Centrifugal Compressor Diffuser With Curved Camber Vanes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Centrifugal compressors in gas turbine engines face challenges in efficiently decelerating high-velocity air while maintaining radial space efficiency, leading to potential flow instability and stalling issues.
Innovation Solution
A diffuser design featuring diverging plates and backswept vanes that create a curved camber line, reducing radial space while maintaining performance by aligning airflow with vanes and reducing radial velocity, thereby stabilizing the flow and minimizing stalling risks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of moving object
If conventional diffuser design is used, then radial space efficiency deteriorates, but diffuser area ratio is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies curvature by implementing a curved camber line that extends between the leading edge and trailing edge of the vanes. This curved geometry allows the diffuser to achieve a higher area ratio within a compact radial envelope, resolving the contradiction between maximizing diffuser area and minimizing radial space requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from conventional straight or simple curved vane designs to a three-dimensional curved camber line configuration. This dimensional change in the vane geometry enables more effective flow turning and pressure recovery within the same radial space, increasing the diffuser area ratio without proportionally increasing radial envelope.
2Volume of moving object
If radial space is reduced, then flow stability deteriorates, leading to stalling issues
Solution Approach 1:
The curved camber line design creates a more gradual and controlled flow turning path compared to straight vane configurations. This curvature distributes the flow turning more evenly along the vane length, reducing flow separation and maintaining stable flow attachment even in a reduced radial envelope, thereby preventing stalling.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the geometric parameters of the vane configuration by implementing a specific curved camber line profile. This parameter change optimizes the flow turning angle distribution and pressure gradient along the diffuser passage, maintaining flow stability and preventing separation while operating within a compact radial envelope.
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
The diffuser design enhances the diffuser area ratio within the same radial space, reduces radial envelope, and maintains efficiency, making it suitable for applications requiring weight reduction and cost-effectiveness.
Implementation Method 1
The diffuser is located radially outward of the exit of the impeller to decelerate the air delivered from the impeller smoothly to recover static pressure
Implementation Method 2
The plurality of vanes may be backswept such that the camber line of each of the first vane and the second vane is curved
Data Source
AI summary
A compressor includes an impeller and a diffuser. The impeller is mounted for rotation about an axis of the gas turbine engine. The diffuser is coupled to the impeller to receive the high velocity air from the impeller. The diffuser includes a first plate, a second plate spaced apart from the first plate axially, and a plurality of vanes located between the first and second plates.