International Journal of Fluid Mechanics & Thermal Sciences

2020; 6(3): 79-88

http://www.sciencepublishinggroup.com/j/ijfmts
doi: 10.11648/j.ijfmts.20200603.12
ISSN: 2469-8105 (Print); ISSN: 2469-8113 (Online)

Computational Investigation of Flow in a Centrifugal

Impeller with Chamfered Blade Tips: Effects of Stage
Loading and Tip Clearance
Nekkanti Sitaram1, *, Vanamala Ushasri2
1
Department of Mechanical Engineering, IIT Madras, Chennai, India
2
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Osmania University, Hyderabad, India

Email address:
*
Corresponding author

To cite this article:

Nekkanti Sitaram, Vanamala Ushasri. Computational Investigation of Flow in a Centrifugal Impeller with Chamfered Blade Tips: Effects of
Stage Loading and Tip Clearance. International Journal of Fluid Mechanics & Thermal Sciences. Special Issue: Fluid Mechanics & Thermal
Sciences in Turbomachines. Vol. 6, No. 3, 2020, pp. 79-88. doi: 10.11648/j.ijfmts.20200603.12

Received: May 18, 2020; Accepted: July 13, 2020; Published: August 13, 2020

Abstract: The objective of the present investigation is to examine the possibility of performance improvement, improvement
of the exit flow uniformity and desensitization of the tip clearance effects on the performance of a low speed centrifugal
impeller. Computational investigations using a commercial CFD software are undertaken. Six configurations of blade tips are
investigated. They are square tip (Basic), tip chamfered on pressure surface (P1 and P2), tip chamfered on suction surface (P1
and P2) and tip chamfered on pressure and suction surfaces (PS1). Computations are carried out with optimized multiblock
grids for these six configurations at five flow coefficients, namely 0.28 and 0.34 (below design flow coefficient), 0.42 (design
flow coefficient) and 0.48 and 0.52 (above design flow coefficient) and at three values of tip clearance, viz., 1% (small value),
2% (nominal value) and 5% (large value) of the blade exit height. From the investigations, it is found that the impeller with the
chamfer on suction surface shows small improvement in performance. In addition this configuration has minimum tip
clearance sensitivity. A decrease in the chamfer on suction surface further may improve the impeller performance. A maximum
percentage of 0.18% improvement in the total pressure coefficient is obtained at 5% tip clearance and a flow coefficient of 0.52
for configuration S2. However chamfer on the pressure surface deteriorates the impeller performance.
Keywords: Centrifugal Impeller, Chamfered Blade Tip, Computational Fluid Dynamics, Performance Improvement

change in the geometry in the tip region alters the flow field
1. Introduction in this region. Computational investigation of flow field in a
The centrifugal compressor is widely used in process centrifugal impeller with chamfered blade tips is carried out
industries, turbochargers, small gas turbine engines, etc. The in the present paper, to examine the possibility of
inherent advantages of centrifugal compressor are high performance improvement, improvement of the exit flow
pressure ratio per stage, compactness, light weight design, uniformity and desensitization of the tip clearance effects.
low mass flow applications, reasonable efficiency, large The curvature of centrifugal compressor impeller blade
surge margin and low cost. The flow field in the centrifugal channels, along with strong rotational forces and tip clearance
impeller is influenced by the complex curvature of the between the rotating impeller and stationary casing generates
impeller blades, the rotational forces, and clearance between secondary flows in unshrouded impellers that transport low
the rotating impeller and stationary casing. To achieve any momentum fluid into the mainstream of the impeller passage.
improvement of flow field in this region, the flow Boundary layer separation on casing and suction surface of the
phenomenon in the passage is to be analysed and well impeller blade and secondary flow in the impeller passage lead
understood. The blade loading near the tip of the blade is to the formation of wake on the suction surface near casing.
high and the leakage losses in this region are significant. The The losses and flow distortions in the impeller passage are
 International Journal of Fluid Mechanics & Thermal Sciences 2020; 6(3): 79-88 80

