Centrifugal compressor is a vane rotary compressor with a balanced operation, reliable operation, high running rate, fewer friction parts, less maintenance cost, less personnel, and other characteristics.
With the achievement of gas dynamics research to make the efficiency of centrifugal compressors continue to improve.
Coupled with the high-pressure seal, small flow narrow impeller processing, multi-oil wedge bearing, and other key technologies developed successfully.
Solve the centrifugal compressor to high pressure, a wide range of flow development of a series of problems.
The application of centrifugal compressors greatly expands the scope, so that on many occasions can replace the reciprocating piston compressor.
How Do Centrifugal Compressors Work?
Usually, the main means of increasing gas pressure is by forcing the air into compression by mechanical means.
In order to achieve compression of gases, in addition to the volumetric compression method that uses squeezing elements to squeeze the gas.
There is also a method using gas dynamics.
That is the use of the machine’s work element (high-speed rotary impeller) to work on the gas.
This method makes the gas in the centrifugal force field pressure is increase, while the kinetic energy is also greatly increased.
This function is then transformed into hydrostatic energy when flowing in the expansion channel, and the gas pressure is further increased.
Subsequently, this function is converted into hydrostatic energy when flowing in the diffuser channel, and the air pressure is enhanced.
This is the operation method or pressure boosting principle of the centrifugal compressor.
Components of Centrifugal Compressors
Suction chamber: The compressor is equipped with a suction chamber at the inlet of the first stage of each section.
Its function is to introduce the gas from the inlet pipe evenly into the impeller’s inlet to reduce the flow loss when the gas enters.
Impeller: Impeller is the most important part of the centrifugal compressor.
The role is to make the gas obtain energy by the high-speed rotary impeller blades to work on the gas.
Diffuser: When the gas flows out from the impeller, it has a high velocity.
In order to convert this velocity into pressure energy as much as possible.
Around the outer edge of the impeller, a circulation space with a gradually expanding circulation cross-section is set up, which is the diffuser.
Bends: In order to direct the gas flowing from the diffuser to the next stage for recompression.
In the diffuser periphery set to make the gas from the centrifugal direction change to the centripetal direction of the annular channel, called the bend.
The bend is the annular space composed of the partition and the cylinder wall.
Refluxer: In order to make the gas flow in a certain direction (generally axial) evenly into the next level of the impeller inlet, and in the exit of the bend set the refluxer.
So that the gas relies on the guide effect of the blades in the refluxer to flow evenly in the center, and then flow into the next level of the impeller.
Worm housing: The function of the worm housing is to bring the airflow from the diffuser (or from the impeller) together in an orderly manner and lead it out of the compressor.
Read more: Types of the compressor, what is the compressor compression ratio.