Centrifugal Compressors

Prof S V Jain
APME, IT, NU
 Contents
1. Introduction
2. Main Components
3. Velocity Diagrams Same as
4. Ideal Energy Transfer Centrifugal
pumps
5. Slip and Slip factor
6. Effect of blade shapes on performance
7. Power Input Factor
8. Stagnation Properties
9. Isentropic Efficiency and Work
10. Pressure Coefficient
11. Pre-Whirl
12. Surging and Choking
13. Blade Area Coefficient
14. Performance Curves
CLASSIFICATION
 Introduction
Centrifugal compressors or blowers consist of a casing in which
one or more impellers mounted on a shaft revolve.
Air/Gas enters the impeller near the shaft and is discharged at
the outer end of the impeller blades.
When the shaft is rotated, the effect of centrifugal force upon
the gas within the impeller causes its compression and, at the
same time, induces it to flow through the impeller.

The gas passing through the impeller is accelerated and the

increase in velocity is a form of energy convertible into
additional pressure.
The conversion is produced by the gradual and orderly
deceleration of the gas either in a bladed or open diffuser, or in
a volute or scroll casing.
Schematic diagram
(Inlet guide vanes)
 Main Components
Impeller
Gas is given an outward thrust or radial kinetic energy is
added to the gas by increasing speed.
Diffusers
Reduces velocity of gas gradually and convert into
pressure
Casing
Further kinetic to pressure energy conversion
 Types of Impeller

Open Impeller Semi-open Enclosed

to produce high head used in multi-stage
to produce a large flow
with small flow compressors to
achieve very high
pressure
Pressure Variation
Multistage Centrifugal Compressor
 Salient Features
Suitable for higher flow rate than reciprocating compressors
Pressure ratio per stage :@4
Rotational speed : 20,000 to 30,000 rpm
Volumetric efficiency : @ 100%
Index of compression : 1.7
Ideal process for compression : Isentropic
Impeller diameter : 250 to 360 mm
Number of blades : 18 to 22
Impeller material : low Silicon-Aluminium alloy
Method of manufacturing : forging or die-casting
 Applications
In large refrigeration plants
Fertilizer plants, Petrochemical plants
Gas turbines
Super chargers
Aircraft applications
Difference b/w Reciprocating and Centrifugal Compressors

Reciprocating Centrifugal
Low speed machine Very high speed machine
Ideal process: isothermal Isentropic
Low discharge, high head High discharge, low head
Intermittent delivery Continuous delivery
Balancing problem Xxxxx
Discharge Pr: upto 1000 bar Upto 10 bar
Max FAD: 30 m3/min 3000 m3/min
Velocity Diagram
 Work Done on Fluid
Theoretical Work done
.
W = m [ Cw2 u2 Cw1 u1 ]

If 1=90, Cw1 = 0
. .
W = E = m Cw2u2
This work is called Eulers Work.
If 2=90, (Ideal energy transfer)
Cw2=u2 and Cf2=Cr2
. . . 2
W = E = m Cw2 u2 = m u2 u2 = m u2
.
W = m u 22

This is maximum work capacity (W) of the impeller and ideal

energy transfer (E).
 Slip and Slip Factor
Under ideal conditions,
Cw2 = u2
Outlet angle become <90,
due to air trapped between
impeller vanes and eddies.
Hence, Cw2<u2.
(Cw2-u2) is called slip.
From fig., slip = Cw2 - Cw2

Slip factor = Actual outlet whirl vel. = Cw2

Blade tip vel. u2
Hence, Cw2 = u2
.
W = m u22
 Power input factor
Actual work req. is greater than theoretical because of
Friction between air and walls
Leakage, clearance between impeller and casing
Disk friction, turbulence and shock losses

.
Actual Work Wa = m p u 2
2

where p = power factor (p1.04)

Different Pressures
 Pdyn

Pstg
Pst

Static pressure: The pressure of fluids that is stationary.

