Centrifugal Compressors

• Classes and comparisons between compressors

Axial Centrifugal Function

Large engine Small engine Engine type
Very large (> 100 kg/s) < 15 kg/s Mass flow rate
High 94 % Low 86-87 % Efficiency
large small # of stages
Low (<1.5) High (5-7) Pressure ratio per stage
Low, thus allow using High for more than Pressure loss
many stages one stage
Not easy easy Fixing and
manufacturing
Very expensive Cheap, wider Cost
operating range
 Centrifugal Compressors

Principle of Operation

Centrifugal compressors consist of stationary casing

containing

a. Rotating impeller (imparts a high velocity of air),

b. Fixed diverging passage (The air is decelerated with rise

in static pressure).

c. Impeller may be single or double-sided

 Centrifugal Compressors
• Air is sucked into the impeller eye and whirled at high
speed by the vanes of the impeller disc.
• The static pressure increases from eye to tip.
• Remainder of static pressure rise occurs in diffusers.
• Normally half of pressure rise occurs in the impeller
and 50% in diffuser.
• Some stagnation pressure loss occurs.
Centrifugal Compressors
 Centrifugal Compressors
• Work done and Pressure Rise:

• Absolute velocity of air at impeller tip.

C2
• tangential or whirl component C w2
• radial component. Cr 2
  is the angle given by the direction of the
relative velocity at inlet V1. Also this is the
angle of leading edge of the vane with
tangential direction.

• Slip phenomenon: air trapped between

the impeller vanes does not move with the
impeller, thus air acquire whirl (Cw)
velocity at the tip which is less than u.

• : At ideal conditions, Cr 2  U (impeller tip speed )

Centrifugal Compressors
 Centrifugal Compressors
• Velocity diagrams
 Centrifugal Compressors
C w2
Slip factor  ;  1
U
0.63 
  1 ; ( experiments : by stanitz);
n
n  number of vanes ( blades)
T  torque  C w 2 r2  C w1 r1 ;
• Considering unit
Work  T  C w 2 r2 - 0.0
mass of air:
• momentum equation (for ideal case of no guide vanes)
Utilizing slip factor , thus,
• Defining a power input factor,  Work  U 2
(due to losses in energy as frictional loss)
, thus,
Work    U 2
 Centrifugal Compressors
Energy balance
c p (To 3  To1 )  U 2
Where (To 3  To1 ) : stagnation temperature
rise across the compressor =

• With state 1 as inlet to rotor

• “ 2 as exit from rotor
• “ 3 as exit of diffuser
• No energy addition in diffuser
• Thus

(To3  To1 )  (T02  To1 )

 Centrifugal Compressors
• Defining c as overall isentropic efficiency, then
overall stagnation pressure ratio is given by :
'
To3  To1  
c  Po3  To '
  1
To1   c (To3  To1 )   1

To3  To1   3'   

Po1  To1 
  To1 

 
  c (To3  To1 )   1   cu 2   1
 1    1  
 To1   c p To1 
 c presents both less ( frictional) in rotor and diffuser ;  : less (friction) in rotor .
both are limiting work capacity in compressor
 : a factor limiting work capacity of compressor;  can be increased by
increasing number of vanes, thus
 Centrifugal Compressors
• Example 4.1

• The following data are suggested as a basis for the

design of a single-sided centrifugal compressor:
• Power input factor = =1.04
• Slip factor  = 0.9
• Rotational speed, N= 290 rev/s
• Overall diameter of impeller, D=0.5m
• Eye tip diameter=2re=De=0.3m
• Eye root diameter, D1=2r1=0.15m
• Air mass flow, m=9 kg/s
• Inlet stagnation temperature To1= 295
• Inlet stagnation pressure Po1 = 1.1 bar
• Isentropic efficiency, c=0.78
 Centrifugal Compressors
• Requirements are
• (a) to determine the pressure ratio of the
compressor and the power required to drive it
assuming that the velocity of the air at inlet is
axial.
• (b) to calculate the inlet angle of the impeller
vanes at the root and tip of the radii of the
eyes, assuming that the axial inlet velocity is
constant across the eye annulus; and
• (c) to estimate the axial depth of the impeller
channels at the periphery of the impeller.
 Centrifugal Compressors
• (a) impeller tip speed

U   r2  2 *  * N * r2  DN

U    0.5  290  455.5m / s

• Temperature equivalent of the work done on unit mass flow of air, is

U 2 1.04  0.9  455.5 2

To3  To1   3
 193K
cp 1.005  10

p o3   c (To3  To1 )   1
 0.78  193 
3.5

 1    1    4.23
p o1  T o1   295 
 Centrifugal Compressors
.
• Power required= m c p (To3  To1 )  9  1.005  193  1746kW

