Control of Rotating Stall in the Diffuser of a Low Speed Centrifugal Compressor

An experimental investigation to delay the onset of the rotating stall in the radial diffuser of a centrifugal blower was carried out. The method involved reducing the flow area by 50% at the diffuser exit using throttle rings attached to either diffuser shroud wall, or the diffuser hub wall. Simultaneous attachments of the throttle rings to both the diffuser’s shroud and the hub walls were also made. The following blockage ratios were used: 25% from both walls, 50% from the diffuser shroud and 0% from the diffuser hub and vice versa. The preliminary results suggest that the onset of the flow instability in the diffuser (stall) could be delayed (i.e., lower flow coefficient) when throttle rings were attached to the diffuser walls to reduce its exit flow area. The results also confirmed that the throttle rings could be an effective method to control/delay the stall in the vaneless radial diffuser.