Numerical Investigation on Unsteady Separation Flow Control in an Axial Compressor Using Detached-Eddy Simulation

Unsteady excitation has proved its effectiveness in separation flow control and has been extensively studied. It is observed that disordered shedding vortices in compressors can be controlled by unsteady excitation, especially when the excitation frequency coincides with the frequency of the shedding vortex. Furthermore, former experimental results indicated that unsteady excitation at other frequencies also had an impact on the structure of shedding vortices. To investigate the impact of excitation frequency on vortex shedding structure, the Detached-Eddy Simulation (DES) method was applied in the simulation of shedding vortex structure under unsteady excitations at different frequencies in an axial compressor. Effectiveness of the DES method was proved by comparison with URANS results. The simulation results showed a good agreement with the former experiment. The numerical results indicated that the separation flow can be partly controlled when the excitation frequency coincided with the unsteady flow inherent frequency. It showed an increase in stage performance under the less-studied separation flow control by excitation at a certain frequency of pressure side shedding vortex. Compared with other frequencies of shedding vortices, the frequency of pressure side shedding vortex was less sensitive to mass-flow variation. Therefore, it has potential for easier application on flow control in industrial compressors.

Interpretation of Four Unique Phenomena and the Mechanism in Unsteady Flow Separation Controls

Unsteady flow separation controls are effective in suppressing flow separations. However, the unique phenomena in unsteady separation control, including frequency-dependent, threshold, location-dependent, and lock-on effects, are not fully understood. Furthermore, the mechanism of the effectiveness that lies in unsteady flow controls remains unclear. Thus, this study aims to interpret further the unique phenomena and mechanism in unsteady flow separation controls. First, numerical simulation and some experimental results of a separated curved diffuser using pulsed jet flow control are discussed to show the four unique phenomena. Second, the bases of unsteady flow control, flow instability, and free shear flow theories are introduced to elucidate the unique phenomena and mechanism in unsteady flow separation controls. Subsequently, with the support of these theories, the unique phenomena of unsteady flow control are interpreted, and the mechanisms hidden in the phenomena are revealed.

Flow Separation Control in a Curved Diffuser with Rigid Traveling Wave Wall and Its Mechanism

Traveling wave wall is a useful method to suppress flow separation. However, the interaction between the traveling wave wall and unsteady separation flow is complex, which causes difficulty in discovering the corresponding mechanism. To reveal the mechanism of traveling wave wall control, numerical simulation of a separated curved diffuser using rigid traveling wave wall flow control is performed, which shows some unique characteristics. Then, a nonlinear simplified model is used to explain this phenomenon in flow control in consideration of nonlinear dynamics and order of degree. Flow field data from the numerical simulation are further analyzed using fast Fourier transform analysis, linear stability theory of free shear layers, and the nonlinear simplified model to reveal the control mechanism of traveling wave wall.

Experimental investigation of unsteady separation in the rotor-oscillator flow

Visualisations of various types of flow separation are presented in an experimental set-up that translates a rotating cylinder parallel to a wall. Particle image velocimetry is used to measure the two velocity components in a plane perpendicular to the cylinder where the flow is two-dimensional. To spatially resolve the flow close to the wall, a high-viscosity fluid is used. For a periodic translation, the fixed separation is compared to the theory of Haller (J. Fluid Mech., vol. 512, 2004, pp. 257–311), while for non-periodic translations, a method is proposed to extract the moving separation point captured by a Lagrangian saddle point, and its finite-time unstable direction (separation profiles). Intermediate cases are also presented where both types of separation, fixed and moving, are either present simultaneously or appear successively. Some results issued from numerical simulations of an impinging jet show that all the cases observed in the rotor-oscillator flow are not restricted to high-viscosity fluid motions but may also occur within any vortical flow.