A Criterion for Axial Compressor Hub-Corner Stall

2008 ◽  
Vol 130 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
V.-M. Lei ◽  
Z. S. Spakovszky ◽  
E. M. Greitzer
Keyword(s):  
Flow Control ◽  
Substantial Reduction ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Axial Compressor ◽  
Design Flow ◽  
Diffusion Parameter ◽  
Design Parameters ◽  
Diffusion Limit ◽  
Specific Flow ◽  
Flow Variables

This paper presents a new criterion for estimating the onset of three-dimensional hub-corner stall in axial compressor rotors and shrouded stators. A simple first-of-a-kind description of hub-corner stall formation is developed which consists of (i) a stall indicator, which quantifies the extent of the separated region via the local blade loading and thus indicates whether hub-corner stall occurs, and (ii) a diffusion parameter, which defines the diffusion limit for unstalled operation. The stall indicator can be cast in terms of a Zweifel loading coefficient. The diffusion parameter is based on preliminary design flow variables and geometry. Computational simulations and single and multistage compressor data are used to show the applicability of the criterion over a range of blade design parameters. The criterion also enables determination of specific flow control actions to mitigate hub-corner stall. As an illustration, a flow control blade, designed using the ideas developed, is seen to produce a substantial reduction in the flow nonuniformity associated with hub-corner stall.

A Criterion for Axial Compressor Hub-Corner Stall

2006 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. M. Lei ◽  
Z. S. Spakovszky ◽  
E. M. Greitzer
Keyword(s):  
Flow Control ◽  
Substantial Reduction ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Axial Compressor ◽  
Diffusion Parameter ◽  
Design Parameters ◽  
Diffusion Limit ◽  
Specific Flow ◽  
Multi Stage ◽  
Flow Variables

This paper presents a new criterion for estimating the size and strength of three-dimensional hub-corner stall in rotors and shrouded stators of multi-stage axial compressors. A simple, first-of-a-kind description for the formation of hub-corner stall is derived, consisting of (i) a stall indicator, which quantifies the extent of the reversed flow via the local blade loading and thus indicates whether corner stall occurs, and (ii) a diffusion parameter which defines the diffusion limit. The stall indicator can be cast in terms of a Zweifel loading coefficient. The diffusion parameter is based on preliminary design type flow variables and geometry. Computational simulations and single and multi-stage compressor data are used to show the applicability of the criterion over a range of blade design parameters. The criterion also enables determination of specific flow control actions needed to mitigate hub-corner stall. To illustrate the latter a flow control blade, designed using the ideas developed, is seen to achieve a substantial reduction in the flow non-uniformity associated with hub-corner stall.

A Passive Flow Control to Mitigate the Corner Separation in an Axial Compressor by a Slotted Rotor Blade

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sungho Yoon ◽  
Rao Ajay ◽  
Venkata Chaluvadi ◽  
Vittorio Michelassi ◽  
Ramakrishna Mallina
Keyword(s):  
Flow Control ◽  
Rotor Blade ◽  
Substantial Reduction ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Axial Compressor ◽  
Suction Side ◽  
Pressure Side ◽  
Stall Margin ◽  
Radial Migration ◽  
Corner Separation

Abstract The operability of the axial compressor is generally limited by endwall flows; either at the casing mainly due to the tip leakage flows or at the hub mainly due to three-dimensional corner separations. Therefore, it is crucial to improve flows near the endwalls to enhance the operability of the compressor. Based on a last-stage with cantilevered stator vanes, a small endwall slot was introduced to a rotor blade to mitigate the hub corner separation and maximize the aerodynamic operating range of axial compressors by natural aspiration. The developed flow control technology is numerically analyzed based on the in-house High-Speed Research Compressor (HSRC) which, in turn, represents the rear stage of a modern compressor. This compressor was predicted to stall due to hub corner separation on a rotor blade based on multistage CFD analysis. A small spanwise endwall slot, connecting the pressure side and the suction side of a compressor rotor blade, was introduced near the hub to provide the by-pass flows from the pressure side to the suction side (see Figure 1). This naturally-aspirated jet significantly reduced the three-dimensional corner separation which generally occurs where the suction side meets the hub. The substantial reduction of the three-dimensional corner separation, in turn, improved the aerodynamic stall margin of the compressor. The benefit is accomplished because the low momentum region near the hub was energized due to the naturally-aspirated jet through the endwall slot and the radial migration of the low momentum flow on the suction side was significantly reduced. A systematic parametric study was conducted to better understand the flow details and optimize the flow control without sacrificing aerodynamic efficiency. It was discovered that a very small slot, smaller than 10% of span, located near the endwall, was sufficient to have a more than 6% improvement of the stall margin with a negligible efficiency penalty (less than 0.1%). The naturally-aspirated flow through the small slot eliminates the source of the corner separation at the hub platform by strengthening the flow near the hub. This, in turn, reduces the overall aerodynamic blockage by decreasing the radial migration of the low momentum flow over a third of the span. Finally, evaluations of the mechanical strength and structural dynamics of slotted rotor blades, as well as the aerodynamic impact in a multi-stage environment were conducted and its results were discussed.

