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At least 145 records · Page 8

All sources NASA NTRS DOE OSTI

NASA NTRS1995

NASA Low-speed Axial Compressor for Fundamental Research

A low-speed multistage axial compressor built by the NASA Lewis Research Center is described. The purpose of this compressor is to increase the understanding of the complex flow phenomena within multistage axial compressors and to obtain detailed data from a multistage compressor environment for use in developing and verifying models for computational fluid dynamic code assessment. The compressor has extensive pressure instrumentation in both stationary and rotating frames of reference, and has provisions for flow visualization and laser velocimetry. The compressor will accommodate rotational speeds to 1050 rpm and is rated at a pressure ratio of 1.042.

Wasserbauer, Charles A.↗

NASA NTRS1994

WINCLR: a Computer Code for Heat Transfer and Clearance Calculation in a Compressor

One of the concerns during inclement weather operation of aircraft in rain and hail storm conditions is the nature and extent of changes in compressor casing clearance. An increase in clearance affects efficiency while a decrease may cause blade rubbing with the casing. The change in clearance is the result of geometrical dimensional changes in the blades, the casing and the rotor due to heat transfer between those parts and the two-phase working fluid. The heat transfer interacts nonlinearly with the performance of the compressor, and, therefore, the determination of clearance changes necessitates a simultaneous determination of change in performance of the compressor. A computer code the WINCLR has been designed for the determination of casing clearance, that is operated interactively with the PURDU-WINCOF I code designed previously for determining the performance of a compressor. A detailed description of the WINCLR code is provided in a companion report. The current report provides details of the code with an illustrative example of application to the case of a multistage compressor. It is found in the example case that under given ingestion and operational conditions, it is possible for a compressor to undergo changes in performance in the front stages and rubbing in the back stages.

Bose, T. K.↗

NASA NTRS1996

Comparisons Between Unsteady Aerodynamic Events in a Gas Turbine Generator and an Identical Compressor Rig

Extensive testing done on a T55-L-712 turboshaft engine compressor in a compressor test rig is being followed by engine tests in progress as part of the Army Non-Recoverable Stall Program. Goals include a greater understanding of the gas turbine engine start cycle and compressor/engine operation in the regions 'beyond' the normal compressor stall line (rotating stall/surge). Rig steady state instrumentation consisted of 497 steady state pressure sensors and 153 temperature sensors. Engine instrumentation was placed in similar radial/axial locations and consists of 122 steady state pressure sensors and 65 temperature sensors. High response rig instrumentation consisted of 34 wall static pressure transducers. Rig and engine high response pressure transducers were located in the same axial/radial/circumferential locations in front of the first three stages. Additional engine high response instrumentation was placed in mach probes in front of the engine and on the compressor hub. This instrumentation allows for the generation of detailed stage characteristics, overall compressor mapping, and detailed analysis of dynamic compressor events.

Owen, A. Karl↗

NASA NTRS2001

An Investigation of Surge in a High-Speed Centrifugal Compressor Using Digital PIV

Compressor stall is a catastrophic breakdown of the flow in a compressor, which con lead to a loss of engine power, large pressure transients in the inlet/nacelle, and engine flameout. The implementation of active or passive strategies for controlling rotating stall and surge can significantly extend the stable operating range of a compressor without substantially sacrificing performance. It is crucial to identify the dynamic changes occurring in the flow field prior to rotating stall and surge in order to control these events successfully. Generally, pressure transducer measurements are made to capture the transient response of a compressor prior to rotating stall. In this investigation, Digital Particle Imaging Velocimetry (DPIV) is used in conjunction with dynamic pressure transducers to capture transient velocity and pressure measurements simultaneously in the nonstationary flow field during compressor surge. DPIV is an instantaneous, planar measurement technique that is ideally suited for studying transient flow phenomena in highspeed turbomachinery and has been used previously to map the stable operating point flow field in the diffuser of a high-speed centrifugal compressor. Through the acquisition of both DPIV images and transient pressure data, the time evolution of the unsteady flow during surge is revealed.

