Investigation of Airflow in Internal Recirculation Channel of Centrifugal Compressor.

Contemporary high pressure ratio centrifugal compressors have a narrow stable operating. In order to achieve a wider stable operating region, some anti-surge measures can be used, such as an internal recirculation channel (IRC). This article presents a study of the airflow in IRC of a centrifugal compressor. A model of such channel was designed and manufactured in order to investigate the influence of various IRC inlet slot geometry on air flow parameters. Numerical simulation of the airflow for selected variants was also performed. Results of the simulation together with results of the experiment enable us to analyse the airflow in the area of the inlet slot and to find out its most suitable geometry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]