The challenges of using radial inlet guide vanes for wide-range control of a centrifugal compressor

¹ University of West Bohemia in Pilsen, New Technologies – Research Centre, 30100 Univerzitní 8, Plzeň, Czech Republic
² University of West Bohemia in Pilsen, Department of Power System Engineering, 30100 Univerzitní 8, Plzeň, Czech Republic

^* Corresponding author: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Published online: 12 March 2026

Abstract

Regions of significant performance degradation were observed in a single-stage centrifugal compressor tested on a dedicated industrial rig. The machine was operated under discharge throttling, variable impeller speed, and radial inlet guide vane control. The study describes the mechanisms behind the degraded operation and proposes strategies to mitigate the underlying phenomena. Dimensional analysis, zero-dimensional flow models, axisymmetric 2D and 3D CFD simulations, and experimental data evaluation were employed in the research. This work expands on the first author’s doctoral dissertation, which provides detailed descriptions of the methods, test facility, and the compressor, as well as a broader set of results. The present article builds on this foundation by establishing deeper connections among the outcomes of different approaches through additional post-processing and new partial analyses.