Konrad Vogeler

Rotating Instabilities in an Axial Compressor Originating From the Fluctuating Blade Tip Vortex

Rotating instabilities (RIs) have been observed in axial flow fans and centrifugal compressors as well as in low-speed and high-speed axial compressors. They are responsible for the excitation of high amplitude rotor blade vibrations and noise generation. This flow phenomenon moves relative to the rotor blades and causes periodic vortex separations at the blade tips and an axial reversed flow through the tip clearance of the rotor blades. The paper describes experimental investigations of Rls in the Dresden Low-Speed Research Compressor (LSRC). The objective is to show that the fluctuation of the blade tip vortex is responsible for the origination of this flow phenomenon. RIs have been found at operating points near the stability limit of the compressor with relatively large tip clearance of the rotor blades. The application of time-resolving sensors in both fixed and rotating frame of reference enables a detailed description of the circumferential structure and the spatial development of this unsteady flow phenomenon, which is limited to the blade tip region. Laser-Doppler-anemometry (LDA) within the rotor blade passages and within the tip clearance as well as unsteady pressure measurements on the rotor blades show the structure of the blade tip vortex. It will be shown that the periodical interaction of the blade tip vortex of one blade with the flow at the adjacent blade is responsible for the generation of a rotating structure with high mode orders, termed a rotating instability.

Reduction of Secondary Flow Losses in Turbine Cascades by Leading Edge Modifications at the Endwall

Experimental results are presented which show the influence on the secondary flow and its losses by a profile modification of the leading edge very close to the endwall. The investigation was carried out with a well-known turbine profile that originally was developed for highly loaded low pressure turbines. The tests were done in a low speed cascade wind tunnel. The geometrical modification was achieved by a local thickness increase; a leading edge endwall bulb, it was expected that this would intensify the suction side branch of the horse-shoe (hs-) vortex with a desirable weakening effect on the passage vortex. The investigated configuration shows a reduction of secondary losses by 2.1 percent points that represents approximately 50 percent of these losses compared to the reference profile. Detailed measurements of the total pressure field behind the cascade are presented for both the reference and the modified profile. The influence of the modified hs-vortex on the overall passage vortex can be clearly seen. The results of a numerical analysis are compared with the experimental findings. A numerical analysis shows that the important details of the experimental findings can be reproduced. Quantitative values are locally different. The theoretical approach taken cannot yet be used for an exact prediction of the loss reduction. However, the analysis of the interaction and the resulting tendencies are considered to be valid. Hence, theoretical investigations as a guideline for the design of a leading edge bulb at the endwall are a valuable tool.

Aerodynamic Blade Row Interactions in an Axial Compressor—Part I: Unsteady Boundary Layer Development

This two-part paper presents experimental investigations of unsteady aerodynamic blade row interactions in the first stage of the four-stage low-speed research compressor of Dresden. Both the unsteady boundary layer development and the unsteady pressure distribution of the stator blades are investigated for several operating points. The measurements were carried out on pressure side and suction side at midspan. In Part I of the paper the investigations of the unsteady boundary layer behavior are presented. The experiments were carried out using surface-mounted hot-film sensors. Additional information on the time-resolved flow between the blade rows were obtained with a hot-wire probe. The unsteady boundary layer development is strongly influenced by the incoming wakes. Within the predominantly laminar boundary layer in the front part of the blade a clear response of the boundary layer to the velocity and turbulence structure of the incoming wakes can be observed. The time-resolved structure of the boundary layer for several operating points of the compressor is analyzed in detail. The topic calmed regions, which can be coupled to the wake passing, is discussed. As a result an improved description of the complex boundary layer structure is given.

