Course Title: AIRCRAFT PROPULSION AND

TURBO MACHINERY
TOPIC TITLE – 11.1 Work done and pressure rise, types
of velocity triangles, degree of reaction

Presenter’s Name – Dr. DUSSA GOVARDHAN

Presenter’s ID – IARE10086
Department Name – AERONAUTICAL ENGINEERING
Fig. 7. Axial flow compressor
Lecture Number - 32
Presentation Date – 08 April, 2025
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 WORKDONE BY A CENTRIFUGAL AIR
COMPRESSOR
Let p1 = Initial pressure of air
(before compression),
v1 = Initial volume of air
(before compression),
T1 = Initial temperature of air
(before compression
p2, v2, T2 = Corresponding values for the
final conditions (i.e. at the
delivery point), and
r = Pressure ratio (i.e. p2 /p1). Figure 2(a): p-v diagram

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 WORKDONE BY A CENTRIFUGAL AIR
COMPRESSOR

Figure 2(): T- s diagram

Figure 2(a): p-v diagram

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 WORKDONE BY A CENTRIFUGAL AIR
COMPRESSOR- ISOTHERMAL
Work done during isothermal
compression:
The isothermal compression and
delivery of air is shown by the graphs
BC1, and C1D respectively.
Now C1D represents the volume of air
delivered.
The work done by the compressor per
cycle,

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WORKDONE BY A CENTRIFUGAL AIR
COMPRESSOR

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 WORKDONE BY A CENTRIFUGAL COMPRESSOR
2. Work done during polytropie compression (pvn = Constant)

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WORKDONE BY A CENTRIFUGAL AIR
COMPRESSOR

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WORKDONE BY A CENTRIFUGAL AIR
COMPRESSOR

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 WORKDONE BY A CENTRIFUGAL AIR
COMPRESSOR
Work done during isentropic compression
The isentropic compression is shown by the curve BC2 in Fig. 2.
In this case, the volume of air delivered v2 is represented by the
line C2D. Work done on the air per cycle,

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WORKDONE BY A CENTRIFUGAL AIR
COMPRESSOR

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 WORKDONE BY A CENTRIFUGAL AIR
COMPRESSOR
1. In a centrifugal compressor, isothermal
compression (n = 1) requires the least work,
while isentropic compression (γ) requires the
most.
2. Isothermal compression is ideal but
impractical, as maintaining constant
temperature during compression is difficult.
3. It can be approached through air or water
cooling, water injection, or intercooling in multi-
stage compressors.

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 WORKDONE BY A CENTRIFUGAL AIR
COMPRESSOR
The power required to drive the compressor may be
obtained from the usual relation, P= W *N /60watts,
Where N is the speed of the compressor in r.p.m.

Note: The three different values of power are

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 VELOCITY TRIANGLES FOR MOVING BLADES
OF A CENTRIFUGAL COMPRESSOR
In centrifugal compressor, the
air enters radially and leaves
axially.
Moreover, the blades and
diffuser are so designed that
the air enters and leaves them
tangentially for the shockless
entry and exit.
Consider a stream of air,
entering the curved blade at C,
Fig 5: Velocity triangles for
and leaving it at D as shown in a centrifugal compressor.
Fig. 5
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VELOCITY TRIANGLES FOR MOVING BLADES
OF A CENTRIFUGAL COMPRESSOR

Fig 5: Velocity triangles for a centrifugal compressor.

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 VELOCITY TRIANGLES FOR MOVING BLADES
OF A CENTRIFUGAL COMPRESSOR
Vb = Linear velocity of the moving blade at inlet (BA),
V = Absolute velocity of the air entering the blade (AC),
Vr = Relative velocity of air to the moving blade at inlet
(BC). It is vectorial difference between V and
Vf, = Velocity of flow at inlet,
θ = Angle which the relative velocity (Vr) makes with
the direction of motion of the blade, and
Vb1, V1, Vr1, Vf 1, ϕ = Corresponding values at outlet.

