Effect of impeller trailing edge shape to the

radial compressor performance

Cite as: AIP Conference Proceedings 2248, 030005 (2020); https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0013262
Published Online: 17 July 2020

Putra Adnan Fadilah, Firman Hartono, and Dadang Furqon Erawan

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AIP Conference Proceedings 2248, 030005 (2020); https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0013262 2248, 030005

© 2020 Author(s).
 Effect of Impeller Trailing Edge Shape to the Radial
Compressor Performance
Putra Adnan Fadilah1, a), Firman Hartono 2, b) and Dadang Furqon Erawan 3, c)
1
Aerodynamic Engineer, PT. Chroma International, Bandung, Jawa Barat 40263, Indonesia
2
Aero-Propulsion Lecturer, Institut Teknologi Bandung, Bandung, Jawa Barat 40132, Indonesia
3
Senior Aerodynamic Engineer, PT.Chroma International, Bandung, Jawa Barat 40263, Indonesia
a)
Corresponding author: putra@chromaintegrated.com
b)
firman7738@gmail.com
c)
dfe@chromaintegrated.com

Abstract. To design a radial compressor there are many geometry parameters that must be considered. Leading edge shape,
trailing edge shape and of course the shape of the unit blade itself. Geometry parameters of the impeller defined by its
operation condition. Radial compressor with high rotational velocity (high rpm) will have more looked down leading edge
than radial compressor that works in the lower rpm regime. The radial compressor with high pressure ratio usually has
more radial trailing edge than radial compressor with low pressure rise. In the designing radial compressor rotor, or its
commonly known as impeller, we can define the blade leading edge by using relative velocity and tangential velocity.
Defining blade leading edge usually more easier than defining traling edge section. There are several consideration before
we can define trailing edge shape of the impeller. Number of blade, flow angle out from the impeller and radius outer
impeller are some things that need to included in the calculation. In this study will be assessed the effect of trailing edge
shape (based on the beta angle) to the radial compressor performance especially on isentropic efficiency and the pressure
rise, CPR. By using CFD, Computational Fluid Dynamic, will be predicted and compare the trend line in every single
model of impeller trailing edge. With this study, hopefully. could make a kind of margin how far we can tolerate deviation
in at the trailing edge when we do the manufacturing process.

INTRODUCTION
This study about impeller trailing edge shape based on our research in developing single stage radial compressor.
In the developing radial compressor, there are many problems to get a high performance impeller. In beginning
development process, designed impeller can not give enough pressure ratio and have very low in efficiency. During
process design, it is obtained a will be CFD based, therefore the result from this study is only predicted trend. model
of impeller that can give high pressure ratio almost 5 in pressure rise and give slightly good efficiency 77%. Another
problem came when the latest model of designed impeller is joined with its diffuser, the predicted simulation shown
that the pressure rise is decrease dramatically from 5 to only 3.5 and not only the pressure rise the efficiency is has
same issues its decrease from 77% to only 55%. CFD analysis shown the suspect of the probelm is due to shock wave
that occur in the radial vanes. Development of the impeller then focus at the trailing edge section until we know the
problem is come from the shape / configuration of the impeller trailing edge itself. According to Liam Barr and Stephen
Spence in ref. [6] there is significant effect by changging the the swept angle of impeller trailling edge to the pressure
ratio. Another study by Tie Wang, Cheng Peng, and Jing Wu in ref [7] indicate that isentropical efficiency also affected
by trailling edge shape of the impeller. M. Genrup in ref [8] investigated the effect of different back sweep angle and
its effect to the exducer flow pattern, more regular flow pattern at impeller exducer is predicted can increase the
impeller performance.
By varying the trailing edge shape, it is obtained that the major performance parameter such as temperature,
velocity and flow angle is changing significantly. Therefore in this study will be focus to analyze impeller trailing
edge shape, there are several model of trailing edge that will be assessed. The basis model of the trailing edge use

THERMOFLUID X
AIP Conf. Proc. 2248, 030005-1–030005-10; https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0013262
Published by AIP Publishing. 978-0-7354-2007-6/$30.00

030005-1
radial model, then the radial model is modified by two different model forward and backward model in the same
operation condition.

Type of Impeller Based on Trailing Edge Shape

Based on the trailing edge shape, there are three types of impeller, radial impeller with straight blade trailing edge,
backward type, and forward blade type. Radial impeller type has beta angle 90 degrees, swept backward impeller has
beta angle less than 90 degree and the last type is swept forward has beta angle higher than 90 deg. The type of the
impeller is shown in the Fig. 1 as follow;

FIGURE 1. Type of impeller based its trailing edge shape [1]

Relation and Equation to Define Impeller Geometry

In this study will be discussing the effect of trailing edge shape on the radial compressor performance, it is good
to take a look at the basic equation that usually use to design an impeller. The following equation will show the relation
between outlet flow angle (beta 2) has effect on impeller blade number and compressor performance.

