We Claim:
1. A centrifugal compressor (100) comprising:
a compressor casing (102);
a motor casing (104) comprising:
a motor assembly (106);
at least one magnetic bearing (112) configured to provide a non-
contact support to a shaft (108) of the motor assembly (106); and
a power electronics unit (103) configured to regulate the frequency of the
power supplied to the motor assembly (106),
wherein the motor casing (104) is operatively coupled to the compressor
casing (102) to transmit mechanical energy from the motor assembly (106) to the
compressor casing (102).
2. The centrifugal compressor (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one
magnetic bearing (112) includes two magnetic bearings (112) positioned at
opposite ends of the shaft (108).
3. The centrifugal compressor (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one
magnetic bearing (112) is a radial active magnetic bearing.
4. The centrifugal compressor (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one
magnetic bearing (112) comprises:
a stator core (136) adapted to support a stator winding (138);
a rotor core (140) configured to interact with a magnetic field generated by
the stator winding (138); and
a balancing ring (142) operatively mounted on the rotor core (140),
wherein the magnetic field generated by the stator winding (138) induces a
levitating force on the rotor core (140).
5. The centrifugal compressor (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the compressor
casing (102) comprises:
at least one impeller (124) configured to accelerate the fluid flow;
a return channel (128) configured to increase pressure of the fluid flow after
passing through the at least one impeller (124); and
a volute (132) configured to receive fluid flow from the at least one impeller
(124) and the return channel (128),
wherein the at least one impeller (124) is operatively coupled to the shaft
(108) and operate in conjunction with the return channel (128) to perform
compression inside