DIFFUSER.
speed in, pressure out
Air leaves the impeller at close to the speed of sound, spinning almost tangentially. The diffuser's job is to slow it down without losing it: a ring of wedge-shaped vanes turns that speed into static pressure, and axial de-swirl vanes then straighten the flow so it enters the combustor calmly.
It has to do all this in a narrow radial gap between the impeller tip and the combustor casing, the tightest space in the engine.
Key numbers
- Type
- Vaned radial + axial de-swirl
- Vane form
- Wedge
- Position
- Impeller tip to combustor
- Flow turn
- Radial → axial
Materials
Al 2618-T61
Keeps its strength at compressor delivery temperatures.
Ti-6Al-4V
Option for thinner vanes and higher-temperature growth versions.
How it is produced
Designed by Vector Dynamics, produced by qualified manufacturing partners to our drawings.
- 01
Vane design
Vane leading edges matched to the swirling impeller exit flow; throat sized for the design mass flow.
- 02
5-axis machining
Radial vanes and de-swirl cascade machined from solid, integral with the backplate.
- 03
Surface finish
Polished passages; roughness costs more pressure recovery at small scale.
- 04
Rig test
Static pressure taps across the vane row measure how much pressure is recovered.
- 05
Stack-up check
Axial gap to the impeller set with shims at assembly.
and then we check it
- Vane throat gauging
- CMM of vane angles
- Pressure-tap traverse on the rig
supply enquiries welcome.
Want the VD-100?
UAV and target-drone makers, manufacturing partners and investors: talk to us about the VD-100.