Centrifugal compressor technology explained

Companies that require a large supply of compressed air use our tried and tested centrifugal technology. At the heart of each machine is an individually designed impeller.  That's right: each machine is optimized for its power range. Each pressure variant has its own optimized impeller.  These impellers are built to last, which makes the centrifugal compressor a very reliable unit.

Centrifugal compressors are active in various industries: automotive, food, pharma, textile, power, renewable energy, waste water treatment, the chemical industry and oil and gas.

The core of the centrifugal compressor consists of 3 elements; 

Impeller: The air flow enters the impeller, where the rotating blades increase the kinetic energy of the air

Diffuser: The diffuser manipulates the air flow by gradually slowing down the air velocity and converting the kinetic energy into pressure. 

Volute:  The diffuser discharges in the collector – shaped as a snail shell- also known as the volute. In the volute, the air flow from the diffuser is collected and distributed to an outlet pipe.

Within the centrifugal compressors category, 3 main configurations are available:

• An axial multistage is running at a relatively low speed, mostly direct driven by an induction motor. Multiple impellers are lined up axially after each other to gradually build-up the pressure.
• Geared turbos are driven by an induction motor rotating at a relatively low speed. The radial impeller(s) are running at a high speed due to a gearbox transmission. Special bearings are required for these high speeds, mostly hydrodynamic bearings are used. Either single or multiple impellers can be installed depending on the required pressure and or flow.
• Highspeed turbos are radial turbos without the presence of any gears. The motor is directly driving the impeller. This means the motor needs to run at high speeds, requiring Permanent Magnet motor technology. To be reliable at these high speed, magnetic bearings are used to avoid any contact or wear.

In sensitive industry applications, reliable supply of oil-free air at lower pressures from 300 mbra(g) to 1.5 bar (g) is needed.
Oil-free air centrifugal blowers need to meet the rigorous standards expected in :

• Waste water treatment
• Food & Beverage
• Chemicals and Petrochemicals 
• Textiles
• General industry
• Power industry
• Mining

Variety of centrifugal blower solutions

There’s more than one configuration we can provide to meet the requirement of your application. No two projects are the same, and we realize that the initial investment cost or the total cost of ownership can also be a deciding factor. Our multistage centrifugal blowers are providing a simple, reliable solution that require a lower initial investment. Our highly efficient high speed centrifugal blowers ensure the lowest total cost of ownership.

For the process gas multistage cores up to 205 bar, we listen to the specific requirements of the client and provide a custom made core guaranteeing the most energy-efficient solution.

The demanding process requirements of the LNG, Chemical / Petrochemical and Gas Processing require robust, reliable centrifugal compressors ( also known as turbocompressors) that offer our customers dependable and efficient operation.

We can help you handle the pressure of your hydrocarbon process with single shaft and integrally-geared compressors ranging from one to eight stages. Our GT, T, RT and Companders are custom-engineered to perfectly fit your process needs. While our AeroBlock, PolyBlock and TurboBlock are standardized compressors for faster delivery.