Numerical Simulation of the Flow Field in a High Speed Multistage Compressor: Study of the Time Discretization Sensitivity

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Johannes Schreiber ◽  
Xavier Ottavy ◽  
Ghislaine Ngo Boum ◽  
Stéphane Aubert ◽  
Frédéric Sicot
Keyword(s):  
Flow Field ◽  
High Speed ◽  
State Of The Art ◽  
Axial Compressor ◽  
Time Discretization ◽  
Test Rig ◽  
Unsteady Rans ◽  
Multistage Compressor ◽  
Temporal Periodicity ◽  
Specific Contribution

The following numerical investigations are performed in the frame of a research project that aims at a better understanding of the flow unsteadiness that develops in a multistage high-speed axial compressor. First, the paper presents a new version of the 3.5 stages high-speed axial compressor CREATE (Compresseur de Recherche pour l’Etude des effets Aérodynamiques et TEchnologiques), which has been designed by Snecma and is based at the LMFA (Laboratory for Fluid Mechanics and Acoustics) on a 2MW test rig. This paper is based on numerical results obtained with 3D steady and unsteady RANS computations using the CREATE configuration. The unsteady RANS simulations are carried out over the whole spatial and temporal periodicity of the compressor. The main numerical setup has been fixed according to the state of the art. Second, the effect of three different time discretizations on the flow field in CREATE is discussed. The global performance of the compressor is not significantly affected. However the change in the time discretization impacts the structure of the flow at specific locations. The main focus of this study lies on the transport of flow structures and the analysis of their interactions. A double modal decomposition method, which highlights the specific contribution of the interactions on the overall flow field, is applied for the study of the highly complex and unsteady flow field. It allows identifying which interactions are more sensitive to the change in the time discretization.

Evaluation of a Flow Measurement Probe Influence on the Flow Field in High Speed Axial Compressors

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ryosuke Seki ◽  
Satoshi Yamashita ◽  
Ryosuke Mito
Keyword(s):  
Flow Field ◽  
Approximation Method ◽  
High Speed ◽  
Static Pressure ◽  
Axial Compressor ◽  
Pressure Change ◽  
Operating Point ◽  
Blade Row ◽  
Probe Insertion ◽  
Probe Geometry

Abstract The aerodynamic effects of a probe for stage performance evaluation in a high-speed axial compressor are investigated. Regarding the probe measurement accuracy and its aerodynamic effects, the upstream/downstream effects on the probe and probe insertion effects are studied by using an unsteady computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis and by verifying in two types of multistage high-speed axial compressor measurements. The probe traverse measurements were conducted at the stator inlet and outlet in each case to evaluate blade row performance quantitatively and its flow field. In the past study, the simple approximation method was carried out which considered only the interference of the probe effect based on the reduction of the mass flow by the probe blockage for the compressor performance, but it did not agree well with the measured results. In order to correctly and quantitatively grasp the mechanism of the flow field when the probe is inserted, the unsteady calculation including the probe geometry was carried out in the present study. Unsteady calculation was performed with a probe inserted completely between the rotor and stator of a 4-stage axial compressor. Since the probe blockage and potential flow field, which mean the pressure change region induced by the probe, change the operating point of the upstream rotor and increase the work of the rotor. Compared the measurement result with probe to a kiel probe setting in the stator leading edge, the total pressure was increased about 2,000Pa at the probe tip. In addition, the developed wake by the probe interferes with the downstream stator row and locally changes the static pressure at the stator exit. To evaluate the probe insertion effect, unsteady calculations with probe at three different immersion heights at the stator downstream in an 8-stage axial compressor are performed. The static pressure value of the probe tip was increased about 3,000Pa in the hub region compared to tip region, this increase corresponds to the measurement trend. On the other hand, the measured wall static pressure showed that there is no drastic change in the radial direction. In addition, when the probe is inserted from the tip to hub region in the measurement, the blockage induced by the probe was increased. As a result, operating point of the stator was locally changed, and the rise of static pressure of the stator increased when the stator incidence changed. These typical results show that unsteady simulations including probe geometry can accurately evaluate the aerodynamic effects of probes in the high-speed axial compressor. Therefore, since the probe will pinpointed and strong affects the practically local flow field in all rotor upstream passage and stator downstream, as for the probe measurement, it is important to pay attention to design the probe diameter, the distance from the blade row, and its relative position to the downstream stator. From the above investigations, a newly simple approximation method which includes the effect of the pressure change evaluation by the probe is proposed, and it is verified in the 4-stage compressor case as an example. In this method, the effects of the distance between the rotor trailing edge (T.E.) and the probe are considered by the theory of the incompressible two-dimensional potential flow. The probe blockage decreases the mass flow rate and changes the operating point of the compressor. The verification results conducted in real compressor indicate that the correct blockage approximation enables designer to estimate aerodynamic effects of the probe correctly.

