PURPOSE: To provide a regenerative centrifugal compressor wherein high efficiency, a high compression characteristic, a low leakage characteristic and a high suction characteristic are provided, and a load capacity is increased.

CONSTITUTION: A regenerative centrifugal compressor includes an impeller disk 32 provided with axial impeller blades, support housings 12 and 14 for rotationally supporting a drive shaft for the impeller disk, an annular compression chamber surrounding a row of impeller blades, a stripper section 24 extending from an outlet to an inlet, a stripper seal insert 48 made of a low friction material softer than the impeller blade and fastened in a stripper receptacle, and an annular running seal 40 disposed between a rim and the housing. Thus, a gap is secured between the blade and the stripper seal, the damage of the blade is prevented even if it clashes with the seal, high efficiency, a high compression characteristic, a low leakage characteristic and a high suction characteristic are provided, and a load capacity is increased.