(b) to find the inlet angle it is necessary to determine the

inlet velocity which in this case is axial;
.

i. e. C a1  C1
C a1 1 must satisfy the continuity equation m  1 A1C a1
where A1 is the flow area at inlet.
Since the density 1 depends upon C1and
both are unknown, a trial and error process is
required.
 Centrifugal Compressors
• Flow triangles
• u2=455.5 m/s u1h   r1h  136.5m / s,
• Assume axial flow 1t u  r1t  273 m / s
• two unknown (,c) in one
equation but another relation is
given by
 2

m  1C1 A1  1C1 d1t  d1h 2
4

2
P1 C1
1  and To1  T1 
RT1 2c p
2
c1
Assume 1 and get C1 then get T1  To1 
2c p


p1  T1   1
then  and, thus, calculate 1
p o1  To1 
 Centrifugal Compressors
• Note this is normal to design for an axial velocity of
about 150 m/s, this providing a suitable compromise
between high flow per unit frontal area and frictional
losses in the intake.
• Annulus area of impeller eye,

 (0.3 2  0.15 2 )
A1   0.053m 2
4
:Based on stagnation conditions
p o1 1.1  100
1   o1    1.30kg / m 3
RTo1 0.287  295
 Centrifugal Compressors
m 9
C1  C a1    131m /
1 A1 1.30  0.053
Since C1  C a1 the equivalent dynamic temperature is ,
2
C1 1312 1.312
 3
  8.5 K
2c p 2  1.005  10 0.201
2
C1
T1  To1   295  8.5  286.5 K
2c p
p o1 1.1
p1    0.992

 1
295 / 286.5 3.5

(To1 / T1 )
p1 0.992  100
1    1.21kg / m 3
RT1 0.287  286.5
 Centrifugal Compressors
checkCa1 :
m 9
C a1    140m / s
1 A1 1.21  0.053
final trial :
try C a1  C1 = 145 m/s
equivalent dynamics temperature is

2
C1 145 2 1.45 2
 3
  10.5 K
2c p 2  1.005  10 0.201
 Centrifugal Compressors
2
C1
T1  To1   295  10.5  284.5 K
2c p
p o1 1.1
p1    0.968

 1
295 / 284.53.5

(To1 / T1 )
p1 0.968  100
1    1.185kg / m 3
RT1 0.287  284.5
checkC a1 :
m 9
C a1    143m / s
 1 A1 1.85  0.053
 Centrifugal Compressors
• This is a good agreement and a further trial
using Ca1=143 m/s is unnecessary because a
small change in C has little effect upon .
• For this reason, it is more accurate to use the
final value 143 m/s, rather than the mean of 145
m/s ( the trial value) and 143 m/s.
• The vane angles can now be calculated as
follows:

The peripheral speed, U e , at the impeller eye tip radius 

 re  2  N re   De N    0.3  290  273m / s

and at eye root radius =136.5 m/s,

 Centrifugal Compressors
  at root=tan-1(143/136.5)=46.33,
  at tip =tan-1143/273=27.65
the shape of the impeller channel between eye and tip )c(
.is very much a matter of trial and error

The aim is to obtain as uniform a change of flow velocity

up the channel as possible, avoiding local decelerations
.up the trailing face of the vane

To estimate the density at the impeller tip, the static

pressure and temperature are found by calculating the
absolute velocity at this and using it in conjunction with
the stagnation pressure which is calculated from the
.assumed loss up to this point
 Centrifugal Compressors
Making the choice C r2  C a1 , thus
Cw2   U  0.9  455.5  410m / s
2 2
2
Cr2  Cw 2 2 2
1.43  4.1
C2    93.8K
2c p 0.201
m
A
 2Cr2