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 VELOCITY TRIANGLES FOR MOVING BLADES
OF A CENTRIFUGAL COMPRESSOR
The force (N) in the direction of motion of blades.
F = Mass of air flowing in kg/s x
Change in the velocity of whirl in m/s
= m( Vw + Vw1 ) = m.Vw1 Since Vw =0,
Work done in the direction of motion of the blades,
W = Force x Distance
= mVw1 x Vb1 N-m/s or j/s

Power required to drive the compressor (P)

= Work done in J/s = mVw1 x Vb1 watts
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 VELOCITY TRIANGLES FOR MOVING BLADES
OF A CENTRIFUGAL COMPRESSOR
Notes:
1. The blade velocity at inlet (Vb) = πDN/60 and
At outlet (Vb1) = πD1N/60
where D and D1 are the internal and external
diameters of the impeller.
2. Under ideal conditions (or in other words for
maximum work) Vw1 = Vb1.

There fore ideal work done = mVw1 x Vb1

= m V2b1 = mV2w1 watts

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 DEGREE OF REACTION

1. A centrifugal compressor running at 2000 r.p.m.

receives air at 17oC. If the outer diameter of the blade
sip is 750 mm find the temperature of the air leaving the
compressor. Take Cp = I kJ/Kg K.
Solution.
Given: N = 2000 r.p.rn.; T1 = l7°C = 17+273 = 290K;
D1 =750 mm =0.75 m Cp = l kJ / kg K
Temperature of the air leaving the compressor
Let T2 = Temperature of the air leavingihe compressoi

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 DEGREE OF REACTION

The tangential velocity of the Outer blade tip

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 DEGREE OF REACTION

2. A rotary air compressor working between I bar and

2.5 bar has internal and external diameters of
impeller as 300 mm and 600 mm respectively. The
vane angle at inlet and outlet are 300 and 45°
respectively. The air enters the impeller at 15 m/s.
find: 1. speed of the impeller in rpm. And 2. Work
done by the compressor per kg of air.

Solution. p1 = 1 bar; *p2 =2.5 bar; D = 300 mm = 0.3 m ;

D1 = 600 m = 0.6 m θ = 30°; ϕ = 45° ;V= l5 m/s

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 DEGREE OF REACTION

Speed of the impeller

Let N = Speed of the impeller in r.p.m. From the inlet
velocity triangle, as shown in Fig.1, the blade velocity.

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 DEGREE OF REACTION

Work done by the compressor per kg of air

From the outlet triangle, as shown in Fig. 6, the blade
velocity at outlet,

Velocity of whirl at Outlet

Since the velocity of blade at outlet (51.96 mIs) is more than

velocity of whirl at outlet (36.96 m/s).
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 DEGREE OF REACTION

There fore shape of the outlet triangle will be as shown in

Fig.1. The work done by the compressor per kg of air

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WIDTH OF IMPELLER BLADES OF A CENTRIFUGAL
COMPRESSOR
The width of impeller blades at inlet or outlet of a rotary
air compressor is found out from the fact that mass of
air flowing through the blades at inlet and outlet is
constant.
Let b = Width of the impeller blades at inlet.
D = Diameter of impeller at inlet.
V1 = Velocity of flow at inlet,
Vs= Specific volume of air at inlet,
b1 , D1. Vf1, vs1 = Corresponding values at outlet, and
m = Mass of the air flowing through the impeller.
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WIDTH OF IMPELLER BLADES OF A CENTRIFUGAL
COMPRESSOR
The mass of air flowing through the impeller at inlet,
m = πD.b.Vf / Vs -----------------(i)
Similarly, mass of air flowing through the impeller at
outlet, m = πD1b1Vf1/Vs1 -----------------(ii)
Since the mass of air flowing through the impeller is
constant, therefore, πD1b1Vf1/Vs1 = πD1b1Vf1/Vs1
Note: When number (n) and thickness (b) of the
blades are considered.
The mass of air flowing through the impeller at inlet.
m = (πD – nb) Vf / Vs;
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 AXIAL FLOW AIR COMPRESSORS

An axial flow compressor, in its

simplest form, consists of a number of
rotating blade rows fixed to a rotating
drum.
The drum rotates inside an air tight
casing to which are fixed stator blade
rows, as shown in Fig. 7.
The blades are made of aerofoil
section to reduce the loss caused by
turbulence and boundary separation. Fig. 7. Axial flow compressor

