Experimental and Analytical Investigation of the Effects of Reynolds Number and Blade Surface Roughness on Multistage Axial Flow Compressors

1980 ◽  
Vol 102 (1) ◽  
pp. 5-12 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Scha¨ffler
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Data ◽  
Boundary Layer ◽  
Reynolds Number ◽  
Critical Reynolds Number ◽  
Pressure Ratio ◽  
Axial Flow ◽  
Blade Surface ◽  
Laminar Separation ◽  
High Pressure Ratio ◽  
Attached Flow

The general effect of Reynolds Number on axial flow compressors operating over a sufficiently wide range is described and illustrated by experimental data for four multistage axial compressors. The wide operating range of military aircraft engines leads in the back stages of high pressure ratio compression systems to three distinctly different regimes of operation, characterized by the boundary layer conditions of the cascade flow: • laminar separation, • turbulent attached flow with hydraulically smooth blade surface, • turbulent attached flow with hydraulically rough blade surface. Two “critical” Reynolds Numbers are defined, the “lower critical Reynolds Number” below which laminar separation occurs with a definite steepening of the efficiency/Reynolds Number relation and an “upper critical Reynolds Number” above which the blade surface behaves hydraulically rough, resulting in an efficiency independant of Reynolds Number. The permissible blade surface roughness for hydraulically smooth boundary layer conditions in modern high pressure ratio compression systems is derived from experimental data achieved with blades produced by grinding, electrochemical machining and forging. A correlation between the effect of technical roughness and sand type roughness is given. The potential loss of efficiency in the back end of compression systems due to excessive blade roughness is derived from experimental results. The repeatedly experienced different sensitivity of front and back stages towards laminar separation in the low Reynolds Number regime is explained by boundary layer calculations as a Mach Number effect on blade pressure distribution, i.e. transonic versus subsonic flow.

Highly-Loaded Low-Reaction Boundary Layer Suction Axial Flow Compressor

2007 ◽  
Author(s):  
Songtao Wang ◽  
Xiaoqing Qiang ◽  
Weichun Lin ◽  
Guotai Feng ◽  
Zhongqi Wang
Keyword(s):  
Boundary Layer ◽  
High Pressure ◽  
Pressure Ratio ◽  
Axial Flow ◽  
Design Concept ◽  
Axial Flow Compressor ◽  
Boundary Layer Suction ◽  
High Pressure Ratio ◽  
Flow Compressor ◽  
Highly Loaded

In order to design high pressure ratio and highly loaded axial flow compressor, a new design concept based on Highly-Loaded Low-Reaction and boundary layer suction was proposed in this paper. Then the concept’s characteristics were pointed out by comparing with the MIT’s boundary layer suction compressor. Also the application area of this design concept and its key technic were given out in this paper. Two applications were carried out in order to demonstrate the concept. The first application was to redesign a low speed duplication-stage axial flow compressor into a single stage. The second one was a feasibility analysis to decrease an 11 stage axial compressor’s stage count to 7 while not changing its aerodynamic performance. The analysis result showed that the new design concept is feasible and it can be used on high pressure stage of the aero-engine, compressor of ground gas turbine (except the transonic stage) and high total pressure ratio blower.

An airfoil theory of bifurcating laminar separation from thin obstacles

1990 ◽  
Vol 216 ◽  
pp. 255-284 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. J. Lee ◽  
H. K. Cheng
Keyword(s):  
Boundary Layer ◽  
Reynolds Number ◽  
Steady State ◽  
Steady State Solution ◽  
Equation System ◽  
Branch Points ◽  
Laminar Separation ◽  
Kutta Condition ◽  
Numerical Studies ◽  
Steady State Solutions