mainly due to the wake formation. The tip clearance flow efficiency and in the total pressure becomes smaller in the
interacts with the low momentum fluid resulting in highly following order: R-type, S-type, and E-type. This
three-dimensional complex flow pattern both inside the improvement is attributed to the increased contraction
impeller blade passage and impeller exit. coefficient of leakage flow. Sitaram and Swamy [12] also
However, small improvement in the flow uniformity carried out similar investigations with partial shroud on the
reduces the total pressure loss due to mixing in the vaneless pressure surface side of the impeller blade tip of the present
space of the diffuser. Johnson and Moore [1] noticed centrifugal impeller and reported similar findings.
convection of low energy fluid by the secondary flow, and Senthil and Sitaram [13] experimentally studied the
formation of wake in the casing/suction side corner region of performance of a low speed centrifugal compressor by means
the passage. Senoo [2] and Sitaram and Sridhara [3] had of squealer tips and found that the squealer tip improve the
carried out comprehensive reviews on pressure losses and compressor performance. They observed increase in energy
flow field distortion induced by tip clearance flows in coefficient and efficiency with squealer tips on pressure or
centrifugal compressors. The tip clearance between the suction surface. Recently Da Soghe et al. [14] carried out
impeller blades and casing can be varied by radial, axial or numerical studies on the effects of various tip recessed
both radial and axial movement of the casing. Hayami [4] geometries at two values of tip clearances on the performance
carried out experiments on tip clearance effects on a of a transonic centrifugal compressor. Based on the results,
transonic centrifugal compressor. The high pressure ratio further computations were carried out with a single rim tip
centrifugal compressor is tested with three kinds of squealer geometry, which had shown performance
distribution of tip clearance along the impeller shroud. The improvements for all the computed conditions. Jung et al. [15]
distribution was changed by reforming the shroud casing in carried out steady computations for three different blade tip
the inducer portion, or by the axial movement of the shroud geometries over the whole operating range. A flat tip blade
casing relative to the impeller, or by a combination of two was used as a baseline case to assess two different recessed
methods. He found that the radial movement of the shroud blade geometries. It was found that recessed blade tip designs
reduces the flow range; the combined clearance reduces the improved the total-to-total pressure ratio and efficiency over
efficiency more than two times the case of the axial whole operating range. The recessed tips were also effective in
movement of the shroud casing. In many cases, clearance is reducing the tip leakage flow. Recently Mahajan et al. [16] had
changed by axial movement of the casing as it is the most carried out computations on a transonic centrifugal compressor
practical way and also the loss in efficiency is small. with a winglet on the suction side of the impeller blade near its
Pampreen [5] reported a drop of 0.3% in efficiency for 1% tip. They had shown that the isentropic efficiency of the
increase in the relative tip clearance. Sitaram and Pandey [6] impeller with winglet was improved compared to the reference
carried out performance tests and rotor exit surveys at three impeller.
tip clearances and six flow coefficients and reported similar Extensive work is carried out on the effect of tip geometry
findings. The effect of tip leakage has been studied on modification on flow properties and heat transfer properties
centrifugal compressor with tip clearance by Farge et al. [7]. for axial flow turbines. But such studies on centrifugal
They reported that with tip clearance, significant changes in compressors are limited and there is a vast scope for further
the secondary velocities alter the size and position of the research. In the present paper, computational study is
passage wake. Senoo and Ishida [8] reported that in case of conducted to analyse the effects of tip geometry in the
impellers with radial blades, the blade loading is proportional centrifugal impeller by chamfering blade tip. Both winglet or
to the flow rate and the leakage loss is increased with the partial shroud and squealer tip are made of extremely thin
flow rate. Ubaldi et al. [9] concluded that turbulence kinetic material. Hence they are structurally weak when used in high
energy is very high on the pressure side of the blade wake, speed centrifugal compressors. Chamfer of the tip does not
where the jet has originated, and is lower on the suction side. adversely weaken the impeller blade. Thus chamfering of the
Hathaway and Wood [10] used three-dimensional viscous blade tip is a better option if the improvement in the pressure
code in their computational investigation of NASA low speed rise is atleast comparable to that obtained with winglet,
centrifugal compressor flow field. They concluded that partial shroud and squealer tip.
increasing grid density in the tip gap by a factor of 6.5 Hence the present investigation is undertaken to
resulted in no difference in predicted tip clearance overall computationally study the effect of chamfer of the tip of a
flow nor in the chord wise distribution of the clearance flow. low speed centrifugal impeller on the performance
A fairly coarse grid used seems perfectly adequate. improvement and de-sensitization of tip clearance effects
The blade loading at the tip of the blade is high, and the using CFD. The objective is to use impeller tip chamfering as
change in the geometry of the tip may change the tip leakage a mean to improve the performance of the impeller in terms
behavior and its associated losses. Ishida et al. [11] have of increased pressure rise, increased efficiency, and increased
conducted performance tests using unshrouded centrifugal stability and operating range. It is also examined if
impeller blades for three blade tip configurations, namely chamfering will improve the uniformity of exit flow and
round edge (R-type), sharp square edge (S-type), and edge desensitize the tip clearance effects. The computations are
with a short end plate on the pressure surface side of the carried out using a commercial CFD software, namely
impeller blade tip (E-type). The rate of reduction in impeller TASCflow3d. The computations are carried out at five flow
81 Nekkanti Sitaram and Vanamala Ushasri: Computational Investigation of Flow in a Centrifugal Impeller with
Chamfered Blade Tips: Effects of Stage Loading and Tip Clearance