To get  2 , we need to get P2

c  0.78, loss  0.22, 1/ 2 loss  0.11
the loss in the impeller  0.5(1  c )  0.11
 x , rotor  0.89
 Centrifugal Compressors
3.5
p o2  0.89  193 
 1    1.582 3.5
p o1  295 

p o2   imp (To3  To1   1
 1  
p o1  To1 

To calculate density at exit

 Centrifugal Compressors
2 2
C2
2
C r  C 2

2c p 2c p
C 2   u
C r2  C a1 , assume
2
C2
thusT2  To2   T2
2c p
togetP2

p o2  To '   1 '
To2  To1
 2  & c   P2
po1  To  To2  To1
 1 
thus get 2.
 Centrifugal Compressors
p 2  
/ p o2  T2 / To2 3 .5
but To2  To3  193  295  488K
2
C2
T2  To2   488  93.8  394.2 K , therefore,
2c p
 3.5
p 2  T2   1
 394.2 
   sin ce
p o2  To2   488 
p2  p2  p o2 
( )  , get p 2 as
p o2  po  p o  p o1
 2  1 
3. 5
p2 p  394.2 
 p 2  p o1 2  1.532    2.35
p o1 p o1  488 
but p o1  1.1, p 2  2.35  1.1  2.58bar
p2 2.58  100
2    2.28kg / m 3
RT2 0.287  394.2
 Centrifugal Compressors
The required area of cross-section of flow in the
radial direction at the impeller tip is
m 9
A   0.0276 m 2
 2 C r2 2.28  143

A 0.0276
b   0.0176m or 1.76 cm
D   0.5
 Computational Design of a Centrifugal Compressor
• PROGRAM MAIN
• COMMON CP,R,GAMRAT
• COMMON VECT(5000,500)
• C
• C
• C OPEN(30,FILE='D:\Dif\GRIDG.RES')
• OPEN(5,FILE='C:\CALCULATIONS\
Data_PyT10_6.1mps_D50mmFdn.txt')
• OPEN(6,FILE='C:\CALCULATIONS\OUT.txt')
• OPEN(7,FILE='C:\CALCULATIONS\output data for drawings.txt')
• OPEN(8,FILE='C:\CALCULATIONS\OUT2.txt')

• C OPEN(30,FILE='C:\Dif\GRIDG.RES')
• C OPEN(6,FILE='C:\Dif\Conv 1\GRIDG.OUT')
• C OPEN(5,FILE='C:\dif\Conv 1\GRIDG.DAT')
• C OPEN(30,FILE='C:\Dif\Conv 1\GRIDG.RES',FORM='UNFORMATTED')

• C OPEN(6,FILE='C:\Dif\GRIDG.OUT')
• C OPEN(5,FILE='C:\dif\GRIDG.DAT')
• C OPEN(6,FILE='D:\Dif\GRIDG.OUT')
• C OPEN(5,FILE='D:\dif\GRIDG.DAT')
 Computational Design of a Centrifugal Compressor
• C
• PI=22./7.
• EPSI=1.05
• SIGMA=0.9
• RPM=305.
• D0=0.6
• DIT=0.4
• DIR=0.15
• FLOW=14
• TO1=300
• PO1=100.
• EFFC=0.8
• CP=1005
• EFFIMP=0.89
• GAMMA=1.4
• R=0.287
• GAMRAT=GAMMA/(GAMMA-1.)
• U=PI*D0*RPM
• TO13=EPSI*SIGMA*U*U/CP
• PO13=(1.+EFFC*TO13/TO1)**GAMRAT
• TO3=TO1+TO13
• TO2=TO3
• PO3=PO1*PO13
• POWER=FLOW*CP*TO13/1000.
• WRITE(6,11)POWER,TO13,U,PO13
• 11 FORMAT(2X,'POWER=',E13.4,/2X,'TO13=',E13.5/2X,'U=',E13.5/3X,
• 1'Press ratio=',E13.4//)
• AI=PI*(DIT**2-DIR**2)/4.
 Computational Design of a Centrifugal Compressor
C •
• C1=100.
• CALL SITER(C1,TO1,PO1,AI,FLOW)
• C WRITE(6,12)C1,EPS,P1,T1,AI
• C 12 FORMAT(2X,E13.3/4E13.4)
• UE=PI*DIT*RPM
• UR=PI*DIR*RPM
• ALFAR=ATAN(C1/UR)*180./PI
• ALFAT=ATAN(C1/UE)*180./PI
• WRITE(6,24)
• 24 FORMAT(8X,'ALFAT, ALFAR'/)
• WRITE(6,13)ALFAT,ALFAR
• 13 FORMAT(2X,2E13.3)
• C
• C Axial Depth CR=C1
• CW=SIGMA*U
• CSQ=CR*CR+CW*CW
• PO2=PO1*(1.+EFFIMP*TO13/TO1)**GAMRAT
• T2=TO2-CSQ/(2.*CP)
• P2=PO2*(T2/TO2)**GAMRAT
• RHO2=P2/(R*T2)
• A2=FLOW/(RHO2*CR)
• AXDEPTH=A2/(PI*D0)
• WRITE(6,17)AXDEPTH
• 17 FORMAT(//10X,'Axial Depth= ', 10X, E13.5)
 Computational Design of a Centrifugal Compressor
C •