Numerical Efforts of Aerodynamic Re-Design in a Single-Stage Transonic Axial Compressor: Part 1 — Stator Design

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Justin (Jongsik) Oh
Keyword(s):  
Pressure Ratio ◽  
Axial Compressor ◽  
Axial Flow ◽  
Single Stage ◽  
Design Flow ◽  
Design Parameters ◽  
Original Design ◽  
Circular Arc ◽  
Surge Margin ◽  
Flow Compressor

In many aerodynamic design parameters for the axial-flow compressor, three variables of tailored blading, blade lean and sweep were considered in the re-design efforts of a transonic single stage which had been designed in 1960’s NASA public domains. As Part 1, the re-design was limited to the stator vane only. For the original MCA (Multiple Circular Arc) blading, which had been applied at all radii, the CDA (Controlled Diffusion Airfoil) blading was introduced at midspan as the first variant, and the endwalls of hub and casing (or tip) were replaced with the DCA (Double Circular Arc) blading for the second variant. Aerodynamic performance was predicted through a series of CFD analysis at design speed, and the best aerodynamic improvement, in terms of pressure ratio/efficiency and operability, was found in the first variant of tailored blading. It was selected as a baseline for the next design efforts with blade lean, sweep and both combined. Among 12 variants, a case of positively and mildly leaned blades was found the most attractive one, relative to the original design, providing benefits of an 1.0% increase of pressure ratio at design flow, an 1.7% increase of efficiency at design flow, a 10.5% increase of the surge margin and a 32.3% increase of the choke margin.

Some Experiments With a Supersonic Axial Compressor Stage

1987 ◽  
Vol 109 (3) ◽  
pp. 388-397 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. J. Wennerstrom
Keyword(s):  
Pressure Ratio ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Axial Compressor ◽  
Design Flow ◽  
Vortex Generators ◽  
Boundary Layer Control ◽  
Compressor Stage ◽  
Design Speed ◽  
Isentropic Efficiency ◽  
Layer Control

Between 1970 and 1974, ten variants of a supersonic axial compressor stage were designed and tested. These included two rotor configurations, three rotor tip clearances, addition of boundary-layer control consisting of vortex generators on both the outer casing and the rotor, and the introduction of slots in the stator vanes. Design performance objectives were a stage total pressure ratio of 3.0 with an isentropic efficiency of 0.82 at a tip speed of 1600 ft/s (488 m/s). The first configuration passed only 70 percent of design flow at design speed, achieving a stage pressure ratio of 2.25 at a peak stage isentropic efficiency of 0.61. The rotor was grossly separated. The tenth variant passed 91.4 percent of design flow at design speed, producing a stage pressure ratio of 3.03 with an isentropic efficiency of 0.75. The rotor achieved a pressure ratio of 3.59 at an efficiency of 0.87 under the same conditions. Major conclusions were that design tools available today would undoubtedly permit the original goals to be met or exceeded. However, the application for such a design is currently questionable because efficiency goals considered acceptable for most current programs have risen considerably from the level considered acceptable at the inception of this effort. Splitter vanes placed in the rotor permitted very high diffusion levels to be achieved without stalling. However, viscous effects causing three-dimensional flows violating the assumption of flow confined to concentric stream tubes were so strong that a geometry optimization does not appear practical without a three-dimensional, viscous analysis. Passive boundary-layer control in the form of vortex generators and slots does appear to offer some benefit under certain circumstances.