coefficients, above, near and below design flow coefficients obtaining finer details in the boundary layers, four blocks of
at three values (nominal, normal and large) of tip clearance. fine grid around the blade is used for all cases. The multi grid
The computations are carried out at six impeller tip block topology used for centrifugal compressor main passage
configurations, namely basic square tip configuration, with at blade mid span is shown in Figures 3 and 4. Total pressure
small and large chamfers on the suction and pressure surfaces with boundary layer profile is used for inlet boundary
and chamfer on both suction and pressure surfaces. condition. Mass flow rate is given at outlet. The mass flow
rate is calculated from the chosen flow coefficient. As single
2. Description of the Research Work passage with half the pitch on either side of the blade is
solved, periodic boundary conditions are employed on the
2.1. Impeller Details sides of the domain. Rotating frame of reference is employed
for the entire domain. For the stationary casing, no slip
Computational study of the flow behavior in a low speed condition with absolute zero velocity is used. The impeller
centrifugal impeller with tip clearance and chamfered tips was blade is rotating with an angular velocity of the domain. The
carried out in the present paper. The design details of the hub up to the blade trailing edge is rotating with an angular
impeller used in the present investigation are given in Table 1. velocity of the domain. The hub from the trailing edge of the
Table 1. Design details of the impeller.
blade to the exit of the domain is given the boundary
condition as stationary wall. Standard k-ε turbulence model
Rotor speed, N 2000 rpm is used for the closure. Inlet turbulence intensity is taken as
Design volume flow, V 1.12 m3/s
Design pressure rise, ∆p 300 mm
2%. TASCflow3d software is used for obtaining the solution.
Shape number, Nsh=N (V)0.5/60(W)0.75 0.09
Inducer hub diameter, d1h 160 mm
Blade angle at inducer hub, β1h 53°
Inducer tip diameter, d1t 300 mm
Blade angle at inducer tip, β1t 35°
Impeller tip diameter, d2 500 mm
Blade angle at exit, β2 90°
Blade height at the exit, h2 34.7 mm
No. of impeller blades, Nb 16
Thickness of the blade, t 3 mm
Vaneless diffuser exit diameter, D4 600 mm
All angles are with respect to the tangential direction.

