Impeller cover and method

1. An impeller cover for covering at least a face of an impeller of a compressor, the impeller cover comprising:

a removable body having a first face and a second face opposing the first face, the second face being configured to match a front face of the impeller of the compressor such that no air pockets are formed between the removable body and the impeller, and further having a frontal portion covering an entire frontal portion of the impeller of the compressor; and

a fixing mechanism connected to the removable body and being configured to fix the impeller cover to the impeller of the compressor, wherein

the impeller cover is disposable.

2. The impeller cover of claim 1 , wherein the removable body of the impeller cover has a posterior portion that partially covers a posterior portion of the impeller, and wherein the frontal portion of the impeller cover is configured to be directly contacted by a fluid flow through the compressor.

3. The impeller cover of claim 2 , wherein the posterior portion of the removable body forms the fixing mechanism and is configured to stretchably cover, at least partially, the posterior portion of the impeller.

4. The impeller cover of claim 2 , wherein the posterior portion of the impeller cover comprises holes configured to allow straps to connect the holes such that the impeller cover is fixed on the impeller of the compressor and the frontal portion of the impeller cover is free of holes.

5. The impeller cover of claim 1 , wherein the first face of the removable body is configured to have a profile that achieves predetermined aerodynamic characteristics.

6. The impeller cover of claim 1 , wherein the fixing mechanism comprises adherent pockets that are distributed on the second face of the impeller cover.

7. The impeller cover of claim 6 , wherein the adherent pockets cover the entire second face of the impeller cover.

8. The impeller cover of claim 1 , wherein the removable body is formed from plastic or metal or a combination of plastic and metal.

9. The impeller cover of claim 1 , wherein the fixing mechanism comprises a material different from the removable body.

10. The impeller cover of claim 1 , wherein the fixing mechanism is heat sensitive such that a heat treatment applied to the fixing mechanism tightens the fixing mechanism to fix the impeller cover to the impeller of the compressor.

11. A compressor comprising:

a housing;

an impeller provided on a shaft inside the housing and configured to rotate around a longitudinal axis; and

an impeller cover for covering at least a face of the impeller, the impeller cover including,

a removable body having first and second faces, the second face opposing the first face, the second face being configured to match a front face of the impeller such that no air pockets are formed between the removable body and the impeller, and further having a frontal portion covering an entire frontal portion of the impeller of the compressor, and

a fixing mechanism connected to the removable body and being configured to fix the impeller cover to the impeller, wherein

the first face of the removable body is configured to have a profile that achieves predetermined aerodynamic characteristics, and

the impeller cover is disposable.

12. The compressor of claim 11 , wherein the removable body of the impeller cover has a posterior portion that partially covers a posterior portion of the impeller, and wherein the frontal portion of the impeller cover is directly contacted by a fluid flow through the compressor.

13. The compressor of claim 12 , wherein the posterior portion of the removable body forms the fixing mechanism and is configured to stretchably cover, at least partially, the posterior portion of the impeller.

14. The compressor of claim 12 , wherein the posterior portion of the impeller cover comprises holes configured to allow straps to connect the holes such that the impeller cover is fixed on the impeller of the compressor and the frontal portion of the impeller cover is free of holes.

15. The compressor of claim 11 , wherein the fixing mechanism comprises adherent pockets that are distributed on the second face of the impeller cover.

16. The compressor of claim 15 , wherein the adherent pockets cover the entire second face of the impeller cover.

17. The compressor of claim 11 , wherein the removable body is formed from plastic or metal or a combination of plastic and metal.

18. The compressor of claim 11 , wherein the fixing mechanism comprises a material different from the removable body.

19. The compressor of claim 11 , wherein the fixing mechanism is heat sensitive such that a heat treatment applied to the fixing mechanism tighten the fixing mechanism to fix the impeller cover to the impeller of the compressor.

20. A method for protecting an impeller of a compressor from material build-up and/or erosion, the method comprising:

covering a front face of the impeller with an impeller cover such that a frontal face of the impeller cover is configured to have a profile that achieves predetermined aerodynamic characteristics while a profile of a back face of the impeller cover corresponds to the front face of the impeller such that no air pockets are formed between the impeller cover and the impeller; and

fixing the impeller cover to the impeller.

21. The method of claim 20 , further comprising:

removing the impeller cover; and

covering the front face of the impeller with a new impeller cover.