EP0021709A1
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EP
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Multi stage centrifugal compressor and its application to a turbine
Assignee: Caterpillar Inc
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Filing: 1980-06-10
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2000-06-10
Abstract
Abstract A centrifugal air compressor (11) has an annular air flow path (14) of progressively increasing diameter and progressively diminishing cross-setional area in which a plurality of internal compression-diffusion stages (30a to 30f) are provided. The stages of progressively greater diameter are defined by sets (29a to 29h) of impeller blades (12) which alternate with sets (32a to 32h) of stator blades (13) along the air flow path (14) and each such stage (30a to 30f) has a diffusion factor below about 0.55. The multi-stage construction combines higher isentropic efficiency with reduced size and may be used as a component of a gas turbine engine (18) or a turbocharger (57) or for other purposes requiring gas compression.
Inventors
- 👤 Jesse O. Wiggins
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 20:14
CPC Classifications
F; F04; F04D; F04D17/00; F04D17/08; F04D17/10; F04D17/12
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
74 words
A multi-stage centrifugal compressor (11) having relatively rotatable inner (12) and outer (13) elements defining an annular flow path (14) of progressively increasing diameter from an inlet end (16) to an outlet end (17) of the compressor, characterized in that a plurality of blading means (27) are provided in the flow path to define a plurality of compression-diffusion stages (30 a-f), each of the stages having a design point diffusion factor below about 0.55.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
74 words
A multi-stage centrifugal compressor (11) having relatively rotatable inner (12) and outer (13) elements defining an annular flow path (14) of progressively increasing diameter from an inlet end (16) to an outlet end (17) of the compressor, characterized in that a plurality of blading means (27) are provided in the flow path to define a plurality of compression-diffusion stages (30 a-f), each of the stages having a design point diffusion factor below about 0.55.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
28 words
A compressor (11) according to claim 1, having a free stream flow velocity, relative to the blading means (27) which is below supersonic through the blading means (27).
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
85 words
A compressor (11) according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the blading means (27) includes a plurality of sets (29a to 29b) of compressor blades (28) extending into the flow path (14) from a first of the elements (12, 13) and a plurality of sets (32a to 32b) of diffuser blades (31) extending into the flow path (14) from the second of the elements (12, 13), the sets of diffuser blades being alternated with the sets of compressor blades along the flow path (14).
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
A compressor (11) according to claim 3, wherein the first element is the inner element (12) and the second element is the outer element (13).
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
66 words
A compressor (11) according to claim 4, wherein the inner element (12) is a rotatable impeller of progressively increasing outside diameter from the inlet end (16) to the outlet end (17) of the flow path (14), and wherein the outer element (18) is a non-rotatable'stator. member of progressively increasing inside diameter from the inlet end (16) to the outlet end (17) of the flow path (14).
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
91 words
A compressor (11) according to any of claims 3 to 5, wherein the outward curvature of the annular flow path (14) relative to the rotational axis of the compressor becomes progressively greater from the inlet end (16) to the outlet end (17), and wherein the flow path (14) is of progressively diminishing cross-sectional area from the inlet end (16) to the outlet end (17), successive ones of the sets (29a to 29h) of compressor blades and sets (32a to 32h) of diffuser blades have blades (28, 31) of progressively decreasing size.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
57 words
A compressor (11) according to any of claims 3 to 6, wherein successive ones of the sets (29a to 29h) of compressor blades (28) and the sets (32a to 32h) of diffuser blades (31) each have a progressively increasing number of individual blades from the inlet end (16) to the outlet end (17) of the flow path.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
38 words
A compressor (11) according to any of claims 1 to 7, further comprising vane means (56) for restricting the rate of air flow into the compressor (11) at the air inlet end (16) of the flow path (14).
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
44 words
A compressor (11) according to any of claims 1 to 8, in combination with a gas turbine engine (18), wherein the compressor (11) constitutes the air intake element of the gas turbine engine and wherein the impeller (12) is driven by the engine (18).
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
40 words
A compressor (llh) according to any of claims 1 to 8, in combination with an engine turbocharger (57) turbine (59), wherein the compressor (llh) constitutes the air intake element of the turbocharger (57) and is driven by the turbine (59).
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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