Vermont Patent of the Month – January 2025
Concepts NREC has revolutionized turbomachinery with their innovative diffuser design, addressing long-standing challenges in centrifugal pump and compressor stages. Traditional diffusers rely on quasi-steady, axisymmetric flow assumptions, often leading to inefficiencies due to uneven flow distribution. This new diffuser breaks away from convention by introducing a unique arrangement of partial-height vanes, strategically affixed to the hub and shroud. These vanes overlap spanwise, creating a dynamic flow path that optimizes pressure recovery and minimizes losses.
The design features groupings of first and second partial-height vanes, circumferentially spaced and alternating in attachment points. This arrangement ensures smoother flow transitions, reducing turbulence and enhancing performance. Notably, the vanes are engineered with varying heights—some as low as 5% of the passage height—and staggered angles, allowing for precise control over flow behavior. The inclusion of biased passages, where certain passages are intentionally larger, further improves flow distribution, addressing the non-uniformity often seen in traditional designs.
What sets this diffuser apart is its adaptability. The vanes can be positioned in aperiodic arrangements, and the inclusion of elongate flowwise recesses in the hub or shroud surfaces adds another layer of flow control. This flexibility makes the diffuser suitable for a wide range of applications, from industrial compressors to advanced aerospace systems. By challenging the status quo of axisymmetric assumptions, Concepts NREC has created a diffuser that not only improves efficiency but also opens new possibilities for turbomachinery design. This breakthrough underscores the power of rethinking fundamental engineering principles to drive innovation.
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