scholarly journals Experimental Investigation of Factors Influencing Operating Rotor Tip Clearance in Multistage Compressors

2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Reid A. Berdanier ◽  
Nicole L. Key
Keyword(s):  
Axial Compressor ◽  
Tip Clearance ◽  
Additional Consideration ◽  
Temperature Variations ◽  
Operating Condition ◽  
Compressor Rotor ◽  
Third Stage ◽  
Multistage Compressors ◽  
Capacitance Probe ◽  
Clearance Change

An analysis of compressor rotor tip clearance measurements using capacitance probe instrumentation is discussed for a three-stage axial compressor. Thermal variations and centrifugal effects related to rotational speed changes affect clearance heights relative to the assembled configuration. These two primary contributions to measured changes are discussed both independently and in combination. Emphasis is given to tip clearance changes due to changing loading condition and at several compressor operating speeds. Measurements show a tip clearance change approaching 0.1 mm (0.2% rotor span) when comparing a near-choke operating condition to a near-stall operating condition for the third stage. Additional consideration is given to environmental contributions such as ambient temperature, for which changes in tip clearance height on the order of 0.05 mm (0.1% rotor span) were noted for temperature variations of 15°C. Experimental compressor operating clearances are presented for several temperatures, operating speeds, and loading conditions, and comparisons are drawn between these measured variations and predicted changes under the same conditions.

Behavior of Tip Leakage Flow Behind an Axial Compressor Rotor

1986 ◽  
Vol 108 (1) ◽  
pp. 7-14 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Inoue ◽  
M. Kuroumaru ◽  
M. Fukuhara
Keyword(s):  
Incidence Angle ◽  
Axial Compressor ◽  
Performance Testing ◽  
Tip Clearance ◽  
Vortex Center ◽  
Tip Leakage Flow ◽  
Flow Measurements ◽  
Wall Boundary Layer ◽  
Compressor Rotor ◽  
Work Done

Performance testing and detailed flow measurements were made in an axial compressor rotor with various tip clearances. The experiments were conducted on the condition of the same incidence angle at midspan. Thus, the effect of tip clearance distinguished from that of incidence angle was investigated on the overall performance, work-done factor, blockage factor, and increases in displacement, momentum, and blade-force-deficit thicknesses of the casing wall boundary layer, The phase-locked flow patterns obtained by the multisampling technique show clear evidence of a leakage vortex core behind the rotor. Behavior of the leakage vortex was clarified for various tip clearances by examining loci of the vortex center, decay characteristics of the vorticity at the center, and the total amount of vorticity shed from the blade tip. These results were compared with the leakage vortex model presented by Lakshminarayana.

Effect of tip clearance size on the performance of a low-reaction transonic axial compressor rotor

2019 ◽  
Vol 234 (2) ◽  
pp. 127-142
Author(s):  
Wei Zhu ◽  
Songtao Wang ◽  
Longxin Zhang ◽  
Jun Ding ◽  
Zhongqi Wang
Keyword(s):  
Numerical Simulations ◽  
Dynamic Balance ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Axial Compressor ◽  
Tip Clearance ◽  
Stall Margin ◽  
Tip Clearance Flow ◽  
Compressor Rotor ◽  
Clearance Flow ◽  
Flow Phenomena

This study aimed to enhance the understanding of flow phenomena in low-reaction aspirated compressors. Three-dimensional, multi-passage steady and unsteady numerical simulations are performed to investigate the performance sensitivity to tip clearance variation on the first-stage rotor of a multistage low-reaction aspirated compressor. Three kinds of tip clearance sizes including 1.0τ, 2.0τ and 3.0τ are modeled, in which 1.0τ corresponds to the designed tip clearance size of 0.2 mm. The steady numerical simulations show that the overall performance of the rotor moves toward lower mass flow rate when the tip clearance size is increased. Moreover, energy losses, efficiency reduction and stall margin decrease are also observed with increasing tip clearance size. This can be mostly attributed to the damaging impact of intense tip clearance flow. For unsteady simulation, the result shows periodical oscillation of the tip leakage vortex and a “two-passage periodic structure” in the tip region at the near-stall point. The occurrence of the periodical oscillation is due to the severe interaction between the tip clearance flow and the shock wave. However, the rotor operating state is still stable at this working point because a dynamic balance is established between the tip clearance flow and incoming flow.

