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This paper describes an effort to demonstrate the benefits of an innovative, lightweight, lubrication free centrifugal compressor that allows the use of environmentally safe alternate refrigerants with improved system efficiencies over current State-of-the-Art technology. This effort couples the recently developed 3-D high efficiency centrifugal compressor and fabrication technologies with magnetic bearing technology and will then prove the performance, life and reliability of the compressor.

This paper describes a program to develop a lightweight centrifugal compressor for aircraft air cycle environmental control systems (ECS). This compressor will use magnetic bearings for lubrication-free operation and high performance three dimensional impellers. The use of 3-D impellers and magnetic bearings will result in centrifugal compressors superior to current aircraft compressors with improved pressure ratios, flow ranges, and efficiency, as well as reductions in size and weight. The use of the magnetic bearings and three dimensional impeller design extends the centrifugal compressor flow range, reducing the minimum flow rate limit significantly. This oil-free design has applications for aircraft Brayton open cycle cooling, as an alternative to engine bleed air.