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US 4,502,837 AGranted
Multi stage centrifugal impeller
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsLawrence W. Blair, Alexander C. Bryans
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A multistage centrifugal impeller in which each blade row is individually matched to optimum efficiency characteristics in a manner which minimizes blade lean. Each blade row is composed of twisted blades which substantially equalize working fluid diffusion from blade root to blade tip while restraining blade lean to less than 15.degree..
Claims21
A centrifugal compressor for compressing a fluid comprising:
- (a) an annular flow path, substantially parallel to an axis of rotation at an inlet and substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation at an outlet, the outer surface of which is formed by a stationary shroud, and the inner surface of which is formed by a rotatable impeller hub;
- and
- (b) an impeller comprising at least two rows of blades positioned upon a rotatable impeller hub, including:
- (i) a first, inlet blade row comprising a plurality of blades extending from said hub at said inlet, each blade including a root and a tip and leading and trailing edges and being twisted from said root to said tip for obtaining blade lean for being matched to different substantially optimum generally axially extending curvilinear airstream lines at both the root and the tip for the purpose of producing a generally constant, pressure flow at the exit of said first blade row from said roots to said tips;
- and
- (ii) a second blade row comprising a plurality of blades extending from said hub at said outlet, said second blade row being axially spaced from said first blade row and each blade including a root and a tip and leading and trailing edges and being twisted from said root to said tip for obtaining blade lean for being matched to substantially different optimum generally radially extending curvilinear airstream lines at both the root and the tip for the purpose of producing a generally constant pressure flow at the exit of said second blade row from said roots to said tips.
3 more elements
A centrifugal compressor for compressing a fluid comprising:
- (a) an inlet, generally axial flow, stage comprising a plurality of blades, each blade including a root and a tip and leading and trailing edges and being twisted from said root to said tip for obtaining blade lean which substantially equalizes the diffusion of the fluid at the root and tip of the blade;
- and
- (b) a second, generally radial flow, stage comprising a plurality of blades, each blade including a root and a tip and leading and trailing edges and being twisted from said root to said tip for obtaining blade rake which substantially equalizes the diffusion of the fluid at the root and tip of the blade.
A multistage centrifugal compressor comprising:
- a stationary shroud surrounding a centrifugal impeller, wherein the shroud in conjunction with the impeller defines an annular flow region for a compressor working fluid, in which fluid flow in a working fluid inlet is essentially parallel to an axis of impeller rotation and fluid flow in a working fluid exit is essentially perpendicular to the axis of rotor rotation, and in which the centrifugal impeller is comprised of at least two blade rows wherein:
- (a) the centrifugal impeller rotates as one unit having no stationary blades situated between rotating blade rows,
- (b) the successive rotating blade rows comprise increasing numbers of blades,
- (c) each blade row is separated from every other blade row, and
- (d) each blade of said impeller includes a root and a tip and leading and trailing edges, each blade being twisted from said root to said tip for obtaining blade lean effective for producing a generally constant pressure profile from said root to said tip at said trailing edge of each of said blades, and for obtaining a curvilinear flow path through said impeller blade rows.
2 more elements
A multistage supersonic centrifugal compressor comprising:
- (a) a uniformly rotatable bladed rotor impeller having at least three blade rows wherein:
- (i) each of the blade rows is of a separate and discontinuous mechanical form,
- (ii) the number of blades in each blade row is determined by the circumferential volume of flow area and impeller rotational speed so as to produce a controlled rate of fluid diffusion throughout compressor,
- (iii) each of the blade rows is axially removed from every other row,
- (iv) each blade of said impeller includes a root and a tip and leading and trailing edges, each blade being twisted from said root to said tip for obtaining blade lean effective for producing a generally constant pressure profile from said root to said tip at said trailing edge of each of said blades, and for obtaining a curvilinear flow path through said impeller blade rows,
- (b) a stationary shroud surrounding the rotor wherein:
- (i) said shroud in conjunction with the rotor defines the annular flow region of a compressor working fluid,
- (ii) said shroud in conjunction with the rotor defines the working fluid inlet and exit,
- (c) a flow inlet in which the fluid flow is essentially parallel to the axis of rotor rotation, and
- (d) a flow exit in which the fluid flow is essentially perpendicular to the axis of rotor rotation.
7 more elements
A multistage supersonic centrifugal impeller comprising:
- at least two flow regions of blade rows where said blade rows are circumferentially displaced, including an inducer region for channeling primarily axial fluid flow, and an exducer region for exiting primarily centrifugal fluid flow and differing numbers of blades in each blade row and wherein each blade of said impeller includes a root and a tip and leading and trailing edges, each blade being twisted from said root to said tip for obtaining blade lean effective for producing a generally constant pressure profile from said root to said tip at said trailing edge of each of said blades, and for obtaining a curvilinear flow path through said impeller blade rows.
An impeller for a centrifugal compressor comprising:
- (a) an annular hub having a radially outer surface including a first portion disposed substantially parallel to an axis of rotation of said hub, a second portion disposed substantially perpendicular to said axis of rotation, and a third portion joining said first and second portions;
- (b) a first row of inducer blades extending radially outwardly from said first hub portion and being effective for channeling airflow in a substantially axial direction;
- (c) a second row of exducer blades extending substantially axially outwardly from said second hub portion and being effective for receiving airflow from said first blade row and channeling said airflow in a substantially radially outward direction;
- and
- (d) each blade of said impeller including a root and a tip and leading edges and trailing edges and each blade being twisted from said root to said tip for obtaining blade lean effective for producing a generally constant pressure profile from said root to said tip at said trailing edge of each of said blades, and for obtaining a curvilinear flow path through said impeller blade rows.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.