scholarly journals Blockage Development in a Transonic, Axial Compressor Rotor

1997 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kenneth L. Suder
Keyword(s):  
Boundary Layer ◽  
Axial Compressor ◽  
Flow Region ◽  
Tip Clearance ◽  
Surface Boundary ◽  
Core Flow ◽  
The Core ◽  
Compressor Rotor ◽  
Transonic Axial Compressor ◽  
The Impact

A detailed experimental investigation to understand and quantify the development of blockage in the flow field of a transonic, axial flow compressor rotor (NASA Rotor 37) has been undertaken. Detailed laser anemometer measurements were acquired upstream, within, and downstream of a transonic, axial compressor rotor operating at 100%, 85%, 80%, and 60% of design speed which provided inlet relative Mach numbers at the blade tip of 1.48, 1.26, 1.18, and 0.89 respectively. The impact of the shock on the blockage development, pertaining to both the shock / boundary layer interactions and the shock / tip clearance flow interactions, is discussed. The results indicate that for this rotor the blockage in the endwall region is 2–3 times that of the core flow region, and the blockage in the core flow region more than doubles when the shock strength is sufficient to separate the suction surface boundary layer.

Numerical Investigation of Relation Between Unsteady Behavior of Tip Leakage Vortex and Rotating Disturbance in a Transonic Axial Compressor Rotor

2008 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Yamada ◽  
K. Funazaki ◽  
H. Sasaki
Keyword(s):  
Vortex Breakdown ◽  
Axial Compressor ◽  
Tip Clearance ◽  
Tip Leakage Vortex ◽  
Tip Clearance Flow ◽  
Tip Leakage ◽  
Compressor Rotor ◽  
Clearance Flow ◽  
Transonic Axial Compressor ◽  
Rotating Instability

The purpose of this study is to have a better understanding of the unsteady behavior of tip clearance flow at near-stall condition from a multi-passage simulation and to clarify the relation between such unsteadiness and rotating disturbance. This study is motivated by the following concern. A single passage simulation has revealed the occurrence of the tip leakage vortex breakdown at near-stall condition in a transonic axial compressor rotor, leading to the unsteadiness of the tip clearance flow field in the rotor passage. These unsteady flow phenomena were similar to those in the rotating instability, which is classified in one of the rotating disturbances. In other words it is possible that the tip leakage vortex breakdown produces a rotating disturbance such as the rotating instability. Three-dimensional unsteady RANS calculation was conducted to simulate the rotating disturbance in a transonic axial compressor rotor (NASA Rotor 37). The four-passage simulation was performed so as to capture a short length scale disturbance like the rotating instability and the spike-type stall inception. The simulation demonstrated that the unsteadiness of tip leakage vortex, which was derived from the vortex breakdown at near-stall condition, invoked the rotating disturbance in the rotor, which is similar to the rotating instability.

Unsteady tip clearance flow pattern in an isolated axial compressor rotor with micro tip injection

2007 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
pp. 309-320 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shaojuan Geng ◽  
Hongwu Zhang ◽  
Jingyi Chen ◽  
Weiguang Huang
Keyword(s):  
Flow Pattern ◽  
Axial Compressor ◽  
Tip Clearance ◽  
Tip Clearance Flow ◽  
Compressor Rotor ◽  
Clearance Flow ◽  
Tip Injection

Design and Test of a Transonic Axial Splittered Rotor

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Garth V. Hobson ◽  
Anthony J. Gannon ◽  
Scott Drayton
Keyword(s):  
Mass Flow ◽  
Pressure Ratio ◽  
Axial Compressor ◽  
Design Procedure ◽  
Tip Clearance ◽  
Turbine Engine ◽  
Transonic Compressor ◽  
Compressor Rotor ◽  
Transonic Axial Compressor ◽  
Commercial Off The Shelf

A new design procedure was developed that uses commercial-off-the-shelf software (MATLAB, SolidWorks, and ANSYS-CFX) for the geometric rendering and analysis of a transonic axial compressor rotor with splitter blades. Predictive numerical simulations were conducted and experimental data were collected in a Transonic Compressor Rig. This study advanced the understanding of splitter blade geometry, placement, and performance benefits. In particular, it was determined that moving the splitter blade forward in the passage between the main blades, which was a departure from the trends demonstrated in the few available previous transonic axial compressor splitter blade studies, increased the mass flow range with no loss in overall performance. With a large 0.91 mm (0.036 in) tip clearance, to preserve the integrity of the rotor, the experimentally measured peak total-to-total pressure ratio was 1.69 and the peak total-to-total isentropic efficiency was 72 percent at 100 percent design speed. Additionally, a higher than predicted 7.5 percent mass flow rate range was experimentally measured, which would make for easier engine control if this concept were to be included in an actual gas turbine engine.

