Problem: A centrifugal compressor with radial blades and vaneless diffuser has 21 vanes.

The
compressor handles 2.3 kg/s of air with inlet absolute velocity 150 m/s and stagnation temperature
and pressure as 300 K and 100 kPa, respectively. The impeller tip is to be limited to maximum of 500
m/s. Further, the following information is provided:

1. Air exits the compressor tangential with a velocity of 100 m/s

2. Total-to-total efficiency of the entire compressor is 82 %
3. Diffuser efficiency is 84 %
4. Degree of Reaction is 50 %
5. Impeller width/thickness 5 mm
6. =1.4

Determine:

1. Power input
2. Total and static temperatures and pressures at diffuser exit
3. Total and static temperatures and pressures at impeller exit
4. Total-to-Total efficiency for just the impeller
5. Dimensions of the compressor

Solution:
Inlet conditions are represented by 1, conditions after impeller are represented by 2 and conditions
after the diffuser exit are represented by 3.
The diffuser does not provide any work input and therefore the stagnation enthalpy is same for state 2
and 3.

03 = 02

03 = 02

03 01 03 01
= =
03 01 02 01

The temperature entropy chart for the entire process is given below:
Let us consider the various process step-by-step

1. Work done
= 03 01 = 2 2 = 22

Slip factor from the Stanitz formula:

0.63
= 1 = 0.91

= 0.91 5002 = 227 /

This work is per unit mass flow rate of air. The total power required to run the compressor is given as

= 2.3 227 = 522

2. Now,

= (03 01 ) = 227 /

Assuming cp= 1.005 kJ/kg ; T03= T02=526 K

03 01
0.82 =
02 01
This gives T03=485 K

1
03 03
=( ) = 5.38
01 01

And thus, p03=538 kPa.

32 1002
3 = 03 = 526 = 521
2 2 1005

Now, to calculate the static pressure at the compressor exit,

03 03 1
=( ) = 1.004
3 3

This gives p3=520 kPa.

3. Now, to calculate flow properties at the impeller exit, we need to apply the definition of Degree of
reaction.

2 1 2 1
= = = =
0 0 03 01 03 01

12 1502
1 = 01 = 300 = 288
2 2 1005

2 1
= 0.5 =
03 01

This gives T2=400 K

22
02 2 = = 526 400 = 126
2

2 = 2 1005 126 = 503 /

Now to calculate the pressures at impeller exit, we employ the expression of diffuser
efficiency as:
3 2 3 2
= =
3 2 3 2

3 400
0.84 =
521 400
This gives; T3 = 501 K.

3 3 1
=( )
2 2

520 501 1
=( ) = 2.2
2 400
This gives p2=235 kPa.
Further,

02 02 1 526 1
=( ) =( ) = 2.6
2 2 400
This gives p02=612 kPa

4. The total to total efficiency for just the impeller of the compressor can be written as:

02 01 02 01
= =
02 01 02 01

1
02 02
=( )
01 01

1

02 612
=( ) = 1.68
01 100
T02 =503 K
503 300
== = 0.89
526 300
The efficiency of just the impeller part should be more than the combined impeller and diffuser,
which is verified from the calculations.

5. To find the dimensions of the compressor, we apply the principle of angular momentum in the
vaneless diffuser section as:

2 3 3 100
= = = = 0.22
3 2 2 455

To find the diameter of the impeller, we apply the mass flow rate as:

= 22 2 2

2 = (22 2
2)
= (5032 4552 ) = 215 /

2 235
2 = = = 2.05 /3
2 . 287 400
 2.3 = 22 0.005 215 2.05

This gives r2=16.5 cm; and r2=75 cm.

Since all flow parameters are known, the flow angles can be easily calculated.

2 455
2 = tan1 ( ) = tan1 ( ) = 650
2 215

2 2 500 455
2 = tan1 ( ) = tan1 ( ) = 11.80
2 215

As a verification, the value of degree of reaction is calculated from the blade angles with the
following formula:
2 tan 2
= = 1 = 1
0 22 2(tan 2 + tan 2 )

455 tan 2
= 1 =1
2 500 2(tan 2 + tan 2 )

2.14
= 0.545 = 1 = 0.544
2(2.14 + .21)