Some NACA Research on Centrifugal Compressors

This paper presents a summary of some of the results obtained in the NACA program of aerodynamic research on centrifugal compressors, including both theoretical and experimental aspects. The material presented is not intended to give specific design rules, but rather is intended to give some insight into the flow processes in centrifugal turbomachinery, to establish general trends of good design practice, and to indicate portions of the field that remain to be explored. The paper is arranged in three sections; (a) impeller research, (b) diffuser research, and (c) general aspects of application of centrifugal compressor to aircraft gas-turbine engines.