Fluid compressor control and operation
AssigneeThe Garrett Corporation
InventorDonald L. Palmer
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Abstract
A fluid compressor control and operation method wherein a tangential velocity is imparted to all or only a selected part of fluid flowing to a rotating impeller of the compressor. In a preferred embodiment, the impeller is of centrifugal radial flow configuration with an inlet duct effecting inlet flow radially inwardly, and then axially to the impeller. The compressor includes a plurality of axially elongate guide vanes disposed annularly of the inlet and axially moveable relatively thereof into and out of the inlet fluid flow.
Claims10
The method of controlling a fluid compressor including a compressor rotor journaled within a housing, said housing providing a fluid inlet to said rotor and an outlet therefrom, said method including the steps of:
- providing a guide vane which is movable into said inlet upstream of said compressor rotor;
- moving said guide vane into and out of said inlet to respectively impart and relieve a tangential velocity to fluid flowing in said inlet to said compressor rotor;
- imparting said tangential velocity only to a selected portion of said fluid flowing in said inlet to said compressor rotor while maintaining the remainder of said fluid flow substantially free of said imparted tangential velocity;
- flowing said selected portion of said fluid flow to a radially outer portion of said compressor rotor while flowing said remainder of said fluid flow to a radially inner portion of said compressor rotor;
- separating said selected portion of said fluid flow from said remainder of said fluid flow prior to imparting said tangential velocity to said selected portion;
- and
- reuniting said selected portion of said fluid flow with said remainder of said fluid flow after imparting said tangential velocity to said selected portion.
The method of operating a fluid compressor, said fluid compressor comprising a rotatable compressor impeller having a radially outer part, a housing defining an axially and circumferentially extending inlet leading to said compressor impeller, said method including the steps of:
- flowing into said inlet a radially inwardly directed flow of fluid;
- selectively variably dividing said fluid flow into a first radially inwardly directed axial portion and a second radially inwardly directed axial portion;
- imparting a tangential velocity to said first portion with respect to the axis of rotation of said compressor impeller;
- directing said first portion of said radially outer part of said compressor impeller;
- said step of selectively variably dividing said fluid flow into first and second portions including the steps of providing an annular dividing member movable axially within said axially extending inlet from one end thereof to the other end thereof;
- and selectively moving said dividing member to a determined axial position within said inlet to divide said inlet flow in accordance with said determined position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.