Centrifugal

compressors
Axial flow
compressors
Parts of a centrifugal compressor

ESSENTIAL PARTS OF A CENTRIFUGAL COMPRESSOR

(i) The inlet casing with converging nozzle, whose

function is to accelerate the fluid to the impeller inlet.
(ii) The impeller, in which the energy transfer takes
place, resulting in a rise of fluid kinetic energy and static
pressure.
(iii) The diffuser, whose function is to transform the high
kinetic energy of the fluid at the impeller outlet into
static pressure.
(iv) The outlet casing, which comprises a fluid collector
known as a volute or scroll.
(i) The impeller vanes, help to transfer the
energy from the impeller to the fluid.

(ii) The hub, which is surface AB. [Fig. 8.2(a)]

(iii) The shroud, which is surface CD [Fig.

8.2(a)]. Impellers enclosed
on the surface CD are known as shrouded
impellers, but the surface
CD is referred to as the shroud in
descriptions of impeller geometry
whether the impeller is enclosed or not.

(iv) The inducer, the section EF in impellers

of the form shown in Fig. 8.2(b)
whose function is to increase the angular
momentum of the fluid without
increasing its radius of rotation.
BLADE SHAPES AND VELOCITY TRIANGLES
 u2
vw2
u2 H G
U2= vw2 vw2
F F G H G
F H
β2 β2 β2
v2 vr2 vf2 vr2 =vf2 vf2
v2 v2 vr2
v2 v2 v2

E E E
 u2
vw2
u2 H G
U2= vw2 vw2
F F G H G
F H
β2 β2 β2
v2 vr2 vf2 vr2 =vf2 vf2
v2 v2 vr2
v2 v2 v2

E E E

B B B
v1 vf1 vr1
v2 v1 v2 v1 vf1 v v2
vr1 v r1 β1
α1 f1
α1 β1 α1
β1
A A A C D
u1 D C u1 DC u1
vw1 vw1 vw1
 α2 α2 α2

α1
α1

α
The air angle ( 1) at the exit of the IGVs is
such that it gives the direction of the relative velocity vector (w1) as axial,
i.e., β1 = 90◦.
 vw2
u2 H G
F
β2
v2 vr2 vf2
v2

B
v2 v1
vr1 v
f1
α1 β1
A
u1 D C
vw1
 IDEAL ENERGY TRANSFER

E = μu2

for a radial vaned impeller

(i) Losses due to friction are negligible.

(ii) Energy loss or gain due to heat transfer to or from the gas is considered
very small.
(iii) The gas leaves the impeller with a tangential velocity equal to the
impeller velocity (i.e., ct2 = u2), no slip condition is assumed.
(iv) The air enters the rotor directly from the atmosphere without any
tangential component, i.e., ct1 = 0.
Applying these assumptions the Euler’s energy equation (Eq. 8.1) under
ideal conditions becomes
E = u2 2 (8.2)
It should be noted that because of the phenomenon of the slip
the actual energy transfer is given by
 Axial flow
compressors
 AXIAL FLOW
COMPRESSORS
nowadays, majority of the gas turbines power
plants and aircraft applications are the axial
flow compressors

in olden days, the turboprop engines

use centrifugal compressors,

the recent trend, particularly for

high-speed and long-range applications, is towards the
axial flow type.
The basic requirements of
compressors for aircraft gas-turbine

(i) high air-flow capacity per unit frontal area,

(ii) high pressure ratio per stage,
(iii) high efficiency, and
(iv) discharge direction suitable for multistaging
 The basic requirements of compressors for aircraft gas-
turbine

rapid engine acceleration

wide range of flight conditions,

a high level of aerodynamic performance

wide range of mass flow rates and speeds.

The Compressor should be minimum length and also its weight must
be as low as possible.
The mechanical design should be simple to reduce manufacturing time and cost.

Further, the resulting structure should be mechanically rugged and must have high
reliability
One of the earliest experimental axial flow
compressors (1884) was obtained by C. A.
Parsons by running a multistage reaction-type
turbine in reverse.
Efficiencies for this type of unit were quite low.

It was mainly because the blading was not designed for

the condition of a pressure rise in the direction of flow.

The efficiency of these units was very low below 50

Further, development of the axial flow compressor was

retarded by the lack of sufficient knowledge of fluid
mechanics at that time.
The advances in aviation during the period of World War I and
the rapidly developing background in fluid mechanics and
aerodynamics gave new impetus to research on compressors.

The performance of axial flow compressors was considerably

improved by the use of isolated-airfoil theory.

As long as moderate pressure ratios per stage were desired,

isolated-airfoil theory was quite capable of producing
compressors with reasonably high efficiency.

