A Regenerative Compressor

A regenerative or peripheral compressor has been developed with aerodynamic blading in place of the usual straight radial vanes on the rotor. The blades are shrouded by a core, around which a helical toroidal flow path is established. Two compressors have been constructed, the first with a single row of blades and the second with two rows side by side to provide parallel counterrotating flow paths. The diameter of the impellers is 0.30 m. The characteristics of the compressor resemble those of a Rootes blower, with a steep variation of pressure with respect to flow rate. At a speed of 4000 rpm the isothermal efficiency reaches a maximum of 57 percent when the pressure ratio is 1.17 and the flow rate is 0.2 m³/s. When the flow rate is reduced by throttling to 0.165 m³/s the pressure ratio is raised to 1.50, but the isothermal efficiency is reduced to 44 percent. The theory, design, and development of the compressor are discussed.