Numerical Study on the Response of Tip Leakage Flow Unsteadiness to Micro Tip Injection in a Low-Speed Isolated Compressor Rotor

2007 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shaojuan Geng ◽  
Hongwu Zhang ◽  
Jingyi Chen ◽  
Weiguang Huang
Keyword(s):  
Numerical Study ◽  
The Self ◽  
Axial Position ◽  
Leakage Flow ◽  
Tip Leakage Flow ◽  
Low Speed ◽  
Tip Leakage ◽  
Flow Unsteadiness ◽  
Compressor Rotor ◽  
Tip Injection

A numerical study on the unsteady tip leakage flow with discrete micro tip injection from casing shroud in a low-speed isolated axial compressor rotor is presented. The main target is to clarify the flow mechanism of how the stall control measures act on the tip leakage flow typified by its self-induced unsteady flow characteristics. At operating condition near stall point, a series of calculations have been carried out for different axial position of injector and different injected mass flow rate. The computation results of flow field near rotor tip region show that under the influence of injected flow, the transient pressure distribution fluctuates along blade chord on both pressure and suction sides with respect to the relative position of injector and rotor. The pressure difference across the pressure and suction sides of compressor blade changes correspondingly, thus introduces a forced flow unsteadiness interacting with the unsteady tip leakage flow. When the injection is relatively strong and able to meet the tip leakage flow at its origination, the self-induced unsteadiness of tip leakage flow can be suppressed completely. In most cases, both frequency components of the self-induced unsteadiness and forced-induced unsteadiness are co-existing. The corresponding transient flow contours show that a local high pressure spot appears near blade pressure side, which moves downstream and shifts the tip leakage flow trajectory with less or without touching the neighboring pressure surface of the blade. Based on this understanding of discrete tip injection as force-induced flow unsteadiness, the numerical results are also analyzed to optimize the effect of injection in changing the route of tip leakage flow trajectories and therefore the chance of stability improvement of the compressor rotor.

Circumferential Propagation Characteristic of Unsteady Flow in a Subsonic Axial Flow Compressor Rotor at Different Reynolds Numbers

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhiyang Chen ◽  
Yanhui Wu ◽  
Yanwen Zhang ◽  
Junwen Gan ◽  
Jinhuaiyuan An
Keyword(s):  
Unsteady Flow ◽  
Frequency Band ◽  
Radial Flow ◽  
Propagation Characteristic ◽  
Leakage Flow ◽  
Tip Leakage Flow ◽  
Characteristic Frequencies ◽  
Tip Leakage ◽  
Flow Unsteadiness ◽  
Compressor Rotor

Abstract This paper studies the circumferential propagation characteristic of unsteady flow that occurs close to stall in a subsonic axial compressor rotor at different Reynolds number (Re). Experimental measurements are first conducted at high Re on the ground, and numerical investigations are carried out at two altitudes to explore the mechanism of circumferential propagation characteristic at different Re. The stability operating range of the compressor rotor gets small with the decrease of Re. Rotating instability (RI) is observed in the blade passage near the stall limit of the test rotor at high Re on the ground, which is characterized by a hump frequency band in the spectrum. Characteristic frequencies of numerical pressure signals at fixed frame are limited in the frequency band of RI at high Re. The cross power spectrums of numerical pressure signals detected in the neighboring passages suggest that circumferential disturbances rotates in the flow fields at different Re. Characteristic frequencies of the flow unsteadiness change with the decrease of Re. At high Re, the circumferential propagation of tip leakage flow unsteadiness is controlled by the interaction of the tip leakage flow and incoming flow, which is linked to RI. When the Re is reduced, the tip leakage flow gets weak and the radial flow from the hub to tip induced by the suction surface flow separation is dominant in the tip region. Thereafter, both the tip leakage flow and radial flow are associated with the blade tip loading, which changes the flow mechanism of RI.