Characteristics of Stable Rotating Stall Cells in an Axial Compressor

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adam R. Hickman ◽  
Scott C. Morris
Keyword(s):  
Flow Field ◽  
High Speed ◽  
Pressure Ratio ◽  
Pressure Sensors ◽  
Axial Compressor ◽  
Field Measurements ◽  
Rotating Stall ◽  
Flow Coefficient ◽  
Stable Operation ◽  
Double Phase

Flow field measurements of a high-speed axial compressor are presented during pre-stall and post-stall conditions. The paper provides an analysis of measurements from a circumferential array of unsteady shroud static pressure sensors during stall cell development. At low-speed, the stall cell approached a stable size in approximately two rotor revolutions. At higher speeds, the stall cell developed within a short amount of time after stall inception, but then fluctuated in circumferential extent as the compressor transiently approached a stable post-stall operating point. The size of the stall cell was found to be related to the annulus average flow coefficient. A discussion of Phase-Locked Average (PLA) statistics on flow field measurements during stable operation is also included. In conditions where rotating stall is present, flow field measurements can be Double Phase-Locked Averaged (DPLA) using a once-per-revolution (1/Rev) pulse and the period of the stall cell. The DPLA method provides greater detail and understanding into the structure of the stall cell. DPLA data indicated that a stalled compressor annulus can be considered to contained three main regions: over-pressurized passages, stalled passages, and recovering passages. Within the over-pressured region, rotor passages exhibited increased blade loading and pressure ratio compared to pre-stall values.

Experimental Investigation of Aspiration in a Multi-Stage High-Speed Axial-Compressor

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jan Siemann ◽  
Ingolf Krenz ◽  
Joerg R. Seume
Keyword(s):  
Flow Field ◽  
Total Pressure ◽  
High Speed ◽  
Pressure Ratio ◽  
Axial Compressor ◽  
Reference Configuration ◽  
Corner Separation ◽  
Part Load ◽  
Total Pressure Ratio ◽  
Isentropic Efficiency

Reducing the fuel consumption is a main objective in the development of modern aircraft engines. Focusing on aircraft for mid-range flight distances, a significant potential to increase the engines overall efficiency at off-design conditions exists in reducing secondary flow losses of the compressor. For this purpose, Active Flow Control (AFC) by aspiration or injection of fluid at near wall regions is a promising approach. To experimentally investigate the aerodynamic benefits of AFC by aspiration, a 4½-stage high-speed axial-compressor at the Leibniz Universitaet Hannover was equipped with one AFC stator row. The numerical design of the AFC-stator showed significant hub corner separations in the first and second stator for the reference configuration at the 80% part-load speed-line near stall. Through the application of aspiration at the first stator, the numerical simulations predict the complete suppression of the corner separation not only in the first, but also in the second stator. This leads to a relative increase in overall isentropic efficiency of 1.47% and in overall total pressure ratio of 4.16% compared to the reference configuration. To put aspiration into practice, the high-speed axial-compressor was then equipped with a secondary air system and the AFC stator row in the first stage. All experiments with AFC were performed for a relative aspiration mass flow of less than 0.5% of the main flow. Besides the part-load speed-lines of 55% and 80%, the flow field downstream of each blade row was measured at the AFC design point. Experimental results are in good agreement with the numerical predictions. The use of AFC leads to an increase in operating range at the 55% part-load speed-line of at least 19%, whereas at the 80% part-load speed-line no extension of operating range occurs. Both speed-lines, however, do show a gain in total pressure ratio and isentropic efficiency for the AFC configuration compared to the reference configuration. Compared to the AFC design point, the isentropic efficiency ηis rises by 1.45%, whereas the total pressure ratio Πtot increases by 1.47%. The analysis of local flow field data shows that the hub corner separation in the first stator is reduced by aspiration, whereas in the second stator the hub corner separation slightly increases. The application of AFC in the first stage further changes the stage loading in all downstream stages. While the first and third stage become unloaded by application of AFC, the loading in terms of the De-Haller number increases in the second and especially in the fourth stage. Furthermore, in the reference as well as in the AFC configuration, the fourth stator performs significantly better than predicted by numerical results.

