DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT OF SMALL, SINGLE-STAGE CENTRIFUGAL COMPRESSOR

The purpose of the work was to define, by analysis and experimental evaluation, the design criteria and performance characteristics of the high- pressure-ratio, single-stage centrifugal compressor. The overall performance target was a pressure ratio of 101 at an adiabatic efficiency of 80 percent at an airflow of 2 pounds per second. The research was expected to lead to development of advanced technologies applicable to small gas turbine engines. The potential advances identified were 1 Doubling of current power to weight ratio, 2 Reducing full and part load fuel consumption, and 3 Minimizing cost per horsepower. To illustrate the advances possible, two types of thermodynamic cycles simple and regenerative were studied. It was shown that a compressor meeting the above targets would provide an opportunity for reducing specific fuel consumptions to 0.49 pound per horsepower per hour simple cycle and 0.38 pound per horsepower per hour regenerative. This report presents the design and test results of a single-stage, high-pressure-ratio 101 centrifugal compressor. Impeller and diffuser modifications are discussed, including diffuser throat boundary-layer bleed.