Articles | Volume 16, issue 2
https://doi.org/10.5194/ms-16-549-2025
https://doi.org/10.5194/ms-16-549-2025
Research article
 | 
20 Oct 2025
Research article |  | 20 Oct 2025

Effect of the gap between the diffuser blade and impeller blade on the internal complex flow and aerodynamic performance of a centrifugal compressor

Jinxi Chen, Yuqian Zhang, Zhengdao Wang, Hui Yang, Wei Zhang, Zuchao Zhu, and Yikun Wei

Cited articles

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Boncinelli, P., Ermini, M., Bartolacci, S., and Arnone, A.: Impeller-Diffuser Interaction in Centrifugal Compressors: Numerical Analysis of Radiver Test Case, J. Propul. Power, 23, 1304–1312, https://doi.org/10.2514/1.27028, 2007. 
Bourgeois, J. A., Martinuzzi, R. J., Savory, E., Zhang, C., and Roberts, D. A.: Assessment of Turbulence Model Predictions for an Aero-Engine Centrifugal Compressor, ASME J. Turbomach., 136, 107–117, https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4001136, 2014. 
Chen, X., Xu, W., Yang, S., Du, Y., and Dou, H. S.: Effects of vaneless region length on the performance of centrifugal compressor with vaned diffuser, J. Braz. Soc. Mech. Sci., 43, 277, https://doi.org/10.1007/s40430-021-02952-3, 2021. 
Ekradi, K. and Madadi, A.: Performance improvement of a transonic centrifugal compressor impeller with splitter blade by three-dimensional optimization, Energy, 201, 117582, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2020.117582, 2020.​ 
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Short summary
This study examines how adjusting the gap ratio (Rd) between diffuser and impeller blades in centrifugal compressors affects performance. Computer simulations reveal that increasing Rd improves airflow stability at critical stages, reducing energy losses caused by turbulent airflow. Higher Rd also lowers the minimum airflow requirement and enhances pressure recovery, leading to better efficiency. 
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