Experimental Investigation of the Rotor-Stator Interactions Within a High-Speed, Multi-Stage, Axial Compressor: Part 2 — Modal Analysis of the Interactions

2004 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Arnaud ◽  
Xavier Ottavy ◽  
Andre´ Vouillarmet
Keyword(s):  
Flow Field ◽  
High Speed ◽  
Axial Compressor ◽  
Rotating Speed ◽  
Spatial Harmonics ◽  
Multi Stage ◽  
Time Period ◽  
Original Measurement ◽  
Measured Flow ◽  
Almost All

The second part of this paper deals with the analysis of the 2D LDA measurements carried out within the high-speed multistage axial compressor CREATE. First the interactions correlations are quantified using the deterministic stresses introduced by Adamczyk. Secondly, a modal decomposition shows that the interactions are characterized by the presence of spatial harmonics (spinning lobes) given by a linear combination of the blades numbers. An original measurement of the rotating speed of the spinning lobes has been carried out allowing to identify almost all the spinning lobes in the first inter row region resulting from the R1-S1 interactions. For the first stage, where the influence of the downstream rows is low, the measured flow field is well reproduced by the model of Tyler and Sofrin. Spatial DFT of the flow field calculated for each time of the compressor time period show that there is a pulsation of the spatial harmonics with the period associated to the minimum elapsed time to recover the same relative positions of the rotor and stator rows.

Design of a High-Speed Rotating Test Rig for Adaptive Seal Systems

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura S. Beermann ◽  
Corina Höfler ◽  
Hans-Jörg Bauer
Keyword(s):  
High Pressure ◽  
Flow Field ◽  
High Speed ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Turbine Engines ◽  
Parameter Study ◽  
Test Rig ◽  
Swirl Chamber ◽  
Mass Flows ◽  
Gap Width

Gas turbine engines are subject to increased performance and improved efficiency, which leads to rising core temperatures with additional cooling needs. Reducing the parasitic leakage in the secondary flow system is important to meet the challenging requirements. New seal designs have to be tested and optimized at engine like conditions, like high pressure of up to 9 bar and surface speed of up to 280 m/s as well as an adjusted flow field. Flexible seal designs are an innovative approach to reduce leakage mass flows significantly. Axial and radial movements during transient operating conditions can be compensated easily, thus allowing a smaller gap width and minimizing rub and heat load. This paper describes the design and construction of a new rotating test rig facility. To the knowledge of the authors, this is the only test rig with an adjustable gap width and flow field in a high pressure and speed range. The facility is capable of up to 8 bar differential pressure across the seal and up to 4 bar back pressure. The high revolution engine facilitates a surface speed of up to 280 m/s. A traversable casing allows a quick change of the gap width during operation and simulates radial and axial rotor/stator movements in the engine. The seal movement as well as the resulting gap width are measured during operation to fully understand the seal behavior. An important feature of the new test rig is the continuously adjustable pre-swirl system. It has been designed to cover the different flow conditions in the real engine. Therefore, a RANS parameter study of the pre-swirl chamber has been conducted, which shows the adjustability of different pre-swirl ratios for constant and changing inlet mass flows.

Increasing Flashback Resistance in Lean Premixed Swirl-Stabilized Hydrogen Combustion by Axial Air Injection

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thoralf G. Reichel ◽  
Steffen Terhaar ◽  
Oliver Paschereit
Keyword(s):  
Flow Field ◽  
Gas Turbines ◽  
High Speed ◽  
Flame Temperature ◽  
Air Injection ◽  
Reacting Flow ◽  
Nox Emissions ◽  
Test Rig ◽  
Swirl Number ◽  
Lean Premixed