scholarly journals Active flow control at a 1.5-stage low-speed research compressor with varying rotor tip clearance

2011 ◽  
Vol 225 (7) ◽  
pp. 886-896 ◽  
Author(s):  
M Künzelmann ◽  
R Urban ◽  
R Mailach ◽  
K Vogeler
Keyword(s):  
Flow Control ◽  
Active Flow Control ◽  
Axial Compressor ◽  
Rotating Stall ◽  
Tip Clearance ◽  
Stall Inception ◽  
Low Speed ◽  
Operating Range ◽  
Compressor Rotor ◽  
Active Flow

The stable operating range of axial compressors is limited by the onset of rotating stall and surge. Mass injection upstream of the tip of an axial compressor rotor is a stability enhancement approach which can be effective in suppressing stall in tip-critical rotors, and thus increasing the operating range of compressors. In this article, investigations on active flow control related to the rotor tip gap sensitivity are discussed. The experiments were performed in a 1.5-stage low-speed research compressor. Measurements at part speed (80 per cent) and full speed (100 per cent) with varying injection rates are discussed. These tests were performed for two rotor tip clearances of 1.3 per cent and 4.3 per cent of rotor blade tip chord. Results on the compressor map, the flow field as well as transient measurements to identify the stall inception are discussed. Supplementary, the numerical results are compared to the experiments based on the configuration with the greatest benefit in operating range enhancement.

Effect of Rotor Tip Gap Variation at the Rear Stages of an Axial Flow Compressor

2012 ◽  
Vol 225 ◽  
pp. 233-238
Author(s):  
A.M. Pradeep ◽  
R.N. Chiranthan ◽  
Debarshi Dutta ◽  
Bhaskar Roy
Keyword(s):  
Rotor Blade ◽  
Cross Flow ◽  
Axial Compressor ◽  
Axial Flow ◽  
Pressure Rise ◽  
Tip Clearance ◽  
Suction Surface ◽  
Design Point ◽  
Compressor Rotor ◽  
Multi Stage

In this paper, detailed analysis of the tip flow of an axial compressor rotor blade has been carried out using the commercial CFD package ANSYS CFX. The rotor blade was designed such that it is reminiscent of the rear stages of a multi-stage axial compressor. The effects of varying tip gaps are studied using CFD simulations for overall pressure rise and flow physics of the tip flow at the design point and near the peak pressure point. Rig tests of a low speed research compressor rotor with 3% tip clearance provided characteristics plots for validation of the CFD results. With increase in clearance from 1% to 4%, the rotor pressure rise at the design point was observed to decrease linearly. Increase in the clearance increases the cross flow across the tip; however, the magnitude of the average jet velocity crossing the tip decreases. The tip leakage vortex was observed to stay close to the suction surface with increase in clearance.

Effects of Tip Clearance Size on Flowfield in a Low-Speed Axial Compressor Rotor

2014 ◽  
Vol 543-547 ◽  
pp. 158-163 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhen Zhen Duan ◽  
Yang Wei Liu ◽  
Li Peng Lu
Keyword(s):  
Flow Condition ◽  
Axial Compressor ◽  
Tip Clearance ◽  
Primary Role ◽  
Tip Leakage Vortex ◽  
Low Speed ◽  
Tip Leakage ◽  
Compressor Rotor ◽  
Overall Performance ◽  
Corner Vortex

The simulations of a low-speed axial compressor rotor with two tip clearance sizes, 0.5% chord and 1.5% chord, were performed in the study. Overall performance and detailed flow fields at near stall condition are analyzed. The results show that the rotor stall occurs at higher mass flow condition with large tip clearance. For the small tip clearance the tip leakage vortex and the corner vortex both contribute significantly to the rotor stall, and the interaction between the vortices promotes the stall generation. While for the large tip clearance the tip leakage vortex plays a primary role, and the vortices interaction is ignorable.

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