engine.
 Air separation: Centrifugal compressors are used in air separation plants to
separate the nitrogen, oxygen, and argon from atmospheric air. These gases are
used in a variety of applications, such as welding, cryogenics, and food
processing.
 Oil and gas industry: Centrifugal compressors are used in the oil and gas
industry to compress natural gas and oil well fluids.
 Refrigeration and air conditioning: Centrifugal compressors are used in
refrigeration and air conditioning systems to compress the refrigerant gas. This
helps to cool the air or other fluid that is being circulated.
 Chemical processing: Centrifugal compressors are used in chemical processing
plants to compress gases and liquids. This helps to improve the efficiency of the
plant and to ensure the safe operation of the equipment.
Centrifugal compressors are also used in a variety of other applications, such as in the
food and beverage industry, the mining industry, and the power generation industry.
Here are some of the advantages of centrifugal compressors:
 They are relatively compact and lightweight.
 They can be operated at high speeds, which allows them to achieve high
compression ratios.
 They are relatively efficient, especially at high flow rates.
 They are relatively maintenance-free.
Here are some of the disadvantages of centrifugal compressors:
 They can be noisy.
 They can be susceptible to vibration.
 They can be expensive to purchase and install

Construction of Centrifugal Compressor

1. Principle

The principle of a centrifugal compressor is that when the air passes through
the rotating impeller it experiences force or work which is performed by
centrifugal forces. The work input takes place as an increase in pressure and
velocity or speed of the air flow through the impeller. The air flow loses its
velocity after entering the diffuser section.The diffuser is actually a fixed or A
centrifugal compressor generally consisting of four components named inlet ,
impeller,diffuser and collector.

2 . Construction and parts of centrifugal compressor

1.Casing and inlet .

The above mentioned components are usually protected or guarded by a casing

or housing . A case house consists of a number of bearings in order to provide
radial and axial support of the rotor. The case also contains nozzles along with
inlets and discharge flow connections in order to introduce and extract flow from
the compressor.
Casing are of two types :-

a.) Horizontally split

TECHNICAL DATA
Capacity: up to 1 400 m3/min (up to 120,000
Nm3/h)
Discharge pressure: up to 45 bar (45,8 kgf/cm2)
Drive power: up to 6 300 kW

COMPRESSIBLE GASES
Nitrogen
Oxygen
Chlorine
Air
Associated Petroleum Gas
Fuel Gas
Hydrocarbon Process Gas
Flare Gas
Hydrogen-Bearing Gas
Coke Oven Gas

APPLICATION

Gas Gathering and Transportation

Oil Refining & Petroleum Chemistry
Gas Processing and LNG Production
Chemical Industry
Energy
Mining
Metallurgy

b.) Vertically split

TECHNICAL DATA
Capacity: up to 900 m3/min (up to 220 000 nm3/h)
Discharge pressure: up to 45 MPa (458,8 kgf/cm2)
Drive power: up to 32 000 kW

COMPRESSIBLE GASES

Nitrogen
Chlorine
Air
Natural Gas
Associated Petroleum Gas
 Fuel Gas
Hydrocarbon Process Gas
Flare Gas
Hydrogen-Bearing Gas
Coke Oven Gas
Other gases

APPLICATION

Gas Gathering and Transportation

Oil Refining & Petroleum Chemistry
Gas Processing and LNG Production
Chemical Industry
Energy
Offshore Platforms
Heat and Power Supply at Production Field

A case is generally built of cast iron or steel.

2. Impellers

The main part of a centrifugal compressor is the impeller. An open impeller

has no cover, therefore it can work at higher speeds. A compressor with a covered
impeller can have more stages than one that has an open impeller.The impellers are
assembled or mounted on a steel shaft and this assembly is known as compressor rotor
(mostly in multi stage compressors). The rotor provides velocity to the gas with blades
that are attached to a rotating disc. These blades can be forward-leaning , radial or
backward-leaning depending upon the desired output . Most of the multistage
compressors use backward-leaning blades as they provide the widest range of
efficiency.

3. Diffuser.

The diffuser is an important element of a compressor or pump. Its

purpose is to reduce the velocity of the flow leaving the impeller resulting in an increase
in pressure. The diffuser can be simply depicted as a nonrotating channel whose flow
area increases in the direction of flow . The impeller extracts the gas with great velocity
into a diffuser passage. The diffuser usually comprises two walls which form a radial
channel. Because of these arrangements the velocity of the gas decreases and
dynamic pressure is converted into static pressure. The diffuser passages are small
space between adjacent diaphragms which generally turn the gas flow 180° in order to
direct it towards the next impeller.

4. Collector.

The collector of centrifugal compressors can have numerous shapes.