Since lean premixed combustion allows for fuel-efficiency and low emissions, it is nowadays state of the art in stationary gas turbines. In the long term, it is also a promising approach for aero engines, when safety issues like lean blowout (LBO) and flame flashback in the premixer can be overcome. While for the use of hydrogen the LBO limits are extended, the flashback propensity is increased. Thus, axial air injection is applied in order to eliminate flashback in a swirl-stabilized combustor burning premixed hydrogen. Axial injection constitutes a non-swirling jet on the central axis of the radial swirl generator which influences the vortex breakdown position. In the present work changes in the flow field and their impact on flashback limits of a model combustor are evaluated. First, a parametric study is conducted under isothermal test conditions in a water tunnel employing particle image velocimetry (PIV). The varied parameters are the amount of axially injected air and swirl number. Subsequently, flashback safety is evaluated in the presence of axial air injection in an atmospheric combustor test rig and a stability map is recorded. The flame structure is measured using high-speed OH* chemiluminescence imaging. Simultaneous high-speed PIV measurements of the reacting flow provide insight in the time-resolved reacting flow field and indicate the flame location by evaluating the Mie scattering of the raw PIV images by the means of the Qualitative Light Sheet (QLS) technique. The isothermal tests identify the potential of axial air injection to overcome the axial velocity deficits at the nozzle outlet, which is considered crucial in order to provide flashback safety. This effect of axial air injection is shown to prevail in the presence of a flame. Generally, flashback safety is shown to benefit from an elevated amount of axial air injection and a lower swirl number. Note, that the latter also leads to increased NOx emissions, while axial air injection does not. Additionally, fuel momentum is indicated to positively influence flashback resistance, although based on a different mechanism, an explanation of which is suggested. In summary, flashback-proof operation of the burner with a high amount of axial air injection is achieved on the whole operating range of the test rig at inlet temperatures of 620 K and up to stoichiometric conditions while maintaining single digit NOx emissions below a flame temperature of 2000 K.

Experimental and Numerical Investigation of the Flow Field at Radial Holes in High-Speed Rotating Shafts

2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jan Sousek ◽  
Daniel Riedmüller ◽  
Michael Pfitzner
Keyword(s):  
Flow Field ◽  
High Speed ◽  
Discharge Coefficient ◽  
Cross Flow ◽  
Test Rig ◽  
Flow Phenomena ◽  
Rotating Shafts ◽  
Secondary Air ◽  
The One ◽  
Discharge Behaviour

Rotating and stationary orifices are used within the secondary air system to transport sealing/ cooling air to its consumers. This paper reports on measurements of the discharge coefficient of rotating radial holes as their aerodynamical behaviour is different from the one of axial or stationary holes due to the presence of centrifugal and Coriolis forces. A test rig containing two independently rotating shafts was designed to investigate the flow phenomena and the discharge behaviour of these orifices. The required air mass flow is delivered by a screw compressor and can be regulated independently to supply the inner and outer annular passages of the test rig. It allows measurements of the discharge coefficient with cross flow and co- and counter-rotating shafts with centrifugal and centripetal flow through the rotating holes. On the outer shaft, absolute and differential pressures and temperatures in the rotating frame of reference are measured via a telemetry system. Measurements of the discharge coefficient for sharp-edged and rounded shaft inserts at a variety of different flow conditions and with swirl added to the air upstream of the orifice are presented. Furthermore experiments were conducted to quantify the influence of the inner shaft (non-rotating and rotating) on the discharge behaviour of orifices in the outer shaft. To complement the data acquired from the experiments and to get a better understanding of the flow field near the rotating holes also numerical flow simulations were performed.

Experimental and Numerical Investigation of the Flow Field at Radial Holes in High-Speed Rotating Shafts

2014 ◽  
Vol 136 (8) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jan Sousek ◽  
Daniel Riedmüller ◽  
Michael Pfitzner
Keyword(s):  
Flow Field ◽  
High Speed ◽  
Discharge Coefficient ◽  
Cross Flow ◽  
Test Rig ◽  
Flow Phenomena ◽  
Rotating Shafts ◽  
Discharge Behavior ◽  
Secondary Air ◽  
Cooling Air

Rotating and stationary orifices are used within the secondary air system to transport sealing/cooling air to its consumers. This paper reports on measurements of the discharge coefficient of rotating radial holes since their aerodynamical behavior is different from that of axial or stationary holes due to the presence of centrifugal and Coriolis forces. A test rig containing two independently rotating shafts was designed in order to investigate the flow phenomena and the discharge behavior of these orifices. The required air mass flow is delivered by a screw compressor and can be independently regulated to supply the inner and outer annular passages of the test rig. It allows for measurements of the discharge coefficient with cross flow and co- and counter-rotating shafts with centrifugal and centripetal flow through the rotating holes. On the outer shaft, absolute and differential pressures and temperatures in the rotating frame of reference are measured via a telemetry system. Measurements of the discharge coefficient for sharp-edged and rounded shaft inserts at a variety of different flow conditions and with swirl added to the air upstream of the orifice are presented. Furthermore, experiments were conducted to quantify the influence of the inner shaft (nonrotating and rotating) on the discharge behavior of orifices in the outer shaft. To complement the data acquired from the experiments and to obtain a better understanding of the flow field near the rotating holes numerical flow simulations were also performed.

