Development of a high-specific-speed centrifugal compressor

This paper describes the development of a subscale single-stage centrifugal compressor with a dimensionless specific speed (Ns) of 1.8, originally designed for full-size application as a high volume flow, low pressure ratio, gas booster compressor The specific stage is noteworthy in that it provides a benchmark representing the performance potential of very high-specific-speed compressors, of which limited information is found in the open literature. Stage and component test performance characteristics are presented together with traverse results at the impeller exit. Traverse test results were compared with recent CFD computational predictions for an exploratory analytical calibration of a very high-specific-speed impeller geometry. The tested subscale (0.583) compressor essentially satisfied design performance expectations with an overall stage efficiency of 74 percent including, excessive exit casing losses. It was estimated that stage efficiency could be increased to 81 percent with exit casing losses halved.