Three-Dimensional Blade Shape Optimization for a Transonic Axial Flow Compressor Through Incorporating Surrogate Model and Sequential Sampling

Author(s):  
Xuesong Wang ◽  
Jinju Sun ◽  
Peng Song ◽  
Youwei He ◽  
Da Xu

High level aerodynamic performance has been always expected for the axial flow compressors, and it is the consistent goal for axial flow compressor research. To achieve such a goal, the incorporation of CFD with optimization algorithm and surrogate model in blade geometry optimization has become a common practice and been used extensively. But the conventional surrogate model based on merely initial sampling often deviates from the real optimization problem during optimization process and then brings the optimizer to search locally, leading to the compromised optimal results. There are yet much to do to improve such optimization design method. An optimization method of surrogate model being updated by sequential sampling strategy is developed to achieve global optimal design geometry and permit high-level of aerodynamic performance for axial flow compressor. Preliminary Kriging surrogate model is constructed with a small number of selected DOE samplings, where the multiple optimization objective functions are obtained based on CFD simulations. The optimization is performed on the surrogate model with NSGA-II optimization algorithm and Pareto fronts successively obtained. To improve the surrogate model, the MSE (Mean Squared Error) criteria is used to select the refinement point from the newest Pareto front, and it is used to update and improve the surrogate model gradually during the optimization. Such adaptive feature of the surrogate model has enabled the optimizer to search globally. The method is used to optimize transonic Rotor 37 at design flow rate, where the blade shape is varied simultaneously in terms of sweep and lean, and the geometry is optimized. In the converged Pareto front, abundant candidate designs with significant performance gains are produced. Three points over the Pareto front are selected and analyzed to take an insight into the optimization effectiveness. Overall performance curves of optimized geometries are predicted over the entire flow range and they are significantly improved compared with the original ones. Significant overall performance gains arising from the blade optimization are supported by the improved flow behavior. The overall pressure ratio or efficiency gains of the optimized blades are attributed to the significant improvement in the radial distribution of aerodynamic parameters. Further research shows that the shock structure is changed and separation zone is reduced with the optimized blades, which are the major reasons for the improvement of the aerodynamic performance of optimized blades.

Author(s):  
Wei Wang ◽  
Wuli Chu ◽  
Haoguang Zhang ◽  
Yanhui Wu

Recirculating casing treatment (RCT) was studied in a subsonic axial flow compressor experimentally and numerically. The RCT was parameterized with the injector throat height and circumferential coverage percentage (ccp) to investigate its influence on compressor stability and on the overall performance in the experimentation. The injector throat height varied from 2 to 6 times the height of the rotor tip clearance, and the ccp ranged from 8.3% to 25% of the casing perimeter. Various RCT configurations were achieved with a modular design procedure. The rotor casing was instrumented with fast-response pressure transducers to detect the stall inception, rotational speed of stall cells, and pressure flow fields. Whole-passage unsteady simulations were also implemented for the RCT and solid casing to understand the flow details. Results indicate that both the compressor stability and overall performance can be improved through RCT with appropriate geometrical parameters. The effect of injector throat height on the stability depends on the choice of ccp, i.e., interaction effect exists. In general, the RCT with a moderate injector throat height and a large circumferential coverage is the optimal choice. Phase-locked pattern of the casing wall pressure reveals a weakened tip leakage vortex under the effect of RCT compared with the solid casing. The numerical results show that the RCT has a substantial effect on tip blockage even when the blade passages break away from the domain of RCT. The reduction of tip blockage induced by the tip leakage vortex is the main reason for the extension of stable operation range. The unsteadiness of double-leakage flow is detected both in the experiment and in numerical simulations. The pressure fluctuations caused by double-leakage flow are depressed with RCT. This observation indicates reduced losses related with the double-leakage flow. Although the stall inception is not changed by implementing RCT, the stall pattern is altered. The stall with two cells is detected in RCT compared with the solid casing with only one stall cell.


