Instability and Surge in Dual Entry Centrifugal Compressors

While the operating characteristics of a compressor with a dual-entry impeller are similar to those of the more conventional single-entry machine, its stall behavior can have peculiarities of its own. These arise from the fact that the two impeller halves operate in parallel; each has inlet conditions that may occasionally be imperfectly matched. These conditions can result in instability. The necessity to eliminate these difficulties has stimulated considerable work at AiResearch Manufacturing Company of Arizona. As a result, the mechanism of the phenomenon has become well understood and brought well under control. The more fundamental aspects of this research are described herein.Copyright © 1960 by ASME