Rotor-Stator Interactions in a Four-Stage Low-Speed Axial Compressor—Part I: Unsteady Profile Pressures and the Effect of Clocking

This two-part paper presents detailed experimental investigations of unsteady aerodynamic blade row interactions in the four-stage Low-Speed Research Compressor of Dresden. In part I of the paper the unsteady profile pressure distributions for the nominal setup of the compressor are discussed. Furthermore, the effect of blade row clocking on the unsteady profile pressures is investigated. Part II deals with the unsteady aerodynamic blade forces, which are calculated from the measured profile pressure distributions. The unsteady pressure distributions were analyzed in the first, a middle and the last compressor stage both on the rotor and stator blades. The measurements were carried out on pressure side and suction side at midspan. Several operating points were investigated. A complex behavior of the unsteady profile pressures can be observed, resulting from the superimposed influences of the wakes and the potential effects of several up- and downstream blade rows of the four-stage compressor. The profile pressure changes nearly simultaneously along the blade chord if a disturbance arrives at the leading edge or the trailing edge of the blade. Thus the unsteady profile pressure distribution is nearly independent of the convective wake propagation within the blade passage. A phase shift of the reaction of the blade to the disturbance on the pressure and suction side is observed. In addition, clocking investigations were carried out to distinguish between the different periodic influences from the surrounding blade rows. For this reason the unsteady profile pressure distribution on rotor 3 was measured, while stators 1-4 were separately traversed stepwise in the circumferential direction. Thus the wake and potential effects of the up- and downstream blade rows on the unsteady profile pressure could clearly be distinguished and quantified.

The Periodical Interaction of the Tip Clearance Flow in the Blade Rows of Axial Compressors

Current models on the tip clearance flow in turbomachines only describe the time-averaged behaviour of the flow structures. However, the real tip clearance flow is periodically fluctuating in time. This fact has to be considered for the design of turbomachine bladings especially with regard to blade vibrations and tip clearance noise.Detailed experimental investigations on the time-resolved behaviour of the flow in the rotor blade tip region were carried out in a four-stage low-speed research compressor. A strong time-periodic interaction of the blade tip vortices of adjacent blades can be shown for relatively large tip clearance of the rotor blades for operating points near the stability limit of the compressor. The resulting flow pattern, which frequency is not related to the rotor frequency, moves along the blade row. It can be described as a multicell configuration with strongly fluctuating cell number and size. The structure and propagation of the flow instability can be summarized in a model of the periodic fluctuating tip clearance flow (Mailach et al., 2000).Additional experiments were carried out in a straight cascade to improve the understanding of this flow phenomenon. It can be shown by means of time-resolved measurements that the same disturbance exists for comparable inlet flow conditions in the blade tip region of the cascade. Flow visualizations show that the blade tip vortex is strongly fluctuating and moves sometimes ahead of the leading edge of the adjacent blade. The result of this is a short-lengthscale flow pattern, which is propagating along the blade row. These experiments confirm the model of the time-periodic tip clearance flow proposed for compressors. A Strouhal-number for the estimation of the frequency of the flow fluctuation will be presented, which includes both design and aerodynamic parameters.Copyright

Periodical Unsteady Flow Within a Rotor Blade Row of an Axial Compressor—Part II: Wake-Tip Clearance Vortex Interaction

In this two-part paper, results of the periodical unsteady flow field within the third rotor blade row of the four-stage Dresden low-speed research compressor are presented. The main part of the experimental investigations was performed using laser Doppler anemometry. Results of the flow field at several spanwise positions between midspan and rotor blade tip will be discussed. In addition, time-resolving pressure sensors at midspan of the rotor blades provide information about the unsteady profile pressure distribution. In Part II of the paper, the flow field in the rotor blade tip region will be discussed. The experimental results reveal a strong periodical interaction of the incoming stator wakes and the rotor blade tip clearance vortices. Consequently, in the rotor frame of reference, the tip clearance vortices are periodical with the stator blade passing frequency. Due to the wakes, the tip clearance vortices are separated into different segments. Along the mean vortex trajectory, these parts can be characterized by alternating patches of higher and lower velocities and flow turning or subsequent counter-rotating vortex pairs. These flow patterns move downstream along the tip clearance vortex path in time. As a result of the wake influence, the orientation and extension of the tip clearance vortices as well as the flow blockage periodically vary in time.