The Self-induced unsteadiness of tip leakage flow in an axial low-speed compressor with single circumferential casing groove

2013 ◽  
Vol 22 (6) ◽  
pp. 565-572 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juan Du ◽  
Jichao Li ◽  
Kai Wang ◽  
Feng Lin ◽  
Chaoqun Nie
Keyword(s):  
The Self ◽  
Leakage Flow ◽  
Tip Leakage Flow ◽  
Low Speed ◽  
Tip Leakage

Aeroacoustics of a Low-Speed Free Tip Fan With a Complex Clearance Geometry

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dominic Lallier-Daniels ◽  
Stephane Moreau ◽  
Marlene Sanjose
Keyword(s):  
Numerical Study ◽  
Axial Flow ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Leakage Flow ◽  
Tip Leakage Flow ◽  
Low Speed ◽  
Tip Leakage ◽  
Flow Noise ◽  
Lattice Boltzmann Simulations ◽  
Axial Fans

The influence of tip leakage flow on the performance of turbomachinery, both from an aerodynamic and acoustic point of view, has been demonstrated by several authors. However, most studies present in the literature are focused on the effects of tip leakage from an aerodynamic point of view and often forgo the mechanisms associated with the acoustics effect. The effect of different tip geometries is also still ill understood. The current advancement of a numerical study delving into tip leakage flow noise in low-speed turbomachinery applications is presented in this paper. The study as a whole aims to investigate the mechanisms associated with tip leakage flow noise on different axial fans with varying tip configurations. The study is carried out using lattice-Boltzmann simulations that allow to obtain the aerodynamic and aeroacoustic field simultaneously. As a first step in this investigation of tip flow noise, this paper focuses on a free-tip axial flow fan with a complex tip geometry. The global aerodynamic and acoustic performance of the fan is evaluated numerically and compared to available experimental results. An investigation of the simulated flowfield with regards to the observed acoustics is then carried out.

Numerical Study on the Effects of Casing Treatment on Unsteadiness of Tip Leakage Flow in an Axial Compressor

2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yoojun Hwang ◽  
Shin-Hyoung Kang
Keyword(s):  
Numerical Study ◽  
Axial Compressor ◽  
Tip Clearance ◽  
Leakage Flow ◽  
Tip Leakage Flow ◽  
Casing Treatment ◽  
Tip Leakage ◽  
Operating Range ◽  
Compressor Rotor ◽  
Flow Through

A low speed axial compressor with casing treatment of axial slots was numerically investigated. Time-accurate numerical calculations were performed to simulate unsteady flow in the rotor tip region and the effects of casing treatment on the flow. Since the compressor rotor had a large tip clearance, it was found that the tip leakage flow had an inherent unsteady feature that was not associated with rotor rotation. The unsteadiness of the tip leakage flow was induced by changes in the blade loading due to the pressure distribution formed by the tip leakage flow. This characteristic is called rotating instability or self-induced unsteadiness. The frequency of the flow oscillation was found to decrease as the flow rate was reduced. On the other hand, as expected, the operating range was improved by casing treatment, as shown by calculations in good agreement with the experimentally measured data. The unsteadiness of the tip leakage flow was alleviated by the casing treatment. The interaction between the flow in the tip region and the re-circulated flow through the axial slots was observed in detail. The removal and injection of flow through the axial slots were responsible not only for the extension of the operating range but also for the alleviation of the unsteadiness. Analyses of instantaneous flow fields explained the mechanism of the interaction between the casing treatment and the unsteady oscillation of the tip leakage flow. Furthermore, the effects of changes in the amount of re-circulation and the location of the removal and injection flow on the unsteadiness of the tip leakage flow were examined.

Numerical Study on Tip Leakage Flow Structure of an Axial Flow Compressor Rotor

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chenkai Zhang ◽  
Jun Hu ◽  
Zhiqiang Wang ◽  
Wei Yan ◽  
Chao Yin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Flow Structure ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Numerical Study ◽  
Axial Compressor ◽  
Tip Clearance ◽  
Leakage Flow ◽  
Tip Leakage Flow ◽  
Tip Leakage Vortex ◽  
Low Speed ◽  
Tip Leakage

To deepen the knowledge of tip leakage flow/vortex flow structure in the tip clearance of axial compressor rotors, this paper presents steady numerical studies on a subsonic rotor. The rotor and its related low-speed large-scale repeating-stage axial compressor are used for low-speed model testing of a modern high-pressure compressor. Results were first compared with available experimental data to validate adopted numerical method. Then complex endwall flow structure and flow loss mechanism at design operating point were studied. At last, comparisons were made for tip leakage vortex structure, interface of the leakage flow/main flow, endwall blockage and loss between design and near-stall operating points. Results show that only the spilled flows below 62.5% clearance height at the leading edge will roll into tip leakage vortex for this rotor. In addition, tip leakage vortex plays a secondary important role for higher positions, where secondary leakage flow occurs and occupies broader chordwise range. Although tip leakage vortex would expand and strongly mix with the mainflow when it propagates downstream, which leads to a rapid reduction of the normalized streamwise vorticity, the value of the normalized helicity shows that concentrated vortex feature is still maintained.

