A mixed flow compressor, or diagonal compressor, combines axial and radial components to produce a diagonal airflow compressor stage.
The exit mean radius is greater than at the inlet, like a centrifugal design, but the flow tends to exit in an axial rather than radial direction. This eliminates the need for a relatively large diameter exit diffuser associated with
centrifugal compressor
Centrifugal compressors, sometimes called impeller compressors or radial compressors, are a sub-class of dynamic axisymmetric work-absorbing turbomachinery.
They achieve pressure rise by adding energy to the continuous flow of fluid through th ...
s. The
impeller
An impeller, or impellor, is a driven rotor used to increase the pressure and flow of a fluid. It is the opposite of a turbine, which extracts energy from, and reduces the pressure of, a flowing fluid.
Strictly speaking, propellers are a sub-clas ...
can be machined from solid using NC machines, in much the same way as that of a centrifugal design.
Diagonal compressors were widely experimented during and just after
World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
, but did not see much service use. A diagonal-flow compressor is featured since 2001 in the
Pratt & Whitney Canada PW600 series
turbofan
A turbofan or fanjet is a type of airbreathing jet engine that is widely used in aircraft engine, aircraft propulsion. The word "turbofan" is a combination of references to the preceding generation engine technology of the turbojet and the add ...
engines used in the
Phenom 100
The Embraer EMB-500 Phenom 100 is a very light jet, very light (VLJ) business jet designed and produced by the Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer.
Announced in November 2005, it made its first flight on 26 July 2007 and was awarded a type c ...
,
Eclipse 500
The Eclipse 500 (model EA500) is a very light jet (VLJ) originally produced by Eclipse Aviation of Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States.
The company was founded in 1998 to develop the 1997 Williams V-Jet II demonstrator.
The prototype first ...
,
Cessna Citation Mustang and other
very light jet aircraft.
See also
*
Gas compressor
A compressor is a mechanical device that increases the pressure of a gas by reducing its volume. An air compressor is a specific type of gas compressor.
Many compressors can be staged, that is, the gas is compressed several times in steps or ...
Compressors
References
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