When the collector is emptied into a large cavity, the manifold can be called a plenum. If
the diffuser is built into a device that looks a bit like a snail shell, horn, or French horn,
the dispenser is most likely called a scroll or parchment.Following the last stage impeller
the gas must be collected and delivered to the discharge flange. The component used
to collect the gas discharged through the diffuser is called a collector. It may also be
termed as volute or scroll. The collector may also contain valves and other
instrumentation in order to control the compressor.

Working of a Centrifugal Compressor

A centrifugal compressor works in the following way:

● At the start-up, the air introduces from the air tank or any other source into
the centrifugal compressor.
● After entering the compressor, the air strikes the impeller. This impeller has
multiple radial blades that rotate with the rotation of the impeller.
● As the air strikes the radial blades of the impeller, the air pushes by
centrifugal force into the center of the impeller.
● After striking, the impeller blades provide kinetic energy to the air; due to
that, its speed (velocity) increases.
 ● After passing through the impeller, the air enters the diffuser area. This
diffuser has stationary vans. After entering the diffuser area, the speed or
velocity of the flow of the air starts decreasing.
● According to Bernoulli’s principle, the velocity square is inversely
proportional to pressure. The volute casing or diffuser converts the
increased velocity of the air into pressure energy before the air is drawn
into the impeller center. In most conditions, the increase in the impeller’s
pressure will roughly equal the increase in diffuser pressure.

Actually, the diffuser is a static (stationary) part of the compressor that

accompanies the flow of air as it exits the rotor. This speed slowdown eventually
leads to a further rise in pressure.The diffuser and the impeller account for
approximately 35% and 65% of the total pressure generated by the compressor.
The centrifugal compressor strongly affects the air compression process.

LIST OF PROBLEMS AND THEIR REASONS IN A CENTRIFUGAL

COMPRESSOR

No. Problem Reason

Unit misalignment

Unbalanced rotor

Abnormal bearing
Coupling failure or unbalance
The static and dynamic parts are rubbed, the foundation sinks unevenly or the base is
 Unusual oil pressure and temperature
I Abnormal Compressor
Vibration

Compressor surge
Gas brings liquid or impurity exists.
Excessive mechanical and electrical runout of the vibration measuring part of the journ
Thermal-caused bending of rotor
The rotor is cracked.
II Unusual Vibration of Excessive piping stress
Compressor Pipeline Air flow excitation
Improper design of pipeline support
III Excessive Axial Thrust The inter-stage seal is damaged or worn, causing the seal gap to increase.
and Increasing Shaft Gear or diaphragm coupling tooth surface is worn.
Displacement Compressor surge or unstable air flow
Thrust end face runout of the thrust disc and seriously deformed bearing seat
Incorrect zero position of shaft displacement probe and poor probe characteristics
Fluctuation of oil temperature and pressure
Thrust bearing is damaged.

Improper installation of thermometer or damaged thermocouple

The oil supply temperature is high or the oil quality does not meet the requirements.

Reduced amount of lubricating oil or low oil pressure

IV Rising Compressor
Bearing Temperature
Bearing damage

Increased axial thrust or improper assembly of thrust bearing

Compressor air seal leaks

V Compressor Radial Unusual lubrication
Bearing Failure Compressor misalignment
Incorrect bearing clearance
Unbalance of compressor or coupling

Abnormal lubrication

The operating point falls into the surge zone or is too close to the surge boundary.

Improper setting of anti-surge margin

Insufficient suction flow

Compressor outlet pressure is too high.

 VII Compressor Surge
When the working conditions change, the vent valve and the return valve are not open

The anti-surge device is not turned on automatically.

Inaccurate or malfunction of anti-surge device or mechanism

Increase the speed and pressure too fast.

Decrease speed without lowering the pressure
Serious changes in gas properties or state
Interstage leakage increases
The molecular weight of the gas changes.
Damaged shaft end comb air seal
Damaged sealing ring of the cylinder body
Excessive oil pressure
Damaged oil seal
Increased leakage in the compressor
Insufficient sealing ring accuracy
Sealing oil quality and oil temperature do not meet the requirements.
VIII

Compressor Shaft End The oil and gas pressure differential system is not working well.
and Sealing Surface
Leakage Worn or damaged seal

The end surface of the floating ring seat is notched or worn.

The floating ring seat is worn unevenly.
Broken or damaged sealing ring

The sealing surface, seals, and O-rings are corroded.

The sealing part freezes due to the operation of the low temperature part.

Common reasons for major problems in an centrifugal

compressor

.1 Increase of Bearing Temperature

The operating temperature of centrifugal compressor bearing is generally of 45~50℃, and it
should not exceed 65℃. Generally, when it is 65°C, the alarm rings, and when it’s 75°C , the
device will chain stop.