Numerical Investigation of the Behavior of Tip Leakage Flow in a Low-Speed Axial Compressor Rotor at Near-Stall Condition

2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhenzhen Duan ◽  
Yangwei Liu ◽  
Lipeng Lu
Keyword(s):  
Axial Compressor ◽  
Rotating Stall ◽  
Leakage Flow ◽  
Tip Leakage Flow ◽  
Tip Leakage Vortex ◽  
Stall Inception ◽  
Low Speed ◽  
Tip Leakage ◽  
Compressor Rotor ◽  
Corner Vortex

In the present work, time-accurate simulations were performed to investigate the unsteady flow fields in the tip region of a low-speed large-scale axial compressor rotor at near-stall condition. Firstly, the steady performance characteristic of the rotor was obtained by steady simulations. Secondly, a series of unsteady simulations were carried out to investigate the physical processes as the rotor approaching stall and the role of complex tip flow mechanism on flow instability in the rotor. The characteristics of tip leakage vortex were compared between design condition and near-stall condition. Detailed analyses were then employed to emphasize the development of stall inception and the comprehensions of the internal flow field. Two flow phenomena, spillage at the leading edge and backflow at the trailing edge, are found beyond the flow solution limit, which are both linked to the tip leakage flow. And the breakdown of the tip leakage vortex has been captured. The flow visualization and the quantification of passage blockage expose that the tip leakage vortex and corner vortex contribute most to the total passage blockage. Therefore, they are considered to be the key flow structures contributing to the rotating stall. Further analyses indicate that, in the current rotor, the interaction of the tip leakage flow and the corner vortex is clarified to be the key factor that leads to the rotating stall. In addition, the very initial disturbances of stall inception are discussed. And the interaction of the boundary layer migration on the blade suction side and the tip leakage vortex also plays a significant role in the stall inception.

The Dual Mechanisms and Implementations of Stability Enhancement With Discrete Tip Injection in Axial Flow Compressors

2014 ◽  
Vol 137 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jichao Li ◽  
Feng Lin ◽  
Zhiting Tong ◽  
Chaoqun Nie ◽  
Jingyi Chen
Keyword(s):  
High Speed ◽  
Tip Clearance ◽  
Leakage Flow ◽  
Tip Leakage Flow ◽  
Clearance Ratio ◽  
Momentum Ratio ◽  
Low Speed ◽  
Tip Leakage ◽  
Tip Injection ◽  
Stability Enhancement

The mechanisms and implementation scheme of discrete tip air injection are studied in this paper. A map that summarized the routes to stall is then proposed. It is argued that there exists a critical tip clearance ratio that separates two different routes to stall, which infers that the stability enhancement can also be based on two different mechanisms. A summation of tip injection test data in the literatures demonstrates that this is actually the case. For each compressor, there are two trends in the curve of stall margin improvement (SMI) versus injected momentum ratio, which is separated by a demarcation ratio of injected momentum. A series of tests are done in a low-speed compressor to show that the micro injection, wherein the injected momentum ratio is less than the demarcation ratio, can only act on the tip leakage flow (TLF) and thus provide small SMI by weakening the self-induced unsteadiness of the tip leakage flow (UTLF), while in contrast the macro injection can provide much larger SMI by acting on the main flow, decreasing the inlet angle-of-attack and thus unloading the blade tip. Based on these findings, a novel detecting-actuating scheme is designed and implemented onto a low-speed axial compressor. A cross-correlation coefficient is used to detect the UTLF in the prestall process way before stall inception and then to guide the opening of proportional electromagnetic valves. The injected flow rate can be smoothly varied to cover both micro- and macro-injection, which saves energy when the compressor is stable, and provides protection when it is needed. The same principle is applied to a high-speed compressor with a recirculation injection and the preliminary test results are very encouraging.

