The function of the diffuser at the outlet of the turbine expander.
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What is the function of the diffuser at the outlet of a turbine expander? Can the expander operate properly without a diffuser?
The diffuser of a compressor has a high flow velocity as the gas exits the working wheel. To make full use of this kinetic energy, a diffuser with a gradually increasing flow cross-section is often installed behind the working wheel to convert kinetic energy into pressure energy, thereby increasing the gas pressure. The diffuser at the outlet of the turbine expander is intended for pressure reduction. If there is no diffuser and the outlet pipe is designed normally (with an outlet diameter larger than the inlet diameter), it can still function properly, but the efficiency of the turbine expander will be lower. This is just a tentative suggestion; I hope relevant experts can provide further insights.
However, it seems that the pressure after the diffuser at the outlet of the turbine expander is also higher than the pressure at the outlet of the impeller. I wonder why it is designed this way