2.2. Computational Details

Centrifugal impeller with the above specifications is shown

in Figure 1. Taking periodic boundary conditions, a single
passage of the impeller with inlet at 50 mm ahead of the
impeller and outlet at a distance of 35 mm downstream of
impeller is modeled. The passage considered is half the blade Figure 1. Three dimensional view of the centrifugal impeller.
spacing on either side of the blade. Computational domain of
single passage along with boundary conditions is shown in
Figure 2. For the centrifugal impeller geometry modeling,
BladeGen software is used. In the present study the blade
coordinates at twelve spanwise locations are considered for
obtaining good geometric definition of the blade. Casing is
designed with a clearance of 0.35 mm corresponding to 1% of
the relative tip clearance throughout the blade length. Three
values of tip clearance of 1%, 2% and 5% of blade exit height
are obtained by moving the casing axially. By the axial
adjustment of the casing, the clearance near the leading edge of
the inducer changes very little. Tip clearance of 1% may be
considered as the minimum possible value, 2% as the normal
clearance and 5% as the large clearance for this compressor.
For the grid generation TurboGrid software is used.
Structured multi block grid with 11 blocks consisting of a
total 527,201 elements (optimum grid for 2% clearance and
0.42 flow coefficient) is used for the 1%, 2% and 5%
clearance models. The tip clearance region over the blade is
modeled with 3 blocks with a total of 129,297 elements. For Figure 2. Computational domain of single passage.
 International Journal of Fluid Mechanics & Thermal Sciences 2020; 6(3): 79-88 82

Figure 3. Passage grid block structure near leading edge at blade mid span.

Figure 4. Passage grid block structure near trailing edge at blade mid span.

two dimensions are same as those of S1 configuration. For

2.3. Chamfered Tips PS1, the blade tip is cut on both pressure and suction surfaces.
In the present study, tip modifications are made to the On pressure surface the blade tip is cut in three directions, 5
above basic centrifugal impeller to investigate their effects on mm along blade height, 20 mm along blade pressure surface
the flow. Tip chamfering is the removal of material from the away from trailing edge and 1/3rd (1 mm) of blade thickness
blade tip. The details of the five configurations of chamfered along blade thickness direction. The blade tip is also cut on
tips studied are given below. suction surface in three directions, 5 mm along blade height,
Two configurations of blade tips with chamfer on pressure 20 mm along blade suction surface away from trailing edge
surface, P1 and P2 are analysed. In case P1, the blade tip is and 1/3rd (1 mm) of blade thickness along blade thickness
cut in three directions, 5 mm along blade height, 20 mm direction. The length of chamfer is kept constant at 20 mm
along blade pressure surface away from trailing edge and for all tip configurations. This corresponds to a radius ratio of
1/3rd (1 mm) of blade thickness along blade thickness 0.92. The impeller blade height is constant from radius ratio
direction. In case P2, the blade tip is chamfered with 2/3rd (2 of 0.92 to 1 (impeller tip). The tip clearance flows are strong
mm) of blade thickness along blade thickness direction and in this region. Figure 5 shows the impeller blade with
the other two dimensions of chamfer are same as those of P1 different tip configurations: basic (without chamfer), P1, P2,
configuration. Two geometries of blade tip with chamfer on PS1, S1 and S2.
suction surface, S1 and S2 are analyzed. In case S1, the blade
tip is cut in three directions, 5 mm along blade height, 20 mm 3. Results and Discussion
along blade suction surface away from trailing edge and 1/3rd
(1 mm) of blade thickness along blade thickness direction. In The results obtained from the computational study are
case S2, the blade tip is chamfered with 2/3rd (2 mm) of blade presented and discussed in the following sections. For the
thickness along the blade thickness direction and the other sake of brevity, computational results for the case of design
83 Nekkanti Sitaram and Vanamala Ushasri: Computational Investigation of Flow in a Centrifugal Impeller with
Chamfered Blade Tips: Effects of Stage Loading and Tip Clearance

flow coefficient of 0.42 and nominal tip clearance of 2% are increased grid in tip clearance region), 727,268 elements
presented and discussed in detail. However the values of the (grid is increased by 1.8 times in all three directions), and
total pressure coefficient for the ninety cases (six 982,400 (medium grid with very fine grid in tip clearance
configurations, five flow coefficients and three tip clearances) region) are used. The results of grid independency studies are
are compared to arrive at the best configuration. shown in Table 2. From the results, it is observed that the
computed values for grid of 527,201 elements are close to the
3.1. Grid Independency Studies computed values with grids of 727,268 and 982,400 elements.
In order to study the effect of grid independency, the grid As the time taken is also moderate, grid of 527,201 elements
size in the domain is increased till the effect of grid on the is taken as the optimum grid. Hence all computations are
results is very small. The grid dependency studies are carried carried out with the grid of 527,201 elements. The grid
out for the impeller with 2% tip clearance at the design flow independency studies clearly demonstrate that any changes in
coefficient of 0.42. Coarse grid of 129,522 elements, medium the performance of the impeller are not due to grid
grid of 426,201 elements (grid is increased by 1.5 times in all inadequacy but due to chamfer only.
three directions), 527,201 elements (medium grid with
Table 2. Results of grid independency study at φ=0.42 and τ=2%.