Numerical Studies on the Intrusive Influence of a Five-Hole Pressure Probe in a High-Speed Axial Compressor

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christoph Sanders ◽  
Marius Terstegen ◽  
Magnus Hölle ◽  
Peter Jeschke ◽  
Harald Schönenborn ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mach Number ◽  
Flow Field ◽  
High Speed ◽  
Axial Compressor ◽  
Forced Response ◽  
Rotor Blades ◽  
Pressure Probe ◽  
Maximum Deviation ◽  
Hole Pressure ◽  
Forcing Functions

In this investigation, CFD calculations are conducted to evaluate the differences between five-hole pressure probe-determined flow quantities and the unaffected flow quantities without the probe’s intrusive influence. The blockage effect of the probe is described and evaluated. Furthermore, the influence of this effect is used to estimate the error when using measured stator outflows as forcing functions for the following rotor blades. To compare the flow field, both with and without the probe’s influence, a five-hole pressure probe is traversed numerically at midspan behind each stator row of a 2.5-stage axial compressor. For reproducing the blockage of the probe accurately, the full annulus of the respective stator row has to be modeled. In order to minimize the calculation time, a study to reduce the number of stator passages was successfully performed. To evaluate the flow quantities using the probe, a calibration polynomial is set up numerically. CFD simulations of the probe geometry within a uniform flow field for each pitch and yaw angle, as well as Mach number combination, are performed for this purpose. Moreover, the pressure probe data for the numerical traverses are corrected to account for velocity gradients in the wake region. The comparison of Mach number, with and without the probe’s influence, shows differences both in the width and the depth of the wake. The results of the Fourier-transformed wake profile for both cases are compared and changes in the first harmonic of Mach number of up to −13% identified. Finally, the first harmonic of the flow quantities is used to perform linearized CFD calculations and to evaluate the influence of disturbed forcing functions on the aerodynamic work of the following rotor blade. The average difference in aerodynamic excitation is about −12% with a maximum deviation of more than −30%. The results presented aim to draw attention to intrusive probe influences and their consequences for validating numerical results against experiments. Special attention is given to the discrepancies of forced response calculations with varying gust boundary conditions.

Deposition Pattern Analysis on a Fouled Multistage Test Compressor

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alessio Suman ◽  
Alessandro Vulpio ◽  
Nicola Casari ◽  
Michele Pinelli ◽  
Rainer Kurz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Flow Field ◽  
Particle Deposition ◽  
Axial Compressor ◽  
Rotor Blades ◽  
Deposition Patterns ◽  
Compressor Inlet ◽  
Multistage Compressor ◽  
Multistage Test ◽  
Favorable Conditions ◽  
Multistage Axial Compressor

Abstract Compressor fouling is one of the main causes of gas turbine performance degradation. Microsized particles adhere to the blade surfaces increasing the surface roughness and modifying the airfoil shape. In the present work, the contamination of the Allison 250 C18 multistage compressor engine with four sorts of micrometric dust has been provided. The tests were performed changing the relative humidity at the compressor inlet and the unit rotational speed. After each test, a photographic inspection of the internal fouled parts has been realized and the digital pictures have been analyzed employing an image processing package. The deposits build-up of stator vanes and rotor blades have been post-processed and the most affected regions of each compressor stage have been highlighted. Besides, a numerical simulation of the machine has been performed. The numerical flow field has been used to highlight the blade regions which show the most favorable conditions for particle deposition. A theoretical model has been applied to the flow field to simulate the particle deposition. The combination of the deposition model with the results of the CFD simulations gives the chance to better understand the experimentally-founded deposition patterns. Those results have been finally compared to the pictures of the patterns. The possibility to detect and measure the deposition patterns on a rotating test rig and the comparison with models and experiments gave the possibility to assess in detail the particle deposition phenomenon on a multistage axial compressor flow path.

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