On the Coupling of Inverse Design and Optimization Techniques for Turbomachinery Blade Design

2006 ◽  
Author(s):  
Duccio Bonaiuti ◽  
Mehrdad Zangeneh
Keyword(s):  
Mechanical Design ◽  
Design Method ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Axial Compressor ◽  
Optimization Techniques ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Inverse Design ◽  
Design Parameters ◽  
Optimization Strategy ◽  
Design And Optimization

Optimization strategies have been used in recent years for the aerodynamic and mechanical design of turbomachine components. One crucial aspect in the use of such methodologies is the choice of the geometrical parameterization, which determines the complexity of the objective function to be optimized. In the present paper, an optimization strategy for the aerodynamic design of turbomachines is presented, where the blade parameterization is based on the use of a three-dimensional inverse design method. The blade geometry is described by means of aerodynamic parameters, like the blade loading, which are closely related to the aerodynamic performance to be optimized, thus leading to a simple shape of the optimization function. On the basis of this consideration, it is possible to use simple approximation functions for describing the correlations between the input design parameters and the performance ones. The Response Surface Methodology coupled with the Design of Experiments (DOE) technique was used for this purpose. CFD analyses were run to evaluate the configurations required by the DOE to generate the database. Optimization algorithms were then applied to the approximated functions in order to determine the optimal configuration or the set of optimal ones (Pareto front). The method was applied for the aerodynamic redesign of two different turbomachine components: a centrifugal compressor stage and a single-stage axial compressor. In both cases, both design and off-design operating conditions were analyzed and optimized.

Influence of Surface Roughness on Three-Dimensional Separation in Axial Compressors

2004 ◽  
Vol 126 (4) ◽  
pp. 455-463 ◽  
Author(s):  
Semiu A. Gbadebo ◽  
Tom P. Hynes ◽  
Nicholas A. Cumpsty
Keyword(s):  
Surface Roughness ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Axial Compressor ◽  
Leading Edge ◽  
Major Effect ◽  
Surface Flow ◽  
Design Flow ◽  
Flow Coefficient ◽  
Navier Stokes ◽  
Suction Surface

Surface roughness on a stator blade was found to have a major effect on the three-dimensional (3D) separation at the hub of a single-stage low-speed axial compressor. The change in the separation with roughness worsened performance of the stage. A preliminary study was carried out to ascertain which part of the stator suction surface and at what operating condition the flow is most sensitive to roughness. The results show that stage performance is extremely sensitive to surface roughness around the leading edge and peak-suction regions, particularly for flow rates corresponding to design and lower values. Surface flow visualization and exit loss measurements show that the size of the separation, in terms of spanwise and chordwise extent, is increased with roughness present. Roughness produced the large 3D separation at design flow coefficient that is found for smooth blades nearer to stall. A simple model to simulate the effect of roughness was developed and, when included in a 3D Navier–Stokes calculation method, was shown to give good qualitative agreement with measurements.

A Prediction Model for Corner Separation/Stall in Axial Compressors

2010 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xianjun Yu ◽  
Baojie Liu
Keyword(s):  
Aspect Ratio ◽  
Pressure Gradient ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Axial Compressor ◽  
Experimental Results ◽  
Diffusion Parameter ◽  
Experimental Conditions ◽  
Corner Separation ◽  
Axial Compressors ◽  
Key Factor

Endwall corner stall can cause significant aerodynamic blockage and losses production. Hence, pre-prediction of it during the preliminary processes of compressors is important. However, Lieblein’s diffusion factor often fails near the endwall region for the strong three-dimensionality flow effects. A new model for predicting endwall corner stall phenomenon in axial compressors was developed based on the methodology used by Lei et al. [1] (J. Turbomach. 2008, 031006). At first, the influencing factors for the flows of endwall corner separation/stall were analyzed by numerical simulations. The results showed that, besides the parameters determining the loading of a two-dimensional blade profile, blade aspect ratio was also a key factor. Then, by using both the theoretical and empirical methods, a modified diffusion parameter, which can be used as a criterion for axial compressor corner stall, was defined to consider the combined effects of three factors: the streamwise pressure gradient, the circumferential pressure gradient and the passage mass-flow-rate redistribution effect (controlled mainly by blade aspect ratio). Finally, the stall criterion was validated by experimental results of various test facilities with different blade geometries and experimental conditions. The results showed that the modified diffusion parameter can predict the corner separation/stall flows in a good agreement with the experimental results in axial compressors without blade three-dimensional designs.