Grid Size ψo % Change+ % Change* ψS % Change+ % Change* Computation Time in Hours

129,522 1.5827 - - 0.7612 - - 1.7
426,201 1.5932 0.67 0.67 0.7625 0.17 0.17 5.4
527,201 1.5968 0.89 0.23 0.7651 0.51 0.34 9.1
727,268 1.5973 0.92 0.03 0.7660 0.63 0.12 15.5
982,400 1.5975 0.93 0.01 0.7654 0.56 -0.08 62.2
+
The percentage changes are with respect to the smallest grid size. * The percentage changes are with respect to the previous grid size.

Figure 5. Details of blades with chamfered tips (All dimensions in mm)

3.2. Effect of Chamfered Tips on the Performance of coefficient for various configurations is clearly shown in the
Centrifugal Compressor inset. The improvement in the performance is observed with
suction surface chamfer, but decrease in performance is
The centrifugal impeller blade is chamfered at its tip and observed with pressure surface chamfer.
the effect of chamfer on flow behavior is analysed.
Centrifugal impeller with five chamfered tip configurations
at five flow coefficients 0.28, 0.34, 0.42, 0.48 and 0.52 are
analysed for three tip clearances, i.e. 1%, 2% and 5% of exit
blade height. The variation in flow parameters of impellers
with five tip configurations is compared with the parameters
of basic impeller without chamfer. The effects of blade tip
chamfer provided on pressure and suction surfaces on the
flow field are analysed. For the sake of brevity,
computational results for the case of design flow coefficient
of 0.42 and nominal tip clearance of 2% are presented and
discussed in detail. However the values of the total pressure
coefficient for the ninety cases (six configurations, five flow
coefficients and three tip clearances) are compared to arrive
at the best configuration.
The performance curves drawn from mass averaged total Figure 6. Mass averaged total pressure coefficient across the exit of the
pressure coefficients for the impellers with six tip impeller with different blade tip chamfers at R=1.016, τ=2%.
configurations with 2% tip clearance are shown in Figure 6.
The total pressure coefficient is maximum at the flow At lower flow coefficients, the performance of impeller with
coefficient of 0.34. The order of variation in total pressure S1 tip is slightly lower than the performance curve of the
 International Journal of Fluid Mechanics & Thermal Sciences 2020; 6(3): 79-88 84

impeller with square tip. At higher flow coefficients, the contours for impellers of six tip configurations.
performance of impeller with S1 tip is slightly higher than the
performance curve of the impeller with square tip. The mass 3.3.2. Contours of Static Pressure Coefficients
averaged total pressure coefficient difference for the impellers
with P1 and PS1 are less than the mass averaged total pressure
coefficient difference of the impeller with square tip.
The performance curves drawn from mass averaged static
pressure rise coefficients (difference between exit and inlet
static pressures) for the impellers with six tip configurations
with 2% tip clearance are shown in Figure 7. The impeller
with S2 tip indicates highest performance. The impeller with
P2 tip shows poor performance whereas impeller with S1 tip
gives slightly improved performance. The performance of
impeller with PS1 and P1 tips is same as the performance of
with the impeller with square tip. The order of variation in
static pressure rise coefficient for various configurations is
clearly shown in the inset.

Figure 8. Contours of total pressure coefficient at radial location R=0.984,

τ=2%, φ=0.42.

Figure 7. Mass averaged static pressure rise coefficient across the exit of the
impeller with different blade tip chamfers at R=1.016, τ=2%.

