Centrifugal compressor design

Abstract

Centrifugal compressors are used in a wide range of applications in which performance and mechanical integrity are invariably among the paramount design objectives. There is therefore continuing interest in the development of a sound understanding of the relevant physical phenomena and in the systematic application of the knowledge base that is the forerunner of the established design procedures. The paper reviews centrifugal compressor design methods that are commonly used in industry and reviews the underlying engineering science supporting the design practices. The design process, starting with the preliminary design and its reliance on empirical rules through to state-of-the-art aerodynamic design using computational fluid dynamics (CFD), is presented. The essentials of impeller mechanical design are also included in the paper.