Centrifugal Compressor Housing Split Design for Machining Undercuts
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing housings for centrifugal compressors are difficult to produce in one piece due to undercut parts, leading to high production costs and potential vulnerabilities from complex welds, which are costly and require post-treatment.
Innovation Solution
The housing is divided into a three-dimensionally shaped base and a separate disk-shaped diffuser wall part, allowing for milling and attachment via shrink-fitting, reducing complexity and cost while maintaining a strong, fluid-tight connection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the housing is produced by machining in one piece, then the housing is light-weight and economical for smaller series, but undercut parts cannot be reached by the milling tool making it impossible to mill in one piece
Solution Approach 1:
The housing is divided into multiple components: a base component with the complex three-dimensional shape and undercut parts, and separate diffuser wall components that are attached to the base. This segmentation allows the base to be milled without interference from the diffuser walls, while the diffuser walls can be produced separately and attached afterward, resolving the contradiction between manufacturing simplicity and complex shape.
2Shape
If the housing is assembled from multiple complex shaped components, then the undercut parts can be manufactured, but high production cost and vulnerable welds result
Solution Approach 1:
The housing is segmented into a base component and diffuser wall components that are joined through attachment rather than welding. This reduces production cost by eliminating expensive welding operations and post-treatment, while still achieving the necessary complex shapes through the segmented design.
Solution Approach 2:
The diffuser wall components are extracted as separate elements from the monolithic housing design. By taking out the diffuser walls and making them separate attachable components, the patent eliminates the need for welding these complex parts to the base, thereby reducing production cost and eliminating vulnerable welds.
3Shape
If the housing is assembled from multiple components, then the complex shape can be achieved, but welds need to be post-treated to make them smooth and sealant is needed
Solution Approach 1:
The diffuser wall components are extracted as separate elements that are attached to the base component. This extraction eliminates the need for welding and subsequent post-treatment operations, as the attachment method produces smooth, seal-ready surfaces directly.
Solution Approach 2:
The attachment surfaces are designed with specific local qualities (smooth, precise geometry) that eliminate the need for post-treatment. The local quality of the attachment interface is optimized to provide both structural integrity and smooth fluid flow paths without requiring additional processing or sealants.
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 method enables economical production of lightweight centrifugal compressors suitable for small series, with reduced weight and lower production costs compared to traditional methods, and eliminates the need for post-treatment of welds.
Implementation Method 1
The separate diffuser wall part is disk-shaped and comprises a diffuser side and a collector side opposite of the diffuser side and is attached to the three-dimensionally shaped base
Data Source
AI summary
A housing 1 for a centrifugal compressor 40 with a centrifugal impeller 42 has a front cover 2. The front cover 2 defines a central axis 6 and has an axially oriented inlet 8, a diffuser 10 in fluid connection with the inlet 8, a collector 12 in fluid connection with the diffuser 10, and a rear cover opening which is opposite of the inlet 8 and designed to sealingly receive a rear cover 4. The diffuser has a first diffuser wall 30 and the collector has a collector wall 15. The front cover 2 is made of a three-dimensionally shaped base 22 and a separate disk-shaped diffuser wall part 24 which is attached to the three-dimensionally shaped base 22 for forming the diffuser 10 and the collector 12.