Centrifugal Compressors

Classes and comparisons between compressors

Function

Centrifugal

Axial

Engine type

Small engine

Large engine

Mass flow rate

< 15 kg/s

Very large (> 100 kg/s)

Efficiency

Low 86-87 %

High 94 %

# of stages

small

large

Pressure ratio per stage

High (5-7)

Low (<1.5)

Pressure loss

High for more than

one stage

Low, thus allow using

many stages

Fixing and
manufacturing

easy

Not easy

Cost

Cheap, wider
operating range

Very expensive

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.
tangential or whirl component
radial component.

C2

C w2

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)

Considering unit
mass of air:
momentum
equation

T torque C w 2 r2 C w1 r1 ;
Work T C w 2 r2 - 0.0
(for ideal case of no guide vanes)
Utilizing slip factor , thus,
Work U 2

Defining a power input factor,

(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 ) (T0 2 To1 )

Centrifugal Compressors
Defining c as overall isentropic efficiency, then
overall stagnation pressure ratio is given by :
To3 To1
'

To3 To1

To
3'
Po1 To1

Po3

'

1
1
To1 c (To3 To1 )

o1

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 workcapacity in compressor

: a factor limiting workcapacity 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

To3 To1

U 2
cp

1.04 0.9 455.5 2

193K
3
1.005 10

p o3
p o1

c (To3 To1 ) 1 0.78 193 3.5

1
4.23
1
To1
295

Centrifugal Compressors
Power required=

m c p (To3 To1 ) 9 1.005 193 1746 kW

(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,

u1t r1t 273 m / s

Assume axial flow
two unknown (,c) in one

2
2

C
A

C
d

d
equation but another relation
1 1 1
1 1
1t
1h
4
is given by

P1
C1
1
and To1 T1
RT1
2c p
Assume 1 and get C1

then

c1
then get T1 To1
2c p

p1 T1 1

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,

A1

(0.3 2 0.15 2 )
4

0.053 m 2

Based on stagnation conditions:

1 o
1

po1
RTo1

1.1 100
1.30kg / m 3
0.287 295

Centrifugal Compressors
m
9
C1 C a1

131 m /
1 A1 1.30 0.053
Since C1 C a1

, the equivalent dynamic temperature is

C1
1312
1.312

8 .5 K
3
2c p
0.201
2 1.005 10
2

T1 To1
p1

C
1 295 8.5 286.5 K
2c p
p o1

(To1 / T1 ) 1

1.1

295 / 286.5

3.5

0.992

p1
0.992 100

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
1452
1.45 2

10.5K
3
2c p 2 1.005 10
0.201

Centrifugal Compressors
2

C
T1 To1 1 295 10.5 284.5 K
2c p
p1

p o1

(To1 / T1 )

1 .1

295 / 284.5

3. 5

0.968

p1
0.968 100
1

1.185kg / m 3
RT1 0.287 284.5
checkCa1 :
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, Ue , 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
(c) the shape of the impeller channel between eye and
tip 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
C2
2

Cr2 2 Cw 2 2
2c p

1.43 4.1

93.8 K
0.201
2

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
p o2
p o1

0.89 193
1

295

3.5

1.5823.5

p o2
p o1

imp (To3 To1 1

1

To1

To calculate density at exit

Centrifugal Compressors
2

C2

2c p

C r C 2
2

2c p

C 2 u
C r2 C a1 , assume
2

C2
thusT2 To2
T2
2c p
togetP2

p o2
po1

'
To ' 1
To2 To1
2

& c
P2
To
T

T
o
o1
1
2

thus get 2.

Centrifugal Compressors

/ po2 T2 / To2

3.5

but To2 To3 193 295 488K

C2
T2 To2
488 93.8 394.2 K , therefore,
2c p
p 2 T2

p o2 To2

394.2

488

3.5

sin ce

p 2 p o2
p2

(
)
p o p o
p o2
2 1

, get p 2 as

p o1

p2
p2
394.2

p 2 p o1
1.532

p o1
p o1
488

3.5

but p o1 1.1, p 2 2.35 1.1 2.58bar

p2
2.58 100

2.28kg / m 3
RT2
0.287 394.2

2.35

Centrifugal Compressors
The required area of cross-section of flow in the
radial direction at the impeller tip is
A

m
9

0.0276 m 2
2 Cr2 2.28 143

A
0.0276

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
C
C
C

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

C
C
C
C

OPEN(6,FILE='C:\Dif\GRIDG.OUT
OPEN(5,FILE='C:\dif\GRIDG.DAT
OPEN(6,FILE='D:\Dif\GRIDG.OUT
OPEN(5,FILE='D:\dif\GRIDG.DAT )'

)'
)'
)'

Computational Design of a Centrifugal Compressor

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

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
C w2

0.25
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 .

Cw Cr2
C2
Try Cr2 97 m/s, thus,

2c p
2c p
2

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

C
T2 To2 2 , T2 488 62.9 425.1K
2c p
3.5

p 2 425.1
p2
425.1

1
.
582

p o2 488
p o1
488
p 2 3.07 1.1 3.38bar, 2

3.5

3.07

3.38 100
2.77kg / m 3
0.287 425.1

Centrifugal Compressors
Area of cross-section of flow
in radial
Check on Cr2:

2 * * 0.3 * 0.0176
0.0332 m 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 / Cw 2 ) tan 1 (97 .9 / 342 ) 16 o

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

C2
3.112 0.832

51.5 K , T2 488 51.5 436.5 K

2c p
0.201
2

p2
436.5
1.582

p o1
488

3.5

3.37, p 2 3.37 1.1 3.71bar

3.71 100
2
2.96kg / m 3
0.287 436.5

Centrifugal Compressors
Area in radial direction=A (radial) = 2Db =0.0365

Get

C r2

m9
(check ) C r2
C r2 83 .3
Aradi 2

( direction of flow) tan

-1

Ath Ar sin 0.0945 m 2

Cr2
C 2

Ath n * b ( width of throat)

width 4.4cm

) 15

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.

M1 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

M1 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 C1t can be determined. Then
value V1t9can be determined which is smaller.=239 m/s.

239

RT

0.82

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

T1 T0

C1

2c p

280.1, p1 0.918bar, 1.14kg / m

9
check on, C a1
149
1.148 * 0.053
vel.C1 149 tan 30 86m / s
v1t

149 2 273 56

239

239
1.4 0.287 * 280 *1020

0.7

Centrifugal Compressors
In spite of the advantage, it has a disadvantage of
reducing the pressure ratio of compressor.

Po3
Po1

1 c To13 / T1 1 , where

T013 u 2 C1 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 pressureratio.

Centrifugal Compressors

In this example

po3

po3
po1

po1

4.23( without guide vanes)

3.79with guide vanes

for details see

text book

Centrifugal Compressors
Vaneless diffusers:
For vaneless diffuser, no problem, it can handle
supersonic flow while vaned diffuser cant.
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
For same compressor

m To1 N
,
Po1
To1

Centrifugal Compressors
Stall
Defined as the (aerodynamic stall) or the breakaway 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