Supersonic Compressor with Diffuser Ramps for High Compression
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional compact compressors face challenges in achieving high compression ratios while maintaining a compact structure, often resulting in increased component count and decreased efficiency, which limits their commercial viability.
Innovation Solution
A supersonic compressor system featuring a centrifugal impeller and static diffuser with supersonic ramps, which imparts energy to the process fluid and generates shock waves to increase pressure energy, achieving higher compression ratios in a compact arrangement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stress or pressure
If the number of compression stages is increased to achieve higher compression ratios, then the compression ratio is improved, but the overall number of components and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The single compression stage is segmented into multiple diffuser vanes with supersonic ramps, where each vane creates a shock wave to progressively compress the fluid. This achieves high compression ratio without requiring multiple complete compression stages, thereby reducing overall device complexity while maintaining the desired pressure increase.
Solution Approach 2:
The diffuser vanes are designed with specific supersonic ramp angles and geometries to optimize shock wave generation and compression efficiency. By carefully controlling the ramp parameters (angles, lengths, positions), the system achieves high compression ratios in a single stage without increasing component count.
2Stress or pressure
If the number of compression stages is increased to achieve higher compression ratios, then the compression ratio is improved, but the length requirements for the rotary shaft and distance between bearings increase
Solution Approach 1:
The compression function is segmented across multiple diffuser vanes rather than requiring multiple sequential compression stages. This allows the entire compression process to occur within a single rotor assembly, keeping the rotary shaft and bearing distances compact while achieving high compression ratios through the cumulative effect of multiple shock waves.
Solution Approach 2:
Compression is achieved through three-dimensional shock wave interactions within the diffuser passages rather than through extended axial compression stages. The supersonic ramps create oblique and normal shock waves that compress the fluid in a radial and axial combination, reducing the required shaft length.
3Stress or pressure
If supersonic ramps are added to diffuser vanes to generate shock waves, then pressure energy is increased, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The supersonic ramps are merged directly into the diffuser vane structures, combining the diffusion function with the shock wave generation function in a single integrated component. This eliminates the need for separate shock wave generation devices, thereby increasing pressure energy without proportionally increasing device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The diffuser vanes serve multiple functions: they guide the fluid flow, convert kinetic energy to pressure energy through diffusion, and generate shock waves through their supersonic ramps. This multi-functionality achieves high pressure energy output without adding dedicated components for each function, thus limiting the increase in device complexity.
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 system achieves increased compression ratios of at least 10:1 with improved efficiency, maintaining a compact design and enhancing commercial viability by effectively compressing process fluids through supersonic velocity and pressure energy conversion.
Implementation Method 1
a centrifugal impeller mounted about the rotary shaft and fluidly coupled to the axial inlet. The centrifugal impeller may have a periphery and may be configured to impart energy to the process fluid received via the axial inlet and discharge the process fluid from the periphery in at least a partially radial direction
Implementation Method 2
At least one of the diffuser vanes of the plurality of diffuser vanes may include a supersonic ramp formed at an end of the at least one diffuser vane proximate the periphery of the centrifugal impeller. The supersonic ramp may be configured to generate a shock wave from the process fluid
Implementation Method 3
a static diffuser circumferentially disposed about the periphery of the centrifugal impeller and configured to receive the process fluid from the centrifugal impeller and convert the energy imparted
Data Source
AI summary
A supersonic compressor provided may include an axial inlet and a centrifugal impeller fluidly coupled to the axial inlet. The centrifugal impeller may have a periphery and may be configured to impart energy to process fluid received via the axial inlet and discharge the process fluid from the periphery in at least a partially radial direction. The supersonic compressor may further include a static diffuser circumferentially disposed about the periphery of the centrifugal impeller and configured to receive the process fluid from the centrifugal impeller and convert the energy imparted. The static diffuser may include a plurality of diffuser vanes defining diffuser passageways therebetween. A supersonic ramp may be formed at an end of the at least one diffuser vane proximate the periphery of the centrifugal impeller. The supersonic ramp may be configured to generate a shock wave from the process fluid.