FIGURE 2. Typical velocity triangle in radial compressor, inducer part [1]

2 𝜋 𝑟𝑖ℎ 𝑁
Flow angle (β1) at hub is denoted by 𝛽ℎ = 𝑡𝑎𝑛−1 ( ) (1)
𝐶1
−1 2 𝜋 𝑟𝑖𝑡 𝑁
Flow angle (β1) at tip is denoted by 𝛽𝑡 = 𝑡𝑎𝑛 ( ) (2)
𝐶1
𝐶1 is flow velocity entering the compressor inlet, r is impeller radius, N is rotational velocity (rev/s). For the exducer
section can be represented at Fig. 3.

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 FIGURE 3. Typical velocity triangle in radial compressor, inducer and exducer part [1]

For the initial calculation by taking assumption 𝐶1 = 𝐶𝑟2 , therefore velocity at impeller exducer can be derived as;
𝐶𝑤2 = 𝜎 𝑈 (3)
Where 𝜎, is slip factor, in the initial design value of the slip factor between 0.8-0.9.
𝑈 = 𝜋 𝑟𝑒 𝑁 (4)
For predicting the flow angle entering diffuser we can use the equation;
𝐶
𝛼 = 𝑡𝑎𝑛−1 ( 𝑟2 ) (5)
𝐶𝑤2
Another geometry parameters that can be calculated by initial design equation is the depth of the exducer, by using
this following equation and relations;
𝐴
𝑏= (6)
𝜋 𝐷𝑒
Where,
𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝑓𝑙𝑜𝑤 𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑒
𝐴= (7)
𝜌2 𝐶𝑟2
𝑃2
𝜌2 = (8)
𝑅𝑇2
For the density and static pressure at impeller exducer obtained by parametric cycle calculation using aerothermal
relations. For calculating blade number we can use approach equation as following;
0.63 𝜋⁄𝑍
𝜎 =1− (9)
1−𝜙2 𝑡𝑎𝑛−1 𝛽2
Where,
𝐶𝑟2
𝜙2 = ⁄𝑈 (10)
2

CASES TO BE ANALYZED
There are at least 5 cases that will be analyzed in this study. The first case is about baseline case with radial type
impeller. The second case is derivative cases from case number 1, in the second and third case the baseline impeller
will be modified at the trailing edge section. For the case number four and five, it will analyze about the effect in
simple geometry to the overall radial compressor performance. Here in the table below is summarized all of the cases
that studied in this paper.

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 TABLE 1. Cases to be Analyzed, Several Models of TE Impeller

Cases to be Analyzed
No. Case Trailing Edge Geometry

1 Baseline case with radial TE

2 Swept Forward TE

3 Swept Backward TE

4 Step Forward TE

5 Step Backward TE

COMPUTATIONAL SIMULATION
CFD, Computational Fluid Dynamic, is used to help simulating of each impeller model with different trailing edge
shapes. CFD software that used in this research is NUMECA FINE/Turbo. With NUMECA FINE/Turbo the model
of the impeller only needs one section and it will be automatically replicated with the software. FINE/Turbo also
provide kind of workbench that very helpful to define computational domain such as shroud, hub, leading-edge,
trailing edge, pressure side, and suction side of the impeller blade.

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 Computational Domain
The computational domain uses standard impeller domain, with only one passage and applying periodic boundary
condition to make the full configuration simulation. The following figure shows the computational domain used in
this research.

FIGURE 4. Standard Impeller Domain that used in the Simulation

Meshing
In this study we fully structured mesh that generated with Autogrid. Choosing the structured mesh because of with
structured mesh numerical calculation become more faster that unstructured mesh type. The mesh that generated is
depicted in the figure below.

FIGURE 5. Fully Structured Mesh Generating with Autogrid

Defining Boundary Condition and Running

Defining boundary condition is final step before doing numerical calculation. Boundary condition is kind of initial
value that guess the solution of the numerical calculation. In the inlet use imposed value in atmospheric condition
therefore the solution is running in ambient condition, for the rpm, we imposed the certain value of designed rpm. For
the outlet boundary condition the value is guess with analytical calculation. The simulation condition of each cases
setting to be same. Use Spalart Allmaras flow model in steady state simulation model. Simulation is running until the
difference between mass flow inlet and mass flow outlet below 1 % and the residual below -6 (using NUMECA
standard convergence criteria).

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 FIGURE 6. Mass flow convergence history (left) and residuel error curve (right)

SIMULATION RESULT
In this section, it will be discussed about simulation result for each impeller trailing edge configuration. For radial,
backward, forward, step backward, and step forward. The simulation is done using FINE/Turbo, dedicated solver for
turbomachinary or rotating machinery platform. The simulation condition is running with 98000 RPM, inlet condition
is ambient and the guess value for outlet is 220000 Pa.

