CFD researches of centrifugal compressor stage vane diffusers in interests of math modeling

The paper presents results of CFD parametric study of centrifugal compressor stage vane diffusers in the Ansys CFX. The results obtained will be used to build a mathematical model of vane diffuser in optimization design system. Objects of research are vane diffusers with external relative diameter (relative to the diameter of the impeller) equal to 1.5; vane inlet angle of 20°; relative vane heights of 0.025, 0.034, 0.045, 0.06, and 0.08; and vane profile curvature angles of 10, 15, and 20 °. The characteristics of polytrophic efficiency, loss coefficient, recovery coefficient, ratio of inlet and outlet velocities, and flow deviation angle versus incidence angle are set. The analysis of the flow structure in the vane diffuser channels is presented. Unlike with a straight vane cascade, the deviation angle in the circular rows of vane diffusers tends to increase with increasing row density. This may be due to the complex nature of the interaction of the active part of the flow with separation zones. In rows with almost straight vanes at a lower density, the separation zone on the pressure side decreases and even shifts to the very end of the suction side.