The flow in vaneless diffusers with large width-to-radius ratios is analyzed by using three-dimensional boundary-layer theory. The variations of the wall shear angle in the layer and the separation radius of the turbulent boundary layer versus various parameters are calculated and compared with experimental data. The effect of the separation point on the performance of vaneless diffusers and the mechanism of rotating stall are discussed. It is concluded that when the flow rate becomes very low, the reverse flow zone on the diffuser walls extends toward the entry region of diffusers. When the rotating jet-wake flow with varying total pressure passes through the reverse flow region near the impeller outlet, rotating stall is generated. The influences of the radius ratio on the reverse flow occurrence as well as on the overall performance are also discussed.
Issue Section:
Research Papers
1.
Abdelhamid, A. N., 1981, “Effects of Vaneless Diffuser Geometry on Flow Instability in Centrifugal Compression System,” ASME Paper No. 81-GT-10.
2.
Abdelhamid, A. N., 1980, “Analysis of Rotating Stall in Vaneless Diffusers of Centrifugal Compressors,” ASME Paper No. 80-GT-184.
3.
Abdelhamid, A. N., and Bertrand, J., 1979, “Distinctions Between Two Types of Self Excited Gas Oscillations in Vaneless Radial Diffusers,” ASME Paper No. 79-GT-158.
4.
Abdelhamid
A. N.
Colwill
W. H.
Barrows
J. F.
1979
, “Experimental Investigation of Unsteady Phenomena in Vaneless Radial Diffusers
,” ASME Journal of Engineering for Power
, Vol. 101
, pp. 52
–60
.5.
Bammert, K., Rautenberg, M., and Wittekindt, W., 1978, “Vaneless Diffuser Flow With Extremely Distorted Inlet Profile,” ASME Paper No. 78-GT-47.
6.
Bando, K., Miyake, Y., Adachi, Y., and Otsuki, A., 1993, “Correlation of Surge Inception of Compressor and Pressure Difference Between Two Walls of Vaneless Diffuser Inlet,” Proc. 4th Asian International Conference on Fluid Machinery, Suzhou, China, pp. 24–29.
7.
Cham, T.-S., and Head, M. R., 1970, “Calculation of the Turbulent Boundary-Layer in a Vortex Diffuser,” ARC 31237.
8.
Cumpsty, N. A., 1989, Compressor Aerodynamics, Wiley, New York, pp. 266–309.
9.
Cumpsty
N. A.
Head
M. R.
1967
, “The Calculation of Three-Dimensional Turbulent Boundary-Layers, Part 1: Flow over the Rear of an Infinite Swept Wing
,” The Aeronautical Quarterly
, Vol. 18
, No. 1
, pp. 55
–84
.10.
Dean
R. C.
Senoo
Y.
1960
, “Rotating Wakes in Vaneless Diffusers
,” ASME Journal of Basic Engineering
, Vol. 82
, No. 3
, pp. 563
–574
.11.
Dean, R. C., Jr., 1971, “On the Unsolved Fluid Dynamics of the Centrifugal Compressor,” in: Advanced Centrifugal Compressors, Dean, R. C., ed., ASME.
12.
Dou
H.-S.
Cheng
X.-D.
1986
, “Calculation of Three-Dimensional Turbulent Boundary-Layers in the Vaneless Diffuser of a Centrifugal Compressor
,” Journal of Northeast University of Technology
, Vol. 7
, No. 4
, pp. 39
–48
.13.
Dou, H.-S., 1989, “A Method of Predicting the Energy Losses in Vaneless Diffusers of Centrifugal Compressors,” ASME Paper No. 89-GT-158.
14.
Dou, H.-S., 1991, “Investigation of Prediction of Losses in Radial Vaneless Diffusers,” ASME Paper No. 91-GT-323.
15.
Dou
H.-S.
1994
, “The Stability Regimes of Radial Vaneless Diffusers
,” Journal of Engineering Thermophysics
, Vol. 15
, No. 2
, pp. 166
–169
.16.
Frigne
P.
Van den Braembussche
R.
1985
, “A Theoretical Model for Rotating Stall in the Vaneless Diffusers of a Centrifugal Compressor
,” ASME Journal of Engineering for Gas Turbines and Power
, Vol. 107
, No. 2
, pp. 507
–513
.17.
Gardow, E. B., 1958, “The Three-Dimensional Turbulent Boundary Layer in a Free Vortex Diffuser,” Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Gas Turbine Laboratory Report No. 42.
18.
Greitzer
E. M.
1981
, “The Stability of Pumping Systems—The 1980, Freeman Scholar Lecture
,” ASME Journal of Fluids Engineering
, Vol. 103
, pp. 193
–242
.19.
Ishida, M., Ueki, H., Sakaguchi, D., and Surana, T., 1993, “Unstable Flow Measurement in a Centrifugal Blower by Semiconductor Laser 2-Focus Velocimeter,” Proc. 4th Asian International Conference on Fluid Machinery, Suzhou, China, pp. 77–82.