Circumferential propagation of tip leakage flow unsteadiness for a low-speed axial compressor

2009 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 202-206 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shaojuan Geng ◽  
Feng Lin ◽  
Jingyi Chen ◽  
Hongwu Zhang ◽  
Lei He
Keyword(s):  
Axial Compressor ◽  
Leakage Flow ◽  
Tip Leakage Flow ◽  
Low Speed ◽  
Tip Leakage ◽  
Flow Unsteadiness

Study of the Standard k-ε Model for Tip Leakage Flow in an Axial Compressor Rotor

2016 ◽  
Vol 33 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yanfei Gao ◽  
Yangwei Liu ◽  
Luyang Zhong ◽  
Jiexuan Hou ◽  
Lipeng Lu
Keyword(s):  
Flow Field ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Turbulent Viscosity ◽  
Axial Compressor ◽  
Leakage Flow ◽  
Reynolds Stresses ◽  
Mean Flow ◽  
Tip Leakage Flow ◽  
Tip Leakage ◽  
Compressor Rotor

AbstractThe standard k-ε model (SKE) and the Reynolds stress model (RSM) are employed to predict the tip leakage flow (TLF) in a low-speed large-scale axial compressor rotor. Then, a new research method is adopted to “freeze” the turbulent kinetic energy and dissipation rate of the flow field derived from the RSM, and obtain the turbulent viscosity using the Boussinesq hypothesis. The Reynolds stresses and mean flow field computed on the basis of the frozen viscosity are compared with the results of the SKE and the RSM. The flow field in the tip region based on the frozen viscosity is more similar to the results of the RSM than those of the SKE, although certain differences can be observed. This finding indicates that the non-equilibrium turbulence transport nature plays an important role in predicting the TLF, as well as the turbulence anisotropy.

Experimental and Numerical Study of Honeycomb Tip on Suppressing Tip Leakage Flow in Turbine Cascade

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yunfeng Fu ◽  
Fu Chen ◽  
Huaping Liu ◽  
Yanping Song
Keyword(s):  
Numerical Study ◽  
Flow Characteristics ◽  
Leakage Flow ◽  
Exit Section ◽  
Turbine Cascade ◽  
Tip Leakage Flow ◽  
Physical Processes ◽  
Tip Leakage ◽  
Gap Height ◽  
Positive Effect

In this paper, the effect of a novel honeycomb tip on suppressing tip leakage flow in a highly-loaded turbine cascade has been experimentally and numerically studied. The research focuses on the mechanisms of honeycomb tip on suppressing tip leakage flow and affecting the secondary flow in the cascade, as well as the influences of different clearance heights on leakage flow characteristics. In addition, two kinds of local honeycomb tip structures are pro-posed to explore the positive effect on suppressing leakage flow in simpler tip honeycomb structures. Based on the experimental and numerical results, the physical processes of tip leakage flow and its interaction with main flow are analyzed, the following conclusions can be obtained. Honeycomb tip rolls up a number of small vortices and radial jets in regular hexagonal honeycomb cavities, increasing the flow resistance in the clearance and reducing the velocity of leakage flow. As a result, the structure of honeycomb tip not only suppresses the leakage flow effectively, but also has positive effect on reducing the associated losses in cascade by reducing the strength of leakage vortex. Compare to the flat tip cascade at 1%H gap height, the relative leakage flow in honeycomb tip cascade reduces from 3.05% to 2.73%, and the loss at exit section is also decreased by 10.63%. With the increase of the gap height, the tip leakage flow and loss have variations of direct proportion with it, but their growth rates in the honeycomb tip cascade are smaller. Consider the abradable property of the honeycomb seal, a smaller gap height is allowed in the cascade with honeycomb tip, and that means honeycomb tip has better effect on suppressing leakage flow. Two various local honeycomb tip structures has also been discussed. It shows that local raised honeycomb tip has better suppressing leakage flow effect than honeycomb tip, while local concave honeycomb tip has no more effect than honeycomb tip. Compare to flat tip cascade, the leakage flow in honeycomb tip cascade, local concave tip cascade and local raised honeycomb tip cascade decrease by nearly 17.33%, 15.51% and 30.86% respectively, the losses at exit section is reduced by 13.38%, 12% and 28.17% respectively.

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