Patent ID: 8839625

Claim:
A diffuser comprising: a first side including an axial facing tapered surface beginning at an inner radial position including a first depth and extending to an outer radial position having a second depth, the second depth being greater than the first depth, wherein the axially facing tapered surface is continuous along a radial cross section of the diffuser; a plurality of air flow channels defined by a plurality of vanes corresponding to the plurality of air flow channels, wherein the plurality of vanes extend axially away from the first side axial facing tapered surface along an axis defined by the diffuser; and a portion of the axial facing tapered surface defines a bottom side of each air flow channel, the plurality of air flow channels having a width between the corresponding plurality of vanes and wherein said first and second depth is defined from a top side of the corresponding plurality of vanes to the axial facing tapered surface, the width of the each of the airflow channels in the plurality of airflow channels varying relative to the depth along the same air flow channel such that a cross sectional area of each of the airflow channels in the plurality of airflow channels is constant through an entire length of said air flow channel.