The effect of chamfered tips on the flow field is presented in

the following sections. Contours of total and static pressure
coefficients, velocity vectors and relative flow angles at a
radius ratio of 0.984 (inside the impeller passage near the tip)
for the six tip configurations with a tip clearance of 2% at the
flow coefficient of 0.42 are presented and discussed.
3.3. Effect of Chamfered Tips on the Flow Field of
Centrifugal Compressor

3.3.1. Contours of Total Pressure Coefficients

For the impeller with 2% clearance at flow coefficient 0.42,
the total pressure coefficient contours at a radial ratio of
0.984, just before the trailing edge of the impeller is shown in
Figure 8. The total pressure coefficient is reducing from
blade tip to casing on the pressure side of the blade due to the
boundary layer effect on stationary casing. In the tip gap the
total pressure coefficient near the casing is very low.
On the suction side of the blade, the total pressure
Figure 9. Contours of static pressure coefficient at radial location R=0.984,
coefficient increases from low total pressure coefficient at τ=2%, φ=0.42.
casing to the tip of the blade. Total pressure coefficient of the
fluid is reduced in the tip gap and this low total pressure fluid For the impeller with 2% clearance at flow coefficient 0.42,
is mixing with the fluid in the suction side of the blade. There the static pressure coefficient contours at a radial radius of
is very little change observed in the total pressure coefficient
85 Nekkanti Sitaram and Vanamala Ushasri: Computational Investigation of Flow in a Centrifugal Impeller with
Chamfered Blade Tips: Effects of Stage Loading and Tip Clearance

0.984, just before the trailing edge of the impeller are shown the tip gap. The relative flow angles are increasing on
in Figure 9. The static pressure coefficient on the pressure pressure surface of the blade before the tip.
side of the blade is high and on the suction side of the blade The size of the recirculation region is reduced. For the
is low indicating the blade loading. In the tip gap near the impeller with P2 tip, more chamfer on pressure surface is
pressure side corner, recirculation region with low static causing the fluid to turn smoothly into the tip gap. The
pressure coefficient is observed. There is not much change relative flow angles are increasing on pressure surface of the
seen in the static pressure coefficient contours for impellers blade much before the tip. The size of the recirculation region
of six tip configurations at this radial plane. is further reduced.
For the impeller with PS1 tip, chamfer on pressure surface
3.3.3. Contours of Relative Flow Angles of the blade is causing the relative flow angles to increase on
pressure surface of the blade before the tip. The chamfer on
suction surface of the blade is turning the flow up into the tip
gap and opposing the tip clearance flow. The recirculation
region is occupying the entire tip width. For the impeller with
S1 tip, the relative flow angles are increasing from the tip to
casing as in the case of impeller with square tip. The
recirculation region size is increased.
For the impeller with S2 tip, the relative flow angles are
increasing from the tip as in the case of impellers with square
tip and S1 tip. Recirculation region is occupying the entire
width of the tip.
The relative flow angles are increasing on pressure surface
before tip for pressure surface chamfer. The recirculation
region size on the blade tip near pressure side is reduced with
increase in pressure surface chamfer dimension in thickness
direction. For the impellers with suction surface chamfer the
relative flow angles are increasing on pressure surface from
tip to casing same as in the case of impeller with square tip.
The recirculation region size increases with increase in
suction surface chamfer dimension in thickness direction.

