Loss Mechanism of Static Interstage Components of Multistage Centrifugal Compressors for Integrated Blade Design

Although centrifugal compressors are widely used in construction, they consume a large amount of energy; in existing multistage centrifugal compressors, there is a serious pressure loss of ~15.13% when gas flows through the diffuser, bend, and return channel. In this study, we analyze the loss mechanisms of these stages in detail, using computational fluid dynamics. Based on this analysis, we present a new type of integrated blade, connecting the diffuser, bend, and return channels, which can eliminate the airflow stall phenomenon. Through effective control of the airflow spreading process, we minimized losses in the component, which improved its efficiency by 4.39% and increased the pressure ratio by 2.86% relative to a compressor without the newly-designed integrated blade. The concepts used in the creation of this component can provide a reference for the future design of blades for flow through parts of multistage compressors.