Wernet, Mark P.↗

NASA NTRS2002

An Investigation of Surge in a High-Speed Centrifugal Compressor Using Digital PIV

Compressor stall is a catastrophic breakdown of the flow in a compressor, which can lead to a loss of engine power, large pressure transients in the inlet/nacelle and engine flameout. The implementation of active or passive strategies for controlling rotating stall and surge can significantly extend the stable operating range of a compressor without substantially sacrificing performance. It is crucial to identify the dynamic changes occurring in the flow field prior to rotating stall and surge in order to successfully control these events. Generally, pressure transducer measurements are made to capture the transient response of a compressor prior to rotating stall. In this investigation, Digital Particle Imaging Velocimetry (DPIV) is used in conjunction with dynamic pressure transducers to simultaneously capture transient velocity and pressure measurements in the non-stationary flow field during compressor surge. DPIV is an instantaneous, planar measurement technique which is ideally suited for studying transient flow phenomena in high speed turbomachinery and has been used previously to successfully map the stable operating point flow field in the diffuser of a high speed centrifugal compressor. Through the acquisition of both DPIV images and transient pressure data, the time evolution of the unsteady flow during surge is revealed.

Wernet, Mark P.↗

NASA NTRS2003

Task II: Three-dimensional Rotating Stall Inception and Effects of Rotating Tip Clearance Asymmetry in Axial Compressors

The effects of two types of flow non-uniformity on stall inception behavior were assessed with linearized stability analyses of two compressor flow models. Response to rotating tip clearance asymmetries induced by a whirling rotor shaft or rotor height variations were investigated with a two-dimensional flow model. A 3-D compressor model was also developed to study the stability of both full-span and part-span rotating stall modes in annular geometries with radial flow variations. The studies focussed on (1) understanding what compressor designs were sensitive to these types of circumferential and spanwise flow non-uniformities, and (2) situations where 2-D stability theories were inadequate because of 3-D flow effects. Rotating tip clearance non-uniformity caused the greatest performance loss for shafts whirling at the rotating stall frequency. A whirling shaft displacement of 1 percent chord caused the stalling mass flow to rise by as much as 10 percent and the peak pressure rise to decrease by 6 percent. These changes were an order of magnitude larger than for equivalent-sized stationary or rotor-locked clearance asymmetries. Spanwise flow non-uniformity always destabilized the compressor, so that 2-D models over-predicted that stall margin compared to 3-D theory. The difference increased for compressors with larger spanwise variations of characteristic slope and reduced characteristic curvature near the peak. Differences between 2-D and 3-D stall point predictions were generally unacceptable (2 - 4 percent of flow coefficient) for single-stage configurations, but were less than 1 percent for multistage compressors. 2-D analyses predicted the wrong stall mode for specific cases of radial inlet flow distortion, mismatching and annulus area contraction, where higher-order radial modes led to stall. The stability behavior of flows with circumferential or radial non-uniformity was unified through a single stability criterion. The stall point for both cases was set by the integral around the annulus of the pressure rise characteristic slope, weighted by the amplitude of the mode shape. For the case of steady circumferential variations, this criterion reduced to the integrated mean slope (IMS) condition associated with steady inlet distortions. The rotating tip clearance asymmetry model was also used to demonstrate the feasibility of actively controlling the shaft position to suppress rotating stall. In axisymmetric mean flow, this method only stabilized the first harmonic mode, increasing the operating range until surge or higher harmonic modes became unstable.

Suder, Kenneth↗

NASA NTRS1997

Stator Indexing in Multistage Compressors

The relative circumferential location of stator rows (stator indexing) is an aspect of multistage compressor design that has not yet been explored for its potential impact on compressor aerodynamic performance. Although the inlet stages of multistage compressors usually have differing stator blade counts, the aft stages of core compressors can often have stage blocks with equal stator blade counts in successive stages. The potential impact of stator indexing is likely greatest in these stages. To assess the performance impact of stator indexing, researchers at the NASA Lewis Research Center used the 4 ft diameter, four-stage NASA Low Speed Axial Compressor for detailed experiments. This compressor has geometrically identical stages that can circumferentially index stator rows relative to each other