• C CALL PERFORMANCE(POWER,TO1,PO1,EFFC,GAMRAT,CP)
• STOP
• END
• C
• SUBROUTINE SITER(C,TO,PO,A1,FLOW)
• COMMON CP,R,GAMRAT
• C WRITE(6,102)C,EPS,PO,TO,A1
• RHO1=PO/(R*TO)
• 10 C=FLOW/(RHO1*A1)
• T=TO-C*C/(2.*CP)
• P=PO*(T/TO)**GAMRAT
• C
• 23 FORMAT(7X,'C',18x,'EPS',8X,'P',8X,'T',15X,'A1'/)
• C WRITE(6,102)C,EPS,P,T,A1
• RHONEW=P/(R*T)
• EPS=ABS((RHONEW-RHO1))/RHONEW
• IF(EPS.LT.0.001)GO TO 20
• RHO1=RHONEW
• GO TO 10
• 20 CONTINUE
• WRITE(6,23)
• WRITE(6,102)C,EPS,P,T,A1
• 102 FORMAT(2X,5E13.4/)
• Return
• End
 Computational Design of a Centrifugal Compressor

• SUBROUTINE PERFORMANCE(POWER,TO1,PO1,EFFC,GAMRAT,CP)
• COMMON VECT(5000,500),WMAS(5000,500),BETA(5000,500),PI
• FLOW=10.
• DFLOW=FLOW/10.
• WRITE(6,30)POWER,TO1,PO1,EFFC,GAMRAT,CP
• 30 FORMAT(6E13.3)
• DO 10 I=1,9
• TO3=TO1+POWER*1000./FLOW/CP
• PO3=PO1*(1.+EFFC*(TO3-TO1)/TO1)**GAMRAT
• FLOW=FLOW-DFLOW
• C WRITE(6,20)TO3,PO3
• WRITE(6,20)FLOW,PO3/PO1
• 20 FORMAT(2E13.3)
• 10 CONTINUE
• C
• RETURN
• END
 Centrifugal Compressors
• The Diffuser:
• In the case of gas turbine, the air should exit the
diffuser and enters the combustion chamber at
minimum velocity.

• Thus, design of diffuser requires that only a small

part of strengthening temperature is K.E. normally
u=90m/s at exit of the compressor.

• rapid divergence is not recommended

• optimum angle is 7.0.

• Neglecting losses, thus, angular momentum r

C=constant
• Cr: radial velocity will also decrease.
 Centrifugal Compressors
Example 4.2
Consider the design of a diffuser for the compressor
dealt with in the previous example. The following
additional data will be assumed:
Radial width of vaneless space wd = 5 cm
Approximate mean radius of diffuser throat, rm =0.033m
Depth of diffuser passages dd 1.76
Number of diffuser vanes nv 12
Required are (a) the inlet angle of the diffuser vanes and
(b) the throat width of the diffuser passages which are
assumed to be of constant depth
(a)Consider conditions at the radius of the diffuser
vane leading edges, at r2=0.25+0.05=0.3m. Since
in the vaneless space r Cw =constant for constant
angular momentum,
 Centrifugal Compressors
0.25
C w2  410   342m / s
0.30

The radial component of velocity can be found by trial

and error. The iteration may be started by assuming
that the temperature equivalent of the resultant
velocity is that corresponding to the whirl velocity, but
only the final trial is given here.
2 2 2
C2 Cw  Cr2
Try Cr2  97 m/s, thus, 
2c p 2c p
 Centrifugal Compressors
• Ignoring any additional loss between the impeller tip
and diffuser vane leading edges at 0.3m radius, the
stagnation pressure will be that calculated for the
impeller tip, namely it will be that given by

Po 2 / Po1  (1.582) 3.5

2
C2
T2  To2  , T2  488  62.9  425.1K
2c p
3.5 3.5
p 2  425.1  p2  425.1 
  ,  1.582    3.07
po2  488  po1  488 
3.38  100
p 2  3.07  1.1  3.38bar,  2   2.77kg / m 3
0.287  425.1
 Centrifugal Compressors
• Area of cross-section of flow in
radial

2 *  * 0.3 * 0.0176
• Check on Cr2:
 0.0332m 2
• Cr2=Taking Cr as 97.9 m/s, the
angle of the diffuser vane
leading edge for zero incidence
should be

