Radial Compressor Rear Blading for Axial Force Reduction and Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing radial compressors face challenges in reducing axial forces and efficiently managing cooling within the compressor housing, particularly when used in high-speed applications like fuel cell systems.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a radial compressor with an impeller wheel featuring blades on the front side for mass flow conveyance and blading on the rear side for generating a secondary pressure distribution that counteracts the primary pressure distribution, thereby reducing axial forces. Additionally, the blading on the rear side is utilized to convey a cooling air mass flow, which can be used to cool the compressor and its bearings.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If blading is added to the wheel rear side to reduce axial force, then axial force is reduced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The blading on the wheel rear side serves dual functions: it generates a counteracting pressure distribution to reduce axial force on the bearings, and simultaneously conveys cooling air through the compressor housing to cool the bearings and motor. This multi-functionality resolves the contradiction by making the added structural element serve multiple purposes rather than being a single-purpose addition.
2Productivity
If the radial compressor is operated at extremely high speeds to improve productivity, then productivity increases, but temperature increases causing overheating
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling air conveyance through the wheel rear blading operates continuously during compressor operation, providing ongoing cooling to counteract the heat generated by high-speed operation. This continuous cooling action enables sustained high-speed operation without overheating, resolving the contradiction between productivity and temperature control.
3Reliability
If separate cooling systems are implemented for bearing cooling, then cooling effectiveness improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling air conveyance function is merged with the existing wheel rear blading structure that is already present for axial force reduction. The same blading that counteracts axial force simultaneously acts as a cooling air conveyor, eliminating the need for separate cooling system components and reducing overall device complexity while maintaining cooling effectiveness.
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 design effectively reduces axial forces and provides an efficient cooling mechanism for the radial compressor, particularly beneficial in high-speed applications like fuel cell systems, where the cooling air can be directly utilized to cool the bearings and other components.
Implementation Method 1
the wheel rear side of the impeller wheel has a blading by means of which a second pressure distribution is generated on the wheel rear side of the impeller wheel during operation of the radial compressor, which second pressure distribution counteracts a first pressure distribution on the wheel front side in order to reduce an axial force
Implementation Method 2
the compressor housing is designed and is combined with the blading on the wheel rear side of the impeller wheel such that, during operation of the radial compressor, a cooling air mass flow is conveyed by means of the blading on the wheel rear side of the impeller wheel
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a radial compressor (1) comprising at least one impeller wheel (3), which is driven rotatably in a compressor housing (2) and has a wheel front side (5) and a wheel rear side (6), the wheel front side (5) being intended to convey a mass flow (13) by means of a number of blades (7), the wheel rear side (6) of the impeller wheel (3) having a blading (8) by means of which a second pressure distribution (12) is generated on the wheel rear side (6) of the impeller wheel (3) during operation of the radial compressor (1), which second pressure distribution counteracts a first pressure distribution (11) on the wheel front side (5) in order to reduce an axial force that is to be braced in the compressor housing (2).In order to functionally improve the radial compressor (1), in particular in respect of a use as air supply device in a fuel cell system, the compressor housing (2) is designed and is combined with the blading (8) on the wheel rear side (6) of the impeller wheel (3) such that, during operation of the radial compressor (1), a cooling air mass flow (14) is conveyed by means of the blading (8) on the wheel rear side (6) of the impeller wheel (3) in addition to the mass flow conveyed by means of the blades (7) on the wheel front side (5).