Centrifugal Compressor Guide Vane Swirl Flow Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional centrifugal compressors face challenges with narrow stable operation ranges due to high intake-air resistance and noise generation caused by center nose cones and open recirculation flow paths, which reduce choke flow rates and surge margins.
Innovation Solution
The design eliminates the center nose cone by positioning guide vanes directly on the housing inner circumferential side and uses a closed recirculation flow path with adjustable length to improve surge margins and reduce noise, enhancing the compressor's operation range without decreasing choke flow rates.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If guide vanes are provided with a center nose cone to generate swirl flow, then surge margin is improved, but intake-air resistance increases and choke flow rate decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention removes the center nose cone from the guide vane assembly, extracting the harmful element that caused increased intake-air resistance and reduced choke flow rate while maintaining the beneficial swirl flow generation function of the guide vanes
Solution Approach 2:
The guide vanes are positioned to extend from the housing inner circumferential side toward the center, utilizing the radial dimension more effectively to generate swirl flow without requiring a central obstruction, thereby improving airflow characteristics while maintaining choke flow rate
2Ease of manufacture
If an open recirculation flow path is used, then manufacturing is simplified, but noise generation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention converts the harmful open structure into a beneficial closed structure by forming the recirculation flow path between the housing and diffuser, transforming potential noise generation into a quiet, enclosed flow path while maintaining manufacturing simplicity through the use of existing housing and diffuser surfaces
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration improves surge margins and increases the compressor's operation range while minimizing noise and maintaining high choke flow rates, offering a more efficient and quieter operation compared to conventional designs.
Implementation Method 1
a swirl-flow generating unit disposed between the intake-air inlet and the impeller wheel inside the housing and configured to swirl the intake gas which flows in from the intake-air inlet
Implementation Method 2
an impeller wheel disposed inside the housing rotatably around the rotational axis, and configured to compress intake gas which flows in from the intake-air inlet
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4~5
AI summary
An object is to position a plurality of guide vanes for generating swirl flow at a housing inner circumferential side in front of an impeller wheel to improve a surge margin and to restrict the decrease in a choke flow rate, thereby increasing an operation range of a compressor. A compressor 19 includes a compressor housing 15, an impeller wheel 7 which compresses intake gas flowing in from an intake-air inlet 23, a swirl-flow generating part including a plurality of guide vanes 55 disposed circumferentially along an inner circumferential wall of the intake-air channel 21 between the intake-air inlet 23 and the impeller wheel 7 and which swirls the intake gas from the intake-air inlet 23 around the rotational axis, and a central intake-air flow path 59 formed inside the guide vanes 55 to allow intake gas to flow to the impeller wheel 7 without passing through the guide vanes 55.