Advantages of centrifugal compressor
- Low weight, easy to design and manufacture.
- Suitable for continuous compressed air supply, such as cooling unit.
- The oil free in nature.
- They have fewer rubbing parts.
- High-flow rate than the positive displacement compressor.
- Relatively energy efficient.
- Wide range of rotational speed.
- Centrifugal compressors are reliable, low maintenance.
- Generating a higher pressure ratio per stage as compared to axial flow compressor.
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It does not require special foundation.
Disadvantages of centrifugal compressor
- Large frontal area for a given air flow rate compared to the axial flow compressor.
- Unsuitable for very high compression, limited pressure.
- They are sensitive to changes in gas composition.
- They work at high speed, sophisticated vibration mounting needed.
- Problem of surging, stalling and choking.
Applications of centrifugal compressor
- Food and beverage industry - centrifugal compressor provides oil frees compressed air for some sensitive application such as food processing.
- Centrifugal compressor meets high demand of compressed air.
- Gas turbines, in automobile turbochargers and supercharger.
- Oil refineries, natural-gas processing.
- Refrigeration, air-conditioning and HVAC.
- Manufacturing process compressed air for pneumatic tools.
Read: Why do we need compression? 