Introduction of a Parameter Based Compressor Blade Model for Considering Measured Geometry Uncertainties in Numerical Simulation

This paper provides a method to transfer geometric uncertainties of compressor blades into the numerical simulation. Therefore a method to capture geometric variations of measured blades by typical profile parameters is introduced. An optical measurement technique using structured light is applied to scan compressor blades in order to receive a three–dimensional point cloud of the measured blade. The evaluation of these points is done on curves of constant spanwise coordinate between hub and casing. In this way, section outlines are extracted, which then are split into camber lines and chord lines. The derived thickness and camber distributions are used to specify typical profile parameters for each section. To consider the geometric uncertainties in numerical simulation, the design geometry is adapted through a special reconstruction algorithm. Therefore the differences between the measured airfoil and the design geometry are quantified by the profile parameters. Since only the difference is analyzed, few parameters are needed to model the measured geometry. The three-dimensional blade then is reconstructed through assignment of the parameters to the spanwise coordinate. To illustrate the developed method, the whole process chain is applied on a selected compressor blade.Copyright

Aerodynamic Blade Row Interactions in an Axial Compressor—Part II: Unsteady Profile Pressure Distribution and Blade Forces

This two-part paper presents experimental investigations of unsteady aerodynamic blade row interactions in the first stage of the four-stage low-speed research compressor of Dresden. Both the unsteady boundary layer development and the unsteady pressure distribution of the stator blades are investigated for several operating points. The measurements were carried out on pressure side and suction side at midspan. In Part II of the paper the investigations of the unsteady pressure distribution on the stator blades are presented. The experiments were carried out using piezoresistive miniature pressure sensors, which are embedded into the pressure and suction side surface of a single blade. The unsteady pressure distribution on the blade is analyzed for the design point and an operating point near the stability limit. The investigations show that it is strongly influenced by both the incoming wakes and the potential flow field of the downstream rotor blade row. If a disturbance arrives the leading edge or the trailing edge of the blade the pressure changes nearly simultaneously along the blade chord. Thus the unsteady profile pressure distribution is independent of the wake propagation within the blade passage. A phase shift of the reaction on pressure and suction side is observed. The unsteady response of the boundary layer and the profile pressure distribution is compared. Based on the unsteady pressure distribution the unsteady pressure forces of the blades are calculated and discussed.

Wake-induced boundary layer transition in a low-speed axial compressor

The boundary layer on the blades of turbomachines substantially influences the loss production of the machine as well as the heat transfer between the blade surface and the fluid. For this reason the knowledge of the boundary layer structure and development plays an important role for the understanding and further improvement of turbomachines. The incoming wakes of the upstream blade rows strongly periodically influences the boundary layer on turbomachine blades. For this reason an unsteady, highly complex boundary layer behaviour can be observed. This paper presents experimental results of the unsteady boundary layer behaviour on the first stage stator blades of the four-stage Dresden Low-Speed Research Compressor. Different operating points of the compressor are investigated. Special consideration is taken on the analysis of the time-resolved structure of the incoming flow field and the unsteady boundary layer response. The wake passing triggers a periodic transition of the boundary layer starting already at the leading edge of the blade. The wake-induced transitional regions limit the extension of the laminar boundary layer in the front part of the blade. An improved description of the complex boundary layer structure is given.

Periodical Unsteady Flow Within a Rotor Blade Row of an Axial Compressor—Part I: Flow Field at Midspan

In this two-part paper, results of the periodical unsteady flow field within the third rotor blade row of the four-stage Dresden low-speed research compressor are presented. The main part of the experimental investigations was performed using laser Doppler anemometry. Results of the flow field at several spanwise positions between midspan and rotor blade tip will be discussed. In addition, time-resolving pressure sensors at midspan of the rotor blades provide information about the unsteady profile pressure distribution. In Part I of the paper, the flow field at midspan of the rotor blade row will be discussed. Different aspects of the blade row interaction process are considered for the design point and an operating point near the stability limit. The periodical unsteady blade-to-blade velocity field is dominated by the incoming stator wakes, while the potential effect of the stator blades is of minor influence. The inherent vortex structures and the negative jet effect, which is coupled to the wake appearance, are clearly resolved. Furthermore the time-resolved profile pressure distribution of the rotor blades is discussed. Although the negative jet effect within the rotor blade passage is very pronounced, the rotor blade pressure distribution is nearly independent of the convectively propagating chopped stator wakes.