Three-Dimensional Aerodynamic Optimization of a Multi-Stage Axial Compressor

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tao Ning ◽  
Chun-wei Gu ◽  
Xiao-tang Li ◽  
Tai-qiu Liu
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Algorithm ◽  
Surrogate Model ◽  
Pressure Ratio ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Axial Compressor ◽  
Optimization Method ◽  
Operating Point ◽  
Design Parameters ◽  
Aerodynamic Optimization ◽  
Stall Margin

An optimization method combined of a genetic algorithm, an artificial neural network, a CFD solver and a blade generator, is developed in this research and applied in the three-dimensional blading design of a newly designed highly-loaded 5-stage axial compressor. The adaptive probabilities of crossover and mutation, non-uniform mutation operator and elitism operator are employed to improve the convergence of the genetic algorithm. Considering both the optimization efficiency and effectiveness, a mixture of high-fidelity multistage CFD method and approximate surrogate model of the feed-forward ANN is used to evaluate the fitness. In particular, the database is updated dynamically and used to re-train the surrogate model of ANN for improving the accuracy for predicting. The last stator of the compressor is optimized at the near stall operating point. The tip bow with relative bow height Hb and bow angle αb are treated as design parameters. The adiabatic efficiency as well as the penalty of mass flow and total pressure ratio constitute the objective functions to be maximized. The optimum (Hb = 0.881, αb = 14.7°) obtains 0.4% adiabatic efficiency increase for the whole compressor at the optimized operating point. The detailed aerodynamic is compared between the baseline and optimized stator, and the mechanism is analyzed. The optimized version obtains 5.1% increase in stall margin and maintains the efficiency at the design point.

The Three-Dimensional Flow and Blade Wake in an Axial Plane Downstream of an Axial Compressor Rotor

1978 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Kool ◽  
J. DeRuyck ◽  
Ch. Hirsch
Keyword(s):  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Axial Compressor ◽  
Axial Plane ◽  
Hot Wire ◽  
Three Dimensional Flow ◽  
Dimensional Flow ◽  
Wall Boundary Layer ◽  
Compressor Rotor ◽  
Three Dimensional Finite Element ◽  
Flow Variables

The three-dimensional flow field has been measured in an axial plane downstream of a low speed axial compressor rotor with a rotated single slanted hot wire. A method is described which allows one to calculate three mutually perpendicular velocity components from hot-wire data, and use is made of the technique of periodic sampling and averaging to extract the pitchwise fluctuating flow from the stationary hot-wire signals. These data contain useful information. The radial distribution of the pitchwise averaged flow variables is compared with classical pneumatic measurements and with the results of a quasi three-dimensional finite-element calculation and a three-dimensional end-wall boundary layer calculation. Finally, the wake characteristics are given and a simple correlation is presented which allows one to determine the wake velocity defect from a single wake shape factor.

Optimal Design of Swept, Leaned and Skewed Blades in a Transonic Axial Compressor

2006 ◽  
Author(s):  
Choon-Man Jang ◽  
Abudus Samad ◽  
Kwang-Yong Kim
Keyword(s):  
Shape Optimization ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Axial Compressor ◽  
Design Flow ◽  
Surface Boundary ◽  
Suction Surface ◽  
Surface Boundary Layer ◽  
Compressor Rotor ◽  
Design Variables ◽  
Transonic Axial Compressor

Shape optimization of a transonic axial compressor rotor operating at the design flow condition has been performed using the response surface method and three-dimensional Navier-Stokes analysis. The three design variables, blade sweep, lean and skew, are introduced to optimize the three-dimensional stacking line of the rotor blade. The objective function of the shape optimization is adiabatic efficiency. Throughout the shape optimization of the rotor, the adiabatic efficiency is increased by reducing the hub corner and tip losses. Separation line due to the interference between a passage shock and surface boundary layer on the blade suction surface is moved downstream for the optimized blade compared to the reference one. Among the three design variables, the blade skew is most effective to increase the adiabatic efficiency in the compressor rotor.

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