Author(s):  
J. P. Smed ◽  
F. A. Pisz ◽  
J. A. Kain ◽  
N. Yamaguchi ◽  
S. Umemura

As part of the WESTINGHOUSE-MHI 501F Development Program, a new 16 stage axial flow compressor has been designed. Reported here are elements of the aerodynamic and mechanical design as well as general design features. Overall performance test results are also presented which indicate that the compressor met or exceeded all expectations amenable to measurement during the full load shop test program.


Author(s):  
Wei Wang ◽  
Wuli Chu ◽  
Haoguang Zhang ◽  
Yanhui Wu

Parametric studies of recirculating casing treatment were experimentally performed in a subsonic axial flow compressor. The recirculating casing treatment was parameterized with injector throat height, injection position, and circumferential coverage percentage. Eighteen recirculating casing treatments were tested to study the effects on compressor stability and on the compressor overall performance at three blade speeds. The profiles of recirculating casing treatment were optimized to minimize the losses generated by air recirculation. In the experiment, the stalling mass flow rate, total pressure ratio, and adiabatic efficiency of the compressor were measured to study the steady-state effects on the compressor performance of recirculating casing treatments, and static pressure disturbances on the casing wall were monitored to study the influence on stall dynamics. Results indicate that both the compressor stability and overall performance can be improved through recirculating casing treatment with appropriate geometrical parameters for all the test speeds. The influence on stall margin of one geometric parameter often depends on the choice of others, i.e. the interaction effects exist. In general, the recirculating casing treatment with a moderate injector throat and a large circumferential coverage is the optimal choice to enhance compressor stability. The injector of recirculating casing treatment should be placed upstream of the blade tip leading edge and the injector throat height should be lower than four times the rotor tip gap for the benefits of compressor efficiency. At 71% speed, the blade tip loading is decreased through recirculating casing treatment at the operating condition of near peak efficiency and increased near stall. Moreover, the outlet absolute flow angle is reduced in the tip region and enhanced at lower blade spans for both operating conditions. The stall inceptions are not changed with the implementation of recirculating casing treatment for all the test speeds, but the stall patterns are altered at 33% and 53% speeds, i.e. the stall with two cells is detected in the recirculating casing treatment compared with the solid casing with only one stall cell.


1992 ◽  
Vol 114 (2) ◽  
pp. 271-276 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. P. Smed ◽  
F. A. Pisz ◽  
J. A. Kain ◽  
N. Yamaguchi ◽  
S. Umemura

As part of the Westinghouse-MHI 501F development program, a new 16-stage axial flow compressor has been designed. Reported here are elements of the aerodynamic and mechanical design as well as general design features. Overall performance test results are also presented, which indicate that the compressor met or exceeded all expectations amenable to measurement during the full load shop test program.


Author(s):  
Botao Zhang ◽  
Bo Liu ◽  
Xiaochen Mao ◽  
Hejian Wang

To investigate the effect of hub clearance of cantilever stator on the aerodynamic performance and the flow field of the transonic axial-flow compressor, the performance of single-stage compressors with the shrouded stator and cantilever stator was studied numerically. It is found that the hub corner separation on the stator blade suction surface (SS) was modified by introducing the hub leakage flow. The separation vortex on the SS of the stator blade root at about 10% axial chord length caused by the interaction of the shock wave and boundary layer was also controlled. Compared with the tip clearance size of the rotor blade, the stator hub clearance size (HCS) has a much less effect on the overall aerodynamic performance of the compressor, and there is no obvious effect on the flow field in the upstream blade row. With the increase of HCS, the leakage loss and the blockage degree in the flow field near the stator hub are increased and further make the adiabatic efficiency and the total pressure ratio of the compressor gradually decrease. Meanwhile, the stall margin of the compressor was changed slightly, but the response of the stall margin to the change of the HCS is nonlinear and insensitive. The stator hub leakage flow (HLF) can not only change the flow field near the hub but also redistribute the flow law within the range of the entire blade span. It will contribute to further understand the mechanism of the HLF and provide supports for the design of the cantilever stator of transonic compressors.


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