20.
Jansen
W.
1964
a, “Rotating Stall in a Radial Vaneless Diffuser
,” ASME Journal of Basic Engineering
, Vol. 86
, pp. 750
–758
.21.
Jansen
W.
1964
b, “Steady Fluid Flow in a Radial Vaneless Diffuser
,” ASME Journal of Basic Engineering
, Vol. 86
, pp. 607
–619
.22.
Japikse, D., 1984, “A Critical Evaluation of Stall Concepts for Centrifugal Compressor and Pumps—Studies in Component Performance, Part 7,” Proc. ASME Conference on Stall and Surge in Compressors and Pumps,
23.
Japikse, D., and Baines, N. C., 1994, Introduction to Turbomachinery, Concepts ETI, Inc. and Oxford University Press, pp. (9-1)–(9-28).
24.
Johnston
J. P.
1960
, “On the Three-Dimensional Turbulent Boundary Layer Generated by Secondary Flow
,” ASME Journal of Basic Engineering
, Vol. 82
, No. 1
, pp. 233
–248
.25.
Johnston
J. P.
Dean
R. C.
1966
, “Losses in Vaneless Diffusers of Centrifugal Compressors and Pumps
,” ASME Journal of Engineering for Power
, Vol. 88
, No. 1
, pp. 49
–62
.26.
Kinoshita
Y.
Senoo
Y.
1985
, “Rotating Stall Induced in Vaneless Diffusers of Very Low Specific Speed Centrifugal Blowers
,” ASME Journal of Engineering for Gas Turbines and Power
, Vol. 107
, pp. 514
–521
.27.
Maskell, E. C., 1955, Flow Separation in Three Dimensions, RAE Report No. 2625.
28.
Mizuki, S., Park, C. W., and Deckker, B. E. L., 1985, “Unstable Flows in the Vaneless Diffuser of a Centrifugal Compressor at Low Flow Rates,” ASME Paper No. 85-IGT-7.
29.
Moore, F. K., 1991, “Theory of Finite Disturbances in a Centrifugal Compression System With a Vaneless Radial Diffuser,” ASME Paper No. 91-GT-082.
30.
Olcmen
M. S.
Simpson
R. L.
1992
, “Perspective: On the Near Wall Similarity of Three-Dimensional Turbulent Boundary Layers
,” ASME Journal of Fluids Engineering
, Vol. 114
, pp. 487
–495
.31.
Pampreen, R. C., 1993, Compressor Surge and Stall, Concepts ETI, Inc., Norwich, pp. (2-86)–(2-103).
32.
Rodgers
C.
1977
, “Impeller Stalling as Influenced by Diffusion Limitation
,” ASME Journal of Fluids Engineering
, Vol. 99
, pp. 84
–79
.33.
Schumann
L. F.
1986
, “A Three-Dimensional Axisymmetric Calculation Procedure for Turbulent Flows in a Radial Vaneless Diffuser
,” ASME Journal of Engineering for Gas Turbines and Power
, Vol. 108
, pp. 118
–124
.34.
Senoo
Y.
Ishida
M.
1975
, “Behavior of Severely Asymmetric Flow in a Vaneless Diffuser
,” ASME Journal of Engineering for Power
, Vol. 97
, pp. 375
–387
.35.
Senoo, Y., and Kinoshita, Y., 1978, “Limits of Rotating Stall and Stall in Vaneless Diffusers of Centrifugal Compressors,” ASME Paper No. 78-GT-19.
36.
Senoo
Y.
Kinoshita
Y.
Ishida
M.
1977
, “Asymmetric Flow in Vaneless Diffusers of Centrifugal Blowers
,” ASME Journal of Fluids Engineering
, Vol. 99
, pp. 104
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.37.
Smith, P. D., 1972, “An Integral Prediction Method for Three Dimensional Compressible Turbulent Boundary Layer,” RAE 72228.
38.
Swafford
T. W.
Whitfield
D. L.
1985
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,” AIAA Journal
, Vol. 23
, No. 7
, pp. 1005
–1013
.39.
Tsurusaki
H.
Imaichi
K.
Miyake
R.
1987
, “A Study on the Rotating Stall in Vaneless Diffusers of Centrifugal Fans
,” JSME International Journal
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.40.
Van den Braembussche, R., 1984, “Surge and Stall in Centrifugal Compressors,” VKI Lecture Series, 1984–07.
41.
Van den Braembussche, R., 1985, “Design and Optimization of Centrifugal Compressors,” in: Thermodynamics and Fluid Mechanics of Turbomachinery, Ucer, A. S., et al., eds., Vol. II, Martinus Nijhoff Publishers, Dordrecht, pp. 829–885.
42.
Watanabe, H., Konomi, S., and Ariga, I., 1994, “Transient Process of Rotating Stall in Radial Vaneless Diffusers,” ASME Paper No. 94-GT-161.
43.
White, F. M., 1974, Viscous Fluid Flow, McGraw-Hill, New York, pp. 542–558.
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