Patent ID: 7581925
Filing Date: 2009-09-01
Classification: F04D,F05D

Abstract:
1. A diffuser for use in a centrifugal compressor including an impeller that discharges a high-velocity flow of fluid, the diffuser comprising: a platform including blade portion and defining a substantially circular aperture, the impeller disposed at least partially within the aperture such that the high-velocity fluid exits the impeller in directions that are substantially tangent to the blade portion; a vane extending from the platform and including a suction side, a pressure side, and a leading edge having a platform portion and a shroud portion, a majority of the shroud portion being disposed on the suction side of a line normal to the platform that passes through a center of the platform portion of the leading edge; and a shroud coupled to the shroud portion of the vane such that the vane, the platform, and the shroud cooperate to at least partially define two flow paths.