Pst = gH
Dynamic pressure: The pressure exerted by a fluid when it impacts on a
surface due to its motion.
V2
Pdyn =
2
Stagnation pressure (Total pressure): is the sum of the static and dynamic
pressures.
Pstg = Pst + Pdyn
 Stagnation Properties
When analyzing control volumes, we find it very
convenient to combine the internal energy and the flow
energy of a fluid in a single term, enthalpy
h = u + P/.
Whenever the kinetic and potential energies of the fluid
are negligible, the enthalpy represents the total energy of
a fluid (According to SFEE).
For high-speed flows (e.g. jet engines) the potential
energy of the fluid is still negligible, but the kinetic
energy is not.
In such cases, it is convenient to combine the enthalpy
and the kinetic energy of the fluid into a single term
called stagnation (or total) enthalpy (h), defined per
unit mass as
 ho = h + V (kJ/kg) _____(1)
2
Consider the steady flow of a fluid through a duct such
as a nozzle, diffuser, or some other flow passage where
the flow takes place adiabatically and with no shaft or
electrical work.

h1, V1 h2, V2
 Assuming the fluid experiences little or no
change in its elevation and its potential energy,
the energy balance relation ( Ein = Eout ) for this
single-stream steady-flow device reduces to
h1 + V1 = h2 + V2 _______(2)
2 2
h01 = h02 __________(3)
 If the fluid were brought to a complete stop, then the
velocity at state 2 would be zero and eq. (2) would
become
h1 + V1 = h2 = h02
2
Thus the stagnation enthalpy represents the enthalpy
of a fluid when it is brought to rest adiabatically.
During a stagnation process, the kinetic energy of a
fluid is converted to enthalpy (internal energy + flow
energy) , which results in an increase in the fluid
temperature and pressure.
The properties of a fluid at the stagnation state are called
Stagnation properties. The stagnation state and the
stagnation properties are indicated by the subscript 0.
 When the fluid is approximated as an ideal gas with
constant specific heats, its enthalpy can be replaced by
CpT equ. (1) can be expressed as
CpTo = CpT + V
2
To = T + V _________(4)
2Cp
Here To is called the stagnation temperature, and it
represents the temperature an ideal gas attains when it is
brought to rest adiabatically.
The term V/2Cp corresponds to the temperature rise
during such a process and it is called the dynamic
temperature.
SUMMARY

2
po= p +
2

1
= o=

1
1
=

 Pre-Whirl
Mach No. Mr1 = Cr1
RT1
Mr1 should not exceed a value beyond which
shock waves are formed. i.e. Mr1 < 1
To reduce Mr1 to desired value, Pre-Whirl is
used.
Initial pre-rotation of air before entering the
eye of the impeller is called Pre-Whirl.
Pre-Whirl (contd)
(Inlet guide vanes)
 By providing inlet guide vanes, relative velocity is reduced
from CA to CA without changing flow velocity and hence
mass flow rate. This reduces inlet Mach No.
Pre-Whirl reduces work capacity of compressor by Cw1u1.
Disadvantage : introducing of additional parts and
additional weight
Important parameter to be controlled in jet airplanes.

Energy transfer E (without pre-whirl) = Cw2u2

Energy transfer E (with pre-whirl) = Cw2u2 Cw1u1
H Vs Q Characteristics of BCVs
 Surging and Choking

Pr. Rise in
Diffuser

Pr. Rise in
Impeller

Upto A Valve is closed. So, mass flow rate is zero; but, still some
pressure ratio will be there, which is solely due to centrifugal effect in the
impeller.
At A Valve is opened slightly; so flow starts and diffuser contributes to the
pressure rise.
In graph, let compressor operate at left point of C. Say at point B.
Here, as mass flow rate pressure. (i.e. rate of increase of
pressure decreases)
 If the pressure in the discharge line does not decrease at the same
rate,
air flows back towards the pressure gradient. This may lead to
momentary reversal of flow.
After certain time, the fluid from delivery pipe will leave and hence
pressure on the delivery side decreases, the pressure gradient is
reversed and again the air flow again back to its original direction.
The pressure therefore surges back and forth, if the downstream
conditions are unchanged. This phenomenon is called SURGING.

After point C, say at D, as mass flow rate pressure

Hence, it is recommended to run compressor in the range beyond
C.
At point E, graph steepens and becomes almost vertical and mass
flow cannot be increased further. Thus, point E is called CHOKING
POINT.
Choking Limits maximum mass flow rate
 Blade Area Coefficient (Ka)
Mass flow rate = 1 x (D1 n.t1) b1 x Cf1
= 1 x D1 b1 x Cf1 x Ka

Ka = 0.8 to 0.9
t1

D1
n = Number of blades
Performance curves
Thank you