Effects of Diffuser Vane Geometry on Interaction Noise Generated from a Centrifugal Compressor

The characteristics of interaction tone noise radiated from a centrifugal compressor with a vaned diffuser are discussed by experiments, including visualization techniques using the oil-film method. Research attention is paid to the leading edge geometries of the diffuser vanes that are deeply related to the generation mechanism of the interaction tone noise. The compressor-radiated noise can be reduced by several decibels by setting some clearances in both the hub and shroud surfaces of the diffuser wall along with some decline in the pressure-rise coefficient. Since the decline turned out to be caused by the flow impingement and also by the secondary flow within the diffuser passages, several new types of diffuser vane geometries which do not detract from both the performance and noise level are developed and utilized for the experiments. The presented diffuser vane geometries will offer a few basic guidelines for the diffuser vane design.