3.3.4. Relative Velocity Vectors

For the impeller with 2% clearance at flow coefficient 0.42,
the relative velocity vector components on the plane at a
Figure 10. Contours of relative flow angle at radial location R=0.984,
radial radius of 0.984 just before the trailing edge of the
τ=2%, φ=0.42.
impeller are shown in Figure 11. The relative velocity vector
The relative flow angle contours at a radial radius of 0.984 components on the plane for the impeller with square tip are
just before the trailing edge of the impeller, for the impeller turned on the blade pressure surface towards the tip gap
with 2% clearance at flow coefficient 0.42 is shown in Figure direction. The relative velocity on the casing is high. From a
10. The angle between relative velocity and meridional very low velocity on tip of the blade, the relative velocity
velocity is taken as relative flow angle. The contours are increases towards the casing which can be attributed to the
plotted for the impellers with six tip configurations. The tip relative motion of the outer casing with respect to fluid
clearance region and a part of the blade height are shown in domain in the direction of leakage flow. On the suction side
close up to show the details in the tip clearance region in the of the blade, the tip leakage flow is mixing with the main
plane. All the contours are plotted to the single global scale. flow on the suction side of the blade. For the impeller with
The relative flow angle contours of the impeller with square P1 tip, the chamfer on pressure surface of the blade is turning
tip shows increase in relative flow angle on the pressure side the velocity vectors smoothly towards the tip gap. In the tip
of the blade from blade tip to casing. In the tip clearance gap the velocity increases from the blade tip to the casing.
space, recirculation region is observed near the pressure side For the impeller with P2 tip, the flow is turning far
on the blade tip. The sharp turning of the fluid from the smoothly into the tip gap on the pressure surface of the blade.
pressure surface of the blade into the tip gap is forming the For the impeller with PS1 tip, due to the pressure surface
recirculation region on the blade near pressure surface in the chamfer the flow is turned into the tip gap smoothly and due
tip gap. The relative flow angle near the casing is high as the to the suction surface chamfer the flow on the suction surface
casing is stationary. On the suction side of the blade the is turned towards the tip gap obstructing the tip leakage flow.
relative flow angle is decreasing from the casing to the tip of The shear layer in the tip gap is diffusing at a faster rate on
the blade. For the impeller with P1 tip, the chamfer on the suction side of the blade.
pressure surface is allowing the smooth turning of the flow in For the impellers with S1 and S2 tip, the flow on pressure
 International Journal of Fluid Mechanics & Thermal Sciences 2020; 6(3): 79-88 86

surface is turning towards the tip gap vertically, and the clearance flows and found that a chamfer angle less than 4°
chamfer on suction surface is turning the flow in the tip gap may be optimum. Perhaps with the reduced chamfer angle,
direction opposing the tip leakage flow. With increase in the benefits of blade tip chamfer on the performance and
suction surface chamfer dimension, the flow is turned more flow field in centrifugal impellers may be higher.
towards the tip gap and offering more resistance to the tip
leakage flow. Hence tip leakage flows are reduced and the
impeller performance is improved. The diffusion of the shear
layer is at faster rate with chamfer on suction surface.

Figure 12. Variation of mass averaged total pressure coefficient with tip
clearance.

3.5. Effect of Chamfered Tips on the Relative tip Clearance

Sensitivity

The mass averaged total pressure coefficient presented in

Figure 12 is used to calculate relative sensitivity coefficient
with tip clearance at different flow coefficients for the six
Figure 11. Velocity vectors at radial location R=0.984, τ=2%, φ=0.42 configurations. Relative sensitivity coefficient is defined as
follows:
3.4. Effect of Chamfered Tips on the Mass Averaged Total
Pressure Coefficient at the Impeller Exit

The variation of mass averaged total pressure coefficient The variation of relative sensitivity coefficient with flow
with the tip clearance at the radius ratio of 1.106 at the five coefficient for the five chamfered configurations is shown in
flow coefficients is shown in Figure 12. Although the Figure 13. A horizontal line at a value of one is also shown in
changes in the value of total pressure coefficient for different the figure. Curves below this line means sensitivity with tip
tip configurations is very small but still visible. The decrease clearance is lower than that for the basic configuration.
in total pressure coefficient is as follows. S2, S1, Basic, P1, Curves above this line means sensitivity with tip clearance is
PS1 and P2. The maximum and minimum values of total more than that for the basic configuration. Configurations S1
pressure coefficients in terms of percentage of total pressure and S2 show lower relative sensitivity coefficient with
coefficient for the basic configuration are presented in Table Configuration S2 lowest. Other three configurations, namely
3. The overall maximum and minimum total pressure P1, P2 and PS1 have relative sensitivity coefficient more than
coefficients occur for S2 tip and P2 tip respectively for 5% one, implying that these configurations are more susceptible
tip clearance at the flow coefficient of 0.52 and 0.34 to increased tip clearance compared with the basic
respectively. The values are 0.18% and -0.23% of the configuration, hence not desirable.
corresponding total pressure coefficient for impeller with
Table 3. Percentage change in overall maximum and minimum values of
square tip. The total pressure coefficient decreases linearly
total pressure coefficients.
with tip clearance. However the decrease is slightly different
for different flow coefficients and different tip configurations. Configuration τ (%) φ % Change
In the present investigation the chamfer angle is relatively Overall maximum value S2 5 0.52 0.18
Overall Minimum value P2 5 0.34 -0.23
large compared to the chamfer angle used by Tallman [17].
He studied the effect of chamfer angle on the turbine tip
87 Nekkanti Sitaram and Vanamala Ushasri: Computational Investigation of Flow in a Centrifugal Impeller with
Chamfered Blade Tips: Effects of Stage Loading and Tip Clearance