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 AXIAL FLOW AIR COMPRESSORS

• The mechanical energy is provided to the

rotating shaft, which rotates the drum.
• As the drum rotates, air enters from the
left side of the compressor, the airflows
through the alternately arranged stator
and rotor.
• As the air flows from one set of stator and
rotor to another, it gets compressed.
• Thus successive compression of air, in all
sets of stator and rotor, the air is delivered Fig. 7. Axial flow compressor
at a high pressure at the outlet point.
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AXIAL FLOW AIR COMPRESSORS- MAJOR
COMPONETNS

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 AXIAL FLOW AIR COMPRESSORS:
ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES
S.No Advantages Disadvantages
1 Good efficiency over narrow rotational
High peak efficiency
speed range
2 Small frontal area for given Difficulty of manufacture and high cost
airflow
3 Straight-through flow, allowing Relatively high weight
high ram efficiency
4 Increased pressure rise due Limited up to 16 stages only due to
to increased number of stages temperature limitations
with negligible losses
5 High starting power requirements

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 AXIAL FLOW AIR COMPRESSORS:
APPLICATIONS
Axial compressors are integral to the
design of large gas turbines such as:
• Jet engines
• High speed ship engines
• Small scale power stations
• Air separation plants
• Blast furnace
• Fluid Catalytic Cracking
• Propane Dehydrogenation Plant
• LNG Plant

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 VELOCITY DIAGRAMS FOR AXIAL FLOW AIR
COMPRESSORS
In an axial flow compressor as shown
in figure3, the drum with rotor blades,
rotates inside a casing with a fixed of
stator blades.
The inlet and outlet velocity triangles
for the rotor blades and the general
relations between the inlet and outlet
velocity triangles are shown in Fig.
4(a) and (b). :

Fig 3: Axial flow compressor

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 SYMBOLS AND MEANING

Symbol Notation
Vb, Vb1 Blade Velocity at inlet and outlet
Vw, Vw1 Whirl velocity / tangential velocity at inlet and outlet
Vr, Vr1 Relative velocity of flow at inlet and outlet
Vf, Vf1 Flow velocity at inlet and outlet
β, β1 Blade angles at rotor inlet and outlet
α, α1 Flow angle at rotor inlet (relative) and outlet

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 VELOCITY DIAGRAMS FOR AXIAL FLOW AIR
COMPRESSORS
Fig 4a: Separate velocity
diagrams.

Fig 4(b): Combined velocity

diagram.

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 VELOCITY DIAGRAMS FOR AXIAL FLOW AIR
COMPRESSORS
1. Blade velocity (Vb) for both the triangles is equal.
2. Velocity of flow (V1) for both the triangles is also equal.
3. Relative velocity in outlet triangle(Vr1) is less than that in
inlet triangle (Vr) due to friction.

Notes: 1. Work done by the compressor per kg of air.

W = Vb (Vw1 -Vw) in N-m
2. When work input factor (WF) is given, then,
Work done by the compressor per kg of air
(W) = Vb (Vw1 - Vw) x W F
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VELOCITY DIAGRAMS FOR AXIAL FLOW AIR
COMPRESSORS

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 DEGREE OF REACTION

Degree of Reaction: It is defined as the ratio of

pressure rise in the rotor blades to the pressure
rise in the compressor in one stage.
The degree of reaction is a usually kept a 50%
or 0.5 for all types of axial flow compressors.
Mathematically, Degree of reaction
= Pressure rise in rotor blades /
Pressure rise in compressor

Degree of reaction = Fig. 4. Velocity diagrams for axial flow

compressor

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 Velocity Component Analysis (Geometry-Based)

From the geometry of the figure, we find that:

From the geometry of the figure, we also find that:

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 Velocity Component Analysis (Geometry-Based)

Substituting values from equations (ii) and (iii),

the degree of reaction R is:

For Degree of Reaction = 0.5

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 Velocity Component Analysis (Geometry-Based)

From the geometry of the figure:

Hence, for 50% reaction, the compressor will have

symmetrical blades:
• Inlet and outlet blade angles are equal.
• Ensures optimum aerodynamic performance
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