Pressure loss due to the tip clearance of impellar blades in centrifugal and axial blowers

Equations to evaluate pressure loss based on the tip clearance of impeller blades (pressure loss induced by the leakage flow through the clearance, and pressure loss for supporting fluid against the pressure gradient in the thin annular clearance space between the shroud and the impeller) are derived. The predicted pressure losses are compared with experimental data for two types of centrifugal impellers. The equations are simplified for axial impellers as a special case, and the predicted efficiency-drop is compared with the experimental data for seven cases. Good agreement is demonstrated.