Compressors of this class were used in machinery as ventilating

fans, air conditioning units, and steam generator fans.
1930’s,
interest in the axial flow compressor was greatly
increased as the result of the quest for air superiority.

Efficient superchargers were necessary for reciprocating

engines in order to increase engine power output as
well as improved high-altitude aircraft performance.

With the development of efficient compressor and

turbine components, turbojet engines for aircraft also
began receiving attention.
In 1936 the Royal Aircraft Establishment in
England began the development of axial flow
compressor for jet propulsion.

In Germany, concentrated research work

ultimately resulted in the use of axial flow
compressors in the Jumo 004 and the B.M.W.
003 turbojet engines.

In the development of all these units,

increased stage pressure ratios
were sought by utilizing high blade cambers
and closer blade spacings.

B.M.W. 003 turbojet engine

Under these conditions the flow patterns about the blades began to affect each other, and it
became apparent that the isolated-airfoil approach was inadequate.

Aerodynamic theory was therefore, developed specifically for

the case of a lattice or cascade of airfoils.

In addition to theoretical studies, systematic experimental investigations of the performance

of airfoils in cascade were conducted to provide the required design information.

By 1945, compressors of high efficiency could be developed by incorporating aerodynamic

principles in design and development.

Since that time, considerable research has been directed at extending aerodynamic limits in
an attempt to maximize compressor and gas-turbine performance.

One of the major developments in this direction has been the successful extension of
allowable relative inlet Mach numbers without sacrificing efficiency.

The subject of allowable blade loading, or blade surface diffusion, has also been attacked
with a degree of success. Accompanying improvements led to an
GEOMETRY AND WORKING PRINCIPLE

The rotor and stator banks must be as close as possible for smooth and efficient flow. The radius of the rotor hub
and the length of the blades are designed so that there is only a very small tip clearance at the end of the stator
and rotor blades.

One set of stator blades and one set of rotor blades constitute a stage.
Steam Turbine
(A) Drum Type: In this type,
blades are mounted on a
cylindrical drum in rows. They
are supported by bearings.
Bearings are machine member
that supports the rotational
motion. The torque generated
is transmitted through the
drum wall.

(B) Disk Type: In this type,

specially profiled disks are
connected to the shaft. The
blades are mounted on the
circumference of these shafts.
Here, the torque generated is
transmitted by the shaft.
 Usually at entry one more stator is provided to guide the air correctly into the first rotor.
These blades are sometimes referred to as the Inlet Guide Vanes (IGV).

The details are shown in Fig.9.2. In many compressors there are one to three rows of
diffuser or straightener blades installed after the last stage to straighten and slow down the
air before it enters into the combustion chamber.

air or gas with an absolute velocity c1 and angle α1 (from the axial direction) from the
previous stage. In the case of the first stage in a multistage machine the axial direction of
the approaching flow is changed to the desired direction (α1) by providing a row of blades
upstream of the rotor which are called inlet guide vanes (IGV) or upstream guide vanes
(UGV). Therefore, the first stage experiences additional losses arising from flow through
the guide vanes.
The velocity triangles for a compressor stage contain, besides the peripheral
velocity (u) of the rotor blades both the absolute (c) and relative
(w) fluid velocity vectors. These velocities are related by the following
well-known vector equation:
c = u + w (9.1)
where c is absolute velocity vector, u is peripheral velocity vector and w is

relative velocity vector. This simple relation is frequently used and is very
useful in drawing the velocity triangles for turbomachines.

a general stage which receives air or gas with an absolute velocity c 1

and angle α (from the axial direction) from the previous stage.
1
In the case of the first stage in a multistage machine the axial direction of the
approaching flow is changed to the desired direction (α1) by providing a row of blades
upstream of the rotor which are called inlet guide vanes (IGV) or upstream guide vanes
(UGV).

Therefore, the first stage experiences additional losses arising from flow through the
guide vanes.
ENTHALPY–ENTROPY DIAGRAM

From Fig.9.3 it can be seen that air enters the rotor blades with
lower
absolute velocity (c1) but with large relative velocity (w1) whereas
it leaves
the rotor with large c2 and lower w2. However, when it comes out
of the
work done factor Ω
The stage work absorbing capacity is less than that given by Euler’s equation based on a
constant value of the axial velocity along the blade height.
This reduction in the work absorbing capacity of the stage is taken into account by a factor
known as “workdone factor”.

This varies from 0.98 to 0.85 depending on the number of stages.

The work done factor accounts for the effect of boundary layer and tip clearance.

It is an empirical factor which reduces the capacity of compressor. It is denoted by Ω. It takes

into account the axial velocity distribution also which is otherwise assumed constant. Therefore,
the workdone on air becomes
i)Number
of stages

ii)Number
of stages