Centrifugal Compressor Impeller Constant Blade Angle Tip

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Solution Overview

Problem

Centrifugal compressor impellers require further efficiency improvements.

Innovation Solution

A centrifugal compressor impeller design featuring a constant blade angle region at the tip of the blades, where the blade angles are constant from the inlet to a normalized meridional distance of 0.05 m/m2 to 0.40 m/m2, suppressing the impulse wave and boundary layer separation, thereby enhancing fluid acceleration and reducing energy losses.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of energy

If the blade angle is continuously increased from inlet to outlet, then the compression efficiency is improved, but the impulse wave and boundary layer separation increase causing energy losses

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveenergy lossesVSAvoidcompression efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of energyVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The blade tip is divided into two distinct regions with different geometric characteristics: a constant blade angle region near the inlet and an increasing blade angle region toward the outlet. This local differentiation allows the inlet region to suppress impulse waves and boundary layer separation while the outlet region maintains compression efficiency, resolving the contradiction between reducing energy losses and improving productivity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Productivity

If the blade angle is continuously increased from inlet to outlet, then the compression efficiency is improved, but the flow rate management deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecompression efficiencyVSAvoidflow rate

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSSpeed

Solution Approach 1:

By maintaining a constant blade angle in the inlet region, the design ensures stable flow characteristics and proper flow rate management. The increasing blade angle region toward the outlet then optimizes compression efficiency. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction between improving compression efficiency and maintaining flow rate management

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

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 design improves efficiency by reducing the impulse wave and suppressing boundary layer separation, leading to enhanced compression performance and flow rate management.

Implementation Method 1

suppressing the impulse wave and boundary layer separation

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectImpulse wave: Shock Wave

Implementation Method 2

suppressing the impulse wave and boundary layer separation

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectBoundary layer separation: Boundary Layer

Data Source

PatentEP3421810B1Centrifugal compressor impeller

Publication Date: 2024.08.28 IHI CORP

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AI summary

Provided is a centrifugal compressor impeller that includes blades extending from an inlet to an outlet for a fluid. Each of the blades of the impeller includes, when a distribution of blade angles of a tip is viewed in a direction in which the tip extends from a tip inlet to a tip outlet for the tip, a constant blade angle region in which the blade angles are constant. A start point on the inlet side of the constant blade angle region is set at a position spaced apart from the tip inlet.