 2  tan 1 (Cr 2 / Cw2 )  tan 1 (97.9 / 342)  16o

 Centrifugal Compressors
• the throat width of the diffuser channels may
be found by a similar calculation for the flow at
the assumed throat radius of 0.33m.
0.25
Cw2  410   311m / s
0.33
Try Cr2= 83 m/s
2
C2 3.112  0.83 2
  51.5 K , T2  488  51.5  436.5 K
2c p 0.201
3.5
p2  436.5 
 1.582    3.37, p 2  3.37  1.1  3.71bar
p o1  488 
3.71  100
2   2.96kg / m 3
0.287  436.5
 Centrifugal Compressors
• Area in radial direction=A (radial) = 2Db =0.0365

Get C r2

m9
(check ) C r2   C r2  83.3
Aradi  2

-1
C r2 0
 ( direction of flow)  tan ( )  15
C 2
Ath  Ar sin   0.0945 m 2
Ath  n * b ( width of throat )
 width  4.4cm
 Centrifugal Compressors
 Compressibility Effects
• At the impeller inlet,( eye of the impeller), the relative
velocity is high and could be very close to sound values.

M 1  V1t / RT1  308/338  0.91.

No problem at sea level conditions, however at
high altitude ( aircraft engine), speed of sound
decreases and we might have supersonic flow.

For example at 11000 m, T=217 K

M 1  V1t / RT  1.06  1.0 supersonic

 Centrifugal Compressors
• we try to avoid this by having guide vanes and it is better
to be variable in the case of change of conditions, such
as altitude.
• By trial and error, the value of Ca can be determined
from Ca and , C1t 9and C1t can be determined. Then
value V1t9can be determined which is smaller.=239 m/s.

239
M   0.82
RT

For this design, the flow is subsonic at

altitude. C a  150m / s
Trying 1
 Centrifugal Compressors
• For 30 pre whirl
• C1=150/cos30=173.2

2
C1
T1  T0   280.1, p1  0.918bar ,   1.14kg / m
2c p

9
check on, C a1   149
1.148 * 0.053
vel.C1  149 tan 30  86m / s

149 2  273  56

2
v1t   239
239
M   0.7
1.4  0.287 * 280 *1020
 Centrifugal Compressors
• In spite of the advantage, it has a disadvantage of
reducing the pressure ratio of compressor.

Po3 
 1   c To13 / T1 
 1 , where
Po1

T013   u 2  C1 u c / c p 
u c  u average  (u1h  u1t ) / 2

C a1 has value which will lead to reduction of T013

and hence reduction in pressure ratio.
 Centrifugal Compressors
p o3
In this example  4.23( without guide vanes)
p o1

p o3
 3.79 with guide vanes
p o1

for details see text book

 Centrifugal Compressors
• Vaneless diffusers:
• For vaneless diffuser, no problem, it can handle
supersonic flow while vaned diffuser can’t.
• At the exit of the vaneless diffuser, C3=355, M2=0.56<1.0,
which is subsonic and is ok for vaned diffuser.
• Advantages of vane less diffuser:
– Mach number M2 could be supersonic without
– Vaneless space will eliminate any non-uniformity of the
flow coming out of the impeller ( jets and wakes).
– This is good to avoid any problem in exciting the
vanes.
– As a normal practice, no. of vanes in the diffuser is less
than impeller blades.
• N (vanes)<N (impeller)
 Centrifugal Compressors
• Non-dimensional quantities for compressor
characteristics:
• D=diameter, N=rpm, m=mass flow rate
• po1=inlet pressure, po2=exit pressure
• T01=inlet temperature, To2=exit temperature
• N=no. of variables
• M=basic dimensions
• there are 7 variables, 3basic dimensions (M,L,T)
• and  terms 7-3=4.

m RTo1 ND
Po 2 / Po1 , To 2 / To1 , 2
,
D Po1 RTo1
m To1 N
For same compressor ,
Po1 To1
 Centrifugal Compressors
 Stall
• Defined as the (aerodynamic stall) or the break-
away of the flow from the suction side of the blades.
• A multi-staged compressor may operate safely with
one or more stages stalled and the rest of the
stages unstalled . but performance is not optimum.
Due to higher losses when the stall is formed.
 Surge
• Is a special fluctuation of mass flow rate in and out
of the engine. No running under this condition.
• Surge is associated with a sudden drop in delivery
pressure and with violent aerodynamic pulsation
which is transmitted throughout the whole machine.
Centrifugal Compressors
Centrifugal Compressors