It is a relevant task to reduce the size and decrease the number of stages in the high-pressure compressors of refrigerators and other turbomachinery. This paper considers the concept of shock wave compressor in which the compression occurs not in the impeller machine, but in the optimal system of triple shock waves configurations. A review of the works being conducted in this field is provided. The basics of the gas-dynamic discontinuities interference theory are given besides providing the development sequence of the theory of optimal (extreme) shock wave structures. The calculations of the model wave machine are provided. Comparison with multistage axial compressor shows that starting with a compression ratio of 25, the degree of full throating pressure restoration, provided by a shock wave compressor is not smaller than that of an impeller machine, even though, the size and weight of the shock wave compressor are sufficiently low.

centrifugal compressor, axial compressor, wave compressor, shock wave, shock wave structure, a triple configuration of shock waves.