FIGURE 7. CFD simulation result, flow velocity stream line (left) and total pressure contour (right)

Based on simulation result that conducting on several model impeller with have different shape of trailing edge it
is obtained that the forward swept impeller can give more higher pressure ratio than radial type and backward type.

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 TABLE 2. Simulation Result for Each Trailing Edge Model

No Model Case Parameter Performance Simulation Result unit

Mass flow rate 0.895 Kg/s

Efficiency 72 %
1 Baseline Radial Pressure rise (CPR) 4.6 [N/A]
Outlet Mach Number 1.06 Mach
Required Torque 19.1 Nm

Mass flow rate 0.84 Kg/s

Efficiency 69 %
2 Swept Forward Pressure rise (CPR) 5.1 [N/A]
Outlet Mach Number 1.12 Mach
Required Torque 20.4 Nm

Mass flow rate 0.9 Kg/s

Efficiency 77 %
3 Swept Backward Pressure rise (CPR) 4.2 [N/A]
Outlet Mach Number 0.99 Mach
Required Torque 16.87 Nm

Mass flow rate 0.9 Kg/s

Efficiency 71 %
4 Step Forward Pressure rise (CPR) 5 [N/A]
Outlet Mach Number 1.12 Mach
Required Torque 20 Nm

Mass flow rate 0.87 Kg/s

Efficiency 73 %
5 Step Backward Pressure rise (CPR) 4.4 [N/A]
Outlet Mach Number 1.02 Mach
Required Torque 17.82 Nm

Based on the comparison that shown in the Fig. 8. It is show tendency backward configuration (model number 3)
have less pressure ratio, less exit Mach number, and highest efficiency compare to forward and radial model. Forward
model, compared to another model, have highest pressure ratio, highest exit mach number but lowest efficiency. In
the figure below depicted the comparison between swept blade model and step blade model. The swept model is
originally made by blade designer model to create a blade with swept configuration in example swept forward and

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swept backward. The step model is simplify model of swept configuration. The step model use radial trailing edge
model then the fraction of trailing edge be bent to make step forward model or step backward model.

(a)

(b)

(c)

FIGURE 8. Comparison Impeller Performance (CPR-(a), Mach number-(b), and efficiency-(c)) between model 1,2
and 3.

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 FIGURE 9. Comparison performance between swept forward and step forward

By the comparison of swept forward and step forward model, we can assess that the deviation performance between
both models is only around 2-3%. For the backward configuration, the deviation between swept and step is around
5%.

FIGURE 10. Comparison performance between swept backward and step Backward

CONCLUSION
The simulation result of several model impeller trailing edge give some interesting things. It is found that the
forward swept configuration will have the highest pressure rise, the highest exit Mach number and the lowest
efficiency compared to backward and radial. The Backward model will have highest efficiency compare to another
model and for radial has moderate performance than other models. Furthermore, the simulation method also shows
that we can modify a radial compressor to have new characteristics become swept forward or backward by only bent
the trailing edge in certain angle.

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 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Author would like to acknowledge an insightful discussion regarding Dr. Firman Hartono and Dr. Dadang Furqon
Erawan as second and third author at once advisor in this study of assessing the effect of trailing edge impeller shape
to the radial compressor performance

REFERENCES
1. Q.H. Nagpurwala, Design of Centrifugal Compressor, M S Ramaiah School of Advance Studies, part 1-2.
2. Justin Jongsik Oh, “The effect of Blade Fillets on Aerodynamic Performance of a High Pressure Ratio Centrifugal
Compressor”, 1964, pp. 15–64.
3. W.-K. Chen, Linear Networks and Systems, CA: Wadsworth, 1993, pp. 123–135.
4. H. Poor, “An Introduction to Signal Detection and Estimation”. New York: Springer-Verlag, 1985, ch. 4.
5. Firman Hartono, “Parametric Cycle Analysis”, Propulsion Class Material, 2015.
6. Liam, B. And Stephen, S., “Design and Analysis of a Radial Turbine with Back Swept Blading”, Fluid Machinery
and Fluid Mechanics, pp. 115-121.
7. Tie, W., Cheng, P., and Jing, W., “Back Swept Angle Performance Analysis of Centrifugal Compressor”,
MECHINKA, 2014, vol. 402-406.
8. M. Genrup, “Numerical Investigation of the Effect of Different Back Sweep Angle and Exducer Width on the
Impeller Outlet Flow Pattern of a Centrifugal Compressor with Vaneless Diffuser”, Journal of Turbomachinery,
2007, vol. 129.

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