Global interaction of the boundary layer separating from an obstacle with resulting open/closed wakes is studied for a thin airfoil in a steady flow. Replacing the Kutta condition of the classical theory is the breakaway criterion of the laminar triple-deck interaction (Sychev 1972; Smith 1977), which, together with the assumption of a uniform wake/eddy pressure, leads to a nonlinear equation system for the breakaway location and wake shape. The solutions depend on a Reynolds numberReand an airfoil thickness ratio or incidence τ and, in the domain$Re^{\frac{1}{16}}\tau = O(1)$considered, the separation locations are found to be far removed from the classical Brillouin–Villat point for the breakaway from a smooth shape. Bifurcations of the steady-state solution are found among examples of symmetrical and asymmetrical flows, allowing open and closed wakes, as well as symmetry breaking in an otherwise symmetrical flow. Accordingly, the influence of thickness and incidence, as well as Reynolds number is critical in the vicinity of branch points and cut-off points where steady-state solutions can/must change branches/types. The study suggests a correspondence of this bifurcation feature with the lift hysteresis and other aerodynamic anomalies observed from wind-tunnel and numerical studies in subcritical and high-subcriticalReflows.

Effects of Reynolds number on the performance of a high pressure-ratio turbocharger compressor

2013 ◽  
Vol 56 (6) ◽  
pp. 1361-1369 ◽  
Author(s):  
XinQian Zheng ◽  
Yun Lin ◽  
BinLin Gan ◽  
WeiLin Zhuge ◽  
YangJun Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Reynolds Number ◽  
High Pressure ◽  
Pressure Ratio ◽  
High Pressure Ratio

Separation in oscillating laminar boundary-layer flows

1971 ◽  
Vol 47 (1) ◽  
pp. 21-31 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. A. Despard ◽  
J. A. Miller
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Data ◽  
Boundary Layer ◽  
Experimental Investigation ◽  
Reynolds Number ◽  
Reverse Flow ◽  
Oscillation Amplitude ◽  
Hot Wire ◽  
Boundary Layer Flows ◽  
Laminar Boundary Layers ◽  
History Of

The results of an experimental investigation of separation in oscillating laminar boundary layers is reported. Instantaneous velocity profiles obtained with multiple hot-wire anemometer arrays reveal that the onset of wake formation is preceded by the initial vanishing of shear at the wall, or reverse flow, throughout the entire cycle of oscillation. Correlation of the experimental data indicates that the frequency, Reynolds number and dynamic history of the boundary layer are the dominant parameters and oscillation amplitude has a negligible effect on separation-point displacement.

Stall Behavior in an Ultra-High-Pressure-Ratio Centrifugal Compressor: Backward-Traveling Rotating Stall

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-51
Author(s):  
Yingjie Zhang ◽  
Xingen Lu ◽  
Yanfeng Zhang ◽  
Ziqing Zhang ◽  
Xu Dong ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Boundary Layer ◽  
Shock Wave ◽  
Shock Intensity ◽  
Incidence Angle ◽  
Pressure Ratio ◽  
Leading Edge ◽  
Boundary Layer Separation ◽  
Rotating Stall ◽  
High Pressure Ratio ◽  
Ultra High Pressure

Abstract This paper describes the stall mechanism in an ultra-high-pressure-ratio centrifugal compressor. A model comprising all impeller and diffuser blade passages is used to conduct unsteady simulations that trace the onset of instability in the compressor. Backward-traveling rotating stall waves appear at the inlet of the radial diffuser when the compressor is throttled. Six stall cells propagate circumferentially at approximately 0.7% of the impeller rotation speed. The detached shock of the radial diffuser leading edge and the number of stall cells determine the direction of stall propagation, which is opposite to the impeller rotation direction. Dynamic mode decomposition is applied to instantaneous flow fields to extract the flow structure related to the stall mode. This shows that intensive pressure fluctuations concentrate in the diffuser throat as a result of changes in the detached shock intensity. The diffuser passage stall and stall recovery are accompanied by changes in incidence angle and shock wave intensity. When the diffuser passage stalls, the shock-induced boundary-layer separation region near the diffuser vane suction surface gradually expands, increasing the incidence angle and decreasing the shock intensity. The shock is pushed from the diffuser throat toward the diffuser leading edge. When the diffuser passage recovers from stall, the shock wave gradually returns to the diffuser throat, with the incidence angle decreasing and the shock intensity increasing. Once the shock intensity reaches its maximum, the diffuser passage suffers severe shock-induced boundary-layer separation and stalls again.