Reasons for the increase of bearing temperature are as listed.

* If the clearance between the bearing shell and the journal is too small, it should be adjusted by
scraping the shell.
* Small bearing lubricant inlet will lead into insufficient oil intake, so the aperture of the throttle
ring should be appropriately enlarged.

* The temperature of oil is too high. Adjust the amount of cooling water in the oil cooler.

* The oil is contaminated by water, or becomes dirty and deteriorated, which will affect the
lubrication effect. The oil cooler should be checked to prevent water leakage or replace the oil.

* Dirt enters the bearing and wears out the bearing shell. The bearing and lubricating oil pipeline
should be cleaned, and the shell should be scrapped.

* If the bearing shell is damaged, it should be recast.

Figure 1: A close-range photograph of centrifugal compressor bearing.

1.2 Surge
Surge is a kind of abnormal vibration that occurs when the flow rate of the turbo compressor is
reduced to a certain extent. Centrifugal compressor is a type of turbo compressor which will be
seriously damaged by surge.

When the centrifugal compressor surges, typical phenomena include:

* The outlet pressure of the compressor rises, and then drops sharply, and fluctuates cyclically.

* The flow rate of the compressor drops sharply and fluctuates sharply. In severe cases, air may
even flow back into the suction pipe.
* The current and power meter indication of the motor driving the compressor is unstable and
fluctuates greatly.

* The device strongly vibrates, and at the same time it emits abnormal airflow noise.

Figure 2: A damaged centrifugal compressor caused by surge

1.3 Factors Affecting Exhaust Gas Volume

There are many factors affecting gas volume of centrifugal compressor. In addition to design,
manufacturing, and installation, we will expound other factors as below.
* The air filter is clogged or the resistance increases.
At this time, the compressor suction pressure decreases. The outlet pressure remains
unchanged, so the pressure ratio is increased. According to the compressor performance curve,
when the pressure ratio increases, the displacement decreases.
* The air separation equipment is blocked, the resistance increases or the valve fails.
At this time, the compressor suction pressure increases. If the suction pressure remains
unchanged, the pressure ratio increases, resulting in a decrease in the exhaust volume.
* Blocked intercooler or increased resistance
At this time, the exhaust volume is reduced. However, the situation of blockage in different sides
is not the same.

If the air-side resistance increases, only the internal resistance of the machine will be increased,
which will reduce the efficiency of compressor and the displacement. If the water-side
resistance increases, the circulating cooling water will be reduced, which will lead to bad cooling
of gas. Later it affects the next stage of suction, so that the compressor exhaust volume is
reduced.
* Gas leakage caused by poor sealing
(1)Internal leakage:
If there is internal leakage with compressor, the compressed gas is returned and compressed
twice. This will affect the working conditions of each stage, increase the pressure ratio of low-
pressure stage, and decrease that of high-pressure stage. As a result, the compressor is far
away from the design working condition and the displacement decreases.

(2)External leakage:
That is, air leakage from the shaft end seal to the outside of the casing.
If there is external leakage with compressor, the suction volume is constant, but part of the
compressed gas leaks, causing the exhaust volume to decrease.
* Cooler leakage
If it is the first stage of leakage, the water side pressure is higher than the air side pressure, so
the cooling water will enter the air side channel and be further entrained by the airflow into the
impeller and diffuser.
After a certain period of time, it will cause fouling and blockage, reducing the air flow. If it is the
secondary and tertiary leakage, the compressed air will leak into the cooling water and run away
because the air side pressure is higher than the water side, reducing the exhaust volume.
* Frequency or voltage drop of the power
The frequency or voltage drop of the power grid will make the speed of the motor of the
compressor drop, and the exhaust volume decrease.
* Increase of suction temperature and decrease of gas density
When the temperature of suction at any stage increases, the density of the gas will decrease,
resulting in the suction volume to decrease.

1.4 Seal Leakage

Leaks at the wheel cover seal and the inter-stage seal are all internal leakages. Severe internal
leakage will increase compressor energy loss, reduce efficiency of the stage and compressor as
well as gas volume.

However, the impact mechanism of the two is different too. The leakage of the wheel cover seal
makes the compressed gas return to the impeller, and then performs the second stage
compression. That mainly increases the total power consumption of the stage. The internal
leakage of the interstage seal will increase the pressure ratio of low-pressure stage and
decrease that of high-pressure stage.

Although the serious leakage of the balance disc seal has little effect on the performance of the
compressor, but it affects the safe operation of compressor a lot.

The external leakage of the shaft seal is from the seal to the outside of the casing. There's no
doubt that serious external leakage will directly reduce the compressor exhaust volume.