Diffusion system configured for use with centrifugal compressor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11286952-B2
Application number	US-202016928583-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 14, 2020
Priority date	Jul 14, 2020
Publication date	Mar 29, 2022
Grant date	Mar 29, 2022

Abstract

A compressor includes an impeller and a diffuser. The impeller is mounted for rotation about an axis of the gas turbine engine. The diffuser is coupled to the impeller to receive the high velocity air from the impeller. The diffuser includes a first plate, a second plate spaced apart from the first plate axially, and a plurality of vanes located between the first and second plates.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A diffuser adapted for use with a centrifugal compressor, the diffuser comprising
a first plate that extends circumferentially about an axis,
a second plate that extends circumferentially about the axis, the second plate spaced apart axially from the first plate relative to the axis to define a flow path between the first plate and the second plate, and
a plurality of vanes that extend axially between and interconnect the first plate and the second plate, the plurality of vanes including a first vane and a second vane spaced apart circumferentially from the first vane to define a throat inlet of the diffuser located at a radial throat distance from the axis, the first vane and the second vane each including a leading edge and a trailing edge spaced apart radially from the leading edge to define a camber line that extends within the respective first and second vane and interconnects the leading edge and the trailing edge of the respective first and second vane,
wherein the plurality of vanes are backswept such that the camber line of each of the first vane and the second vane is curved, the radial throat distance is spaced radially outward of the leading edges of the first and second vanes, and at least one of the first plate and the second plate diverges axially relative to the other of the first plate and the second plate beginning at a location equal to the radial throat distance or radially outward of the radial throat distance.

2. The diffuser of claim 1 , wherein both the first plate and the second plate diverge axially away from the other of the first plate and the second plate as the first plate and the second plate extend radially outward relative to the axis.

3. The diffuser of claim 2 , wherein the first plate and the second plate diverge linearly away from the other of the first plate and the second plate.

4. The diffuser of claim 3 , wherein each of the plurality of vanes defines a chord line between the leading edge and the trailing edge and the chord line extends at an angle relative to a radial spoke line extending from the axis.

5. The diffuser of claim 1 , wherein the first plate has a first segment that extends radially and a second segment that extends at an angle from the first segment.

6. The diffuser of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of vanes includes a pressure side and a suction side opposite the pressure side and wherein at least one of the pressure side and the suction side includes a concave surface that extends circumferentially into the respective vane and extends axially between and interconnects the first plate and the second plate.

7. The diffuser of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of vanes includes a pressure side and a suction side opposite the pressure side and wherein the pressure side and the suction side each include a concave surface that extends circumferentially into the respective vane and extends axially between and interconnects the first plate and the second plate.

8. The diffuser of claim 1 , wherein the first vane and the second vane of the plurality of vanes define a throat exit spaced apart from the throat inlet that has a throat exit area that is greater than a throat inlet area of the throat inlet.

9. The diffuser of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of vanes defines a chord line that extends linearly a chord-line distance between and interconnects the leading edge and the trailing edge, the camber line is curved relative to the chord line to define a maximum camber-line height between the camber line and the chord line, and the camber-line height is equal to or less than one to ten percent of the chord-line distance.

10. The diffuser of claim 1 , wherein a first line tangent to the leading edge of the first vane and a first radial spoke from the axis extending to the leading edge define a first angle, a second line tangent to the trailing edge of the first vane and a second spoke from the axis extending to the trailing edge define a second angle, and a difference between the first angle and the second angle is 15 degrees.

11. The diffuser of claim 1 , wherein the at least one of the first plate and the second plate diverge away from a radial plane of the axis at a divergence angle of 5 degrees.

12. A diffuser adapted for use with a centrifugal compressor, the diffuser comprising
a first plate that extends circumferentially about an axis,
a second plate that extends circumferentially about the axis, the second plate spaced apart axially from the first plate relative to the axis, and
a first vane having a first camber line that extends between and interconnects a leading edge and a trailing edge of the first vane, and
a second vane spaced apart circumferentially from the first vane, the second vane having a second camber line that extends between and interconnects a leading edge and a trailing edge of the second vane,
wherein the first camber line and the second camber line are curved and the first plate and the second plate cooperate to define a flowpath that diverges axially as the first plate and the second plate extend radially outward relative to the axis, and
wherein the first vane and the second vane define a throat inlet of the diffuser located at a radial throat distance from the axis, the flowpath diverges axially beginning at a location equal to or radially outward of the radial throat distance, and the radial throat distance is spaced radially outward of the leading edges of the first and second vanes.

13. The diffuser of claim 12 , wherein both the first plate and the second plate diverge axially away from each other as the first plate and the second plate extend radially outward relative to the axis.

14. The diffuser of claim 13 , wherein the first plate and the second plate diverge linearly away from each other.

15. The diffuser of claim 12 , wherein the first vane defines a chord line that extends linearly a chord-line distance between and interconnects the leading edge and the trailing edge of the first vane, the camber line of the first vane is curved relative to the chord line to define a maximum camber-line height between the camber line and the chord line of the first vane, and the camber-line height is equal to or less than two percent of the chord-line distance.

16. The diffuser of claim 12 , wherein the first vane extends circumferentially away from the axis at a first angle relative to a first radial spoke of the axis at the leading edge and extends circumferentially away from the axis at a second angle relative to a second radial spoke of the axis at the trailing edge, and the difference between the first angle and the second angle is 15 degrees.

17. The diffuser of claim 12 , wherein the flowpath diverges axially as the first plate and the second plate extend radially outward relative to the axis between at an angle of between about 1 degree and 10 degrees.

18. The diffuser of claim 17 , wherein the angle is 5 degrees.

19. The diffuser of claim 12 , wherein the first vane includes a first side and a second side spaced apart circumferentially from the first side and wherein at least one of the first side and the second side defines a concave shape that extends circumferentially into the first vane.

Assignees

• Rolls Royce Corp

Inventors

• Mazur Steven

Classifications

• F05D2240/12

  Fluid guiding means, e.g. vanes · CPC title

• F05D2220/32

  in gas turbines · CPC title

• F04D29/444 Primary

  Bladed diffusers · CPC title