Patent ID: 7604457

Claim:
A volute for use in a centrifugal compressor including an impeller, the volute comprising: a housing defining a central aperture, an inlet channel, and a fluid collecting channel, the central aperture adapted to receive the impeller such that the impeller discharges a fluid to the inlet channel, the inlet channel directing the flow to the collecting channel; a discharge portion coupled to the housing and including a discharge passage in fluid communication with the collecting channel to discharge the fluid; and a tongue portion disposed between the collecting portion and the discharge portion and operable to separate the fluid into a first flow that flows through the collecting channel and a second flow that flows through the discharge passage, wherein the tongue includes a leading edge that includes a fillet, and wherein the tongue defines a first wall portion and a second wall portion, and wherein the fillet defines a fillet size that varies between the first wall portion and the second wall portion.