RECIRCULATING DIFFUSER

摘要

A centrifugal compressor having an impeller wheel mounted for rotation about a central axis and a diffuser for emptying compressed fluid into a collector chamber. A plenum chamber is located behind the impeller shroud and series of deswirl passages are located about the impeller for placing the collector chamber in fluid flow communication with the plenum chamber. A series of channel flow passages are further arranged to inject compressor fluid in the plenum chamber into the exit flow leaving the tips of impeller blades under controlled conditions so that the injected fluid enters the exit flow smoothly and with little loss of energy. An adjustable control means regulates the flow through the deswirl passages to keep the total flow moving through the diffuser relatively constant under varying load conditions.