What occurs to the pressure in a three-stage centrifugal chiller as it reaches the final stage?

In a three-stage centrifugal chiller, pressure dynamics are essential to the refrigeration cycle's efficiency. As the refrigerant moves through each stage of the centrifugal compressor, the pressure increases progressively.

This increase occurs because in each stage, the impeller imparts centrifugal force to the refrigerant, raising its velocity. After exiting the impeller, the refrigerant then passes through a diffuser, where this high velocity energy is converted into pressure. Thus, as the refrigerant goes through each successive stage, it ends up at a higher pressure.

In the final stage, the refrigerant experiences the culmination of these increases, resulting in the highest pressure before it enters the condenser. Therefore, it is accurate to state that the pressure in a three-stage centrifugal chiller increases as it reaches the final stage, which underscores the fundamental operation of multi-stage compressors in refrigeration systems.