computational results for the basic configuration without tip

chamfer for five flow coefficients. The computations are
carried out with optimized multiblock grids for these six
configurations at five flow coefficients, namely 0.28 and 0.34
(below design flow coefficient), 0.42 (design flow coefficient)
and 0.48 and 0.52 (above design flow coefficient) and at
three values of tip clearance, viz., 1% (small value), 2%
(nominal value) and 5% (large value) of the blade exit height.
From the computational investigations, it is found that the
mass averaged total and static pressure coefficients from inlet
to outlet of the passage decrease with increase in tip
clearance. At higher flow coefficients, the pressure drop is
predominant due to the increased effect of tip clearance. The
passage wake grows with increase in clearance and the
position of the wake is moved away from the suction surface
near casing towards mid passage. With increase in clearance,
the extent of tip clearance effects along the spanwise
direction increases.
The impeller with chamfer on suction surface shows
performance improvement. A decrease in the chamfer
dimension on suction surface results in considerable
Figure 13. Variation of relative sensitivity coefficient with flow coefficient. performance improvement. A maximum percentage of 0.18%
improvement in total pressure coefficient is obtained at 5% tip
4. Conclusions clearance and a flow coefficient of 0.52 for this configuration,
S2. This configuration has also shown minimum sensitivity for
The effect of chamfered tips on the performance of a tip clearance effects. The possible reason is due to increased
centrifugal compressor is investigated using commercial contraction coefficient of the leakage flow. Blade loading is
CFD software. Comprehensive grid independency studies affected very little by the suction surface chamfer. It is also
were carried out to establish that the changes in the postulated that further decrease in tip chamfer on the suction
performance of the impeller are not due to inadequacy of the surface will be more beneficial. Pressure surface chamfer
grid but due to the tip chamfer only. Two configurations with deteriorates the performance of the impeller. An increase in the
chamfers on the suction surface, two configurations with chamfer dimension on pressure surface results in poor
chamfers on the pressure surface and one configuration with performance.
chamfers on both the suction and pressure surfaces of the
impeller tip are investigated. Computations are carried out
for the above five configurations and compared with the

Nomenclature
C Absolute velocity (m/s)
m Non-dimensional meridional distance, m=0 at LE, m=1 at TE
p Pressure (N/m2)
r Radius (m)
R Non-dimensional radius=r/r2 (R=1 at tip)
u Blade speed (m/s)
W Relative velocity (m/s)
x Axial distance (m)
X Non-dimensional axial distance =x/b (X=0 at hub, X=1 at casing)
φ Flow coefficient=C2m/U2
τ Tip clearance expressed as percentage of exit blade height
ρ Density (kg/m3)
ψo Total pressure coefficient= 2Po ρU22
ψs Static pressure coefficient= 2Ps ρU 22
Subscripts
1 inlet
2 outlet
a atmospheric
 International Journal of Fluid Mechanics & Thermal Sciences 2020; 6(3): 79-88 88

m meridional
o total
u tangential
s Static
Superscripts
- Pitch averaged value
= Mass averaged value
Abbreviations
LE Leading edge
Max Maximum value of mass averaged total pressure coefficient at the impeller exit
Min Minimum value of mass averaged total pressure coefficient at the impeller exit
PS Suction surface
SS Suction surface
TE Trailing edge

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