Patent ID: 8657571

Claim:
A supersonic compressor rotor comprising: a rotor disk comprising a body extending between a radially inner surface and a radially outer surface; a plurality of vanes coupled to said body, said vanes extending outwardly from said rotor disk, adjacent said vanes forming a pair and oriented such that a flow channel is defined between each said pair of adjacent vanes, said flow channel extending between an inlet opening and an outlet opening; and at least one supersonic compression ramp positioned within said flow channel, said supersonic compression ramp configured to prevent a normal shockwave from being formed within said flow channel and to condition a fluid being channeled through said flow channel such that the fluid is characterized by a first velocity at said inlet opening and a second velocity at said outlet opening, each of said first velocity and said second velocity being supersonic with respect to said rotor disk surfaces, wherein said supersonic compression ramp comprises a compression surface extending between a leading edge and a trailing edge end said leading edge positioned closer to said inlet opening than said trailing edge, said trailing edge defining a throat region of said flow channel, said throat region having a minimum cross-sectional area of said flow channel, and wherein said trailing edge is positioned adjacent said outlet opening.