Difference in Critical Reynolds Number Between Hagen-Poiseuille and Plane Poiseuille Flows

2001 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hidesada Kanda
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Data ◽  
Reynolds Number ◽  
Poiseuille Flow ◽  
Average Velocity ◽  
Critical Reynolds Number ◽  
Inlet Section ◽  
Parallel Plates ◽  
Plane Poiseuille Flow ◽  
Contraction Ratio ◽  
Significant Difference

Abstract For plane Poiseuille flow, results of previous investigations were studied, focusing on experimental data on the critical Reynolds number, the entrance length, and the transition length. Consequently, concerning the natural transition, it was confirmed from the experimental data that (i) the transition occurs in the entrance region, (ii) the critical Reynolds number increases as the contraction ratio in the inlet section increases, and (iii) the minimum critical Reynolds number is obtained when the contraction ratio is the smallest or one, and there is no-shaped entrance or straight parallel plates. Its value exists in the neighborhood of 1300, based on the channel height and the average velocity. Although, for Hagen-Poiseuille flow, the minimum critical Reynolds number is approximately 2000, based on the pipe diameter and the average velocity, there seems to be no significant difference in the transition from laminar to turbulent flow between Hagen-Poiseuille flow and plane Poiseuille flow.

Experimental and Numerical Investigation of Transition Effects on a Low Reynolds Number Airfoil

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael J. Collison ◽  
Peter X. L. Harley ◽  
Domenico di Cugno
Keyword(s):  
Boundary Layer ◽  
Reynolds Number ◽  
Separation Bubble ◽  
Low Reynolds Number ◽  
Flow Visualisation ◽  
Transition Model ◽  
Laminar Separation ◽  
Oil Flow ◽  
Low Reynolds ◽  
Low Reynolds Number Airfoil

Low speed, small scale turbomachinery operates at low Reynolds number with transition phenomena occurring. In small consumer product applications, high efficiency and low noise are key performance metrics. Transition behaviour will partly determine the state of the boundary layer at the trailing edge; whether it is laminar, turbulent or separated impacts aerodynamic and acoustic performance. This study aimed to evaluate a commercially available CFD transition model on a low Reynolds number Eppler E387 airfoil and identify whether it was able to correctly model the boundary layer transition, and at what expense. CFD was carried out utilising the ANSYS Shear Stress Transport (SST) k-ω γ-Reθ transition model. The CFD progressed from 2D in Fluent v150, through to single cell thickness 3D (pseudo 2D) in CFX v172. An Eppler E387 low Reynolds number airfoil, for which experimental data was readily available from literature at Re = 200,000 was used as the validation case for the CFD, with results computed at numerous incidence angles and mesh densities. Additionally, experimental surface oil flow visualisation was undertaken in a wind tunnel using a scaled E387 airfoil for the zero incidence case at Re = 50,000. The flow visualisation exhibited the expected key features of transition in the breakdown of the boundary layer from laminar to turbulent, and was used as a validation case for the CFD transition model. The comparison between the results from the CFD transition model and the experimental data from literature suggested varying levels of agreement based on the mesh density and CFD solver in the starting location of the laminar separation bubble, with higher disparity for the position of the reattachment point. Whether 2D or 3D, the prediction accuracy was seen to worsen at high incidence angles. Finally, the location of the laminar separation bubble between CFD and oil flow visualisation had good agreement and a set of guidelines on the mesh parameters which can be applied to low Reynolds number turbomachinery simulations was determined.

On the Axisymmetric Vortex Flow Over a Flat Surface

1969 ◽  
Vol 36 (3) ◽  
pp. 614-619 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. W. Schwiderski
Keyword(s):  
Boundary Layer ◽  
Reynolds Number ◽  
Critical Reynolds Number ◽  
Numerical Study ◽  
Lower Boundary ◽  
Tangential Velocity ◽  
Slow Motion ◽  
Boundary Layer Separation ◽  
Local Boundary ◽  
Self Similar

The numerical study of the interaction of a potential vortex with a stationary surface recently published by Kidd and Farris [1] is extended through a transformation of the boundary-value problem to Volterra integral equations. The new calculations verified the results by Kidd and Farris and improved the bounds of the critical Reynolds number Nc, beyond which no self-similar vortex flows exist, to 5.5 < Nc < 5.6 The breakdown of the self-similar motions develops through an instability in the lower boundary layer, which is indicated by two inflection points in the tangential velocity profile. At the critical Reynolds number the lower inflection point reaches the surface and indicates the beginning of boundary-layer separation in the wake-type flow. If the Stokes linearization is applied, one arrives at a new Stokes paradox. However, this “paradox” can be resolved by correcting the free-stream pressure distortion of the Stokes approximation. The new slow-motion approximation is nonlinear and yields an integral which is also free of the Whitehead paradox. The properties of the new exact solution confirm the novel flow features previously detected in almost self-similar motions, which were constructed by adjustable local boundary-layer approximations.

A Numerical Study on the Effect of Bleed System on Starting Ability and Flow Performance of Rampressor Inlet

2014 ◽  
Vol 136 (12) ◽  
Author(s):  
Weijia Kang ◽  
Zhansheng Liu ◽  
Yu Wang ◽  
Yanyang Dong ◽  
Yong Sun
Keyword(s):  
Boundary Layer ◽  
Power Systems ◽  
Numerical Study ◽  
Pressure Ratio ◽  
Work Condition ◽  
High Pressure Ratio ◽  
Compressor Rotor ◽  
Improvement Effect ◽  
Negative Effect ◽  
Computational Fluid Dynamics Cfd

A unique supersonic compressor rotor with high pressure ratio, termed the Rampressor, is presented by Ramgen Power Systems, Inc., (RPS). Based on the models of Rampressor inlet, the inlet flow field with bleed system is numerically studied. Validation of the employed computational fluid dynamics (CFD) scheme is provided through test cases. The effects of boundary layer bleed location and bleed amount on Rampressor rotor inlet start and flow performance are analyzed. The results indicate that the boundary layer bleed has a significant effect for start and flow performance of Rampressor inlet. Boundary layer bleed technique has been applied to eliminate the emerging flow separation zone for enhancing Rampressor rotor inlet performance and enlarging its stable working range. The starting ability and flow performance of Rampressor inlet are efficiently improved by bleeding system, but the improvement effect is different for Rampressor inlet with different bleed location. Along the position of bleeding system moves forward, the range of Rampressor inlet normal work rotation speed is enlarged. The flow performance of Rampressor inlet improves obviously with the increment of bleed flow rate, and exit stability of Rampressor inlet enhances. And in the same back pressure work condition of Rampressor inlet, bleed system has been shown to be effective that exit stability of Rampressor inlet ameliorates, but the loss of compressed air from the bleed system has a negative effect on overall Rampressor inlet efficiency.

Shear Layer Development, Separation, and Stability Over a Low-Reynolds Number Airfoil

2018 ◽  
Vol 140 (7) ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul Ziadé ◽  
Mark A. Feero ◽  
Philippe Lavoie ◽  
Pierre E. Sullivan
Keyword(s):  
Boundary Layer ◽  
Reynolds Number ◽  
Shear Layer ◽  
Separation Bubble ◽  
Low Reynolds Number ◽  
Base Flow ◽  
Mean Velocity ◽  
Laminar Separation ◽  
Low Reynolds ◽  
Layer Development

The shear layer development for a NACA 0025 airfoil at a low Reynolds number was investigated experimentally and numerically using large eddy simulation (LES). Two angles of attack (AOAs) were considered: 5 deg and 12 deg. Experiments and numerics confirm that two flow regimes are present. The first regime, present for an angle-of-attack of 5 deg, exhibits boundary layer reattachment with formation of a laminar separation bubble. The second regime consists of boundary layer separation without reattachment. Linear stability analysis (LSA) of mean velocity profiles is shown to provide adequate agreement between measured and computed growth rates. The stability equations exhibit significant sensitivity to variations in the base flow. This highlights that caution must be applied when experimental or computational uncertainties are present, particularly when performing comparisons. LSA suggests that the first regime is characterized by high frequency instabilities with low spatial growth, whereas the second regime experiences low frequency instabilities with more rapid growth. Spectral analysis confirms the dominance of a central frequency in the laminar separation region of the shear layer, and the importance of nonlinear interactions with harmonics in the transition process.

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