Abstract
As mentioned in Chapter 1, the function of a compressor is to increase the total pressure of the working fluid. According to the conservation law of energy, this total pressure increase requires external energy input, which must be added to the system in the form of mechanical energy. The compressor rotor blades exert forces on the working medium thereby increasing its total pressure. Based on efficiency and performance requirements, three types of compressor designs are applied. These are axial flow compressors, radial or centrifugal compressors, and mixed flow compressors. Axial flow compressors are characterized by a negligible change of the radius along the streamline in the axial direction. As a result, comparison of the contribution of the circumferential kinetic energy difference \((U^2_3 - U^2_2)/2\) to the pressure buildup is marginal. In contrast, the above difference is substantial for a radial compressor stage, where it significantly contributes to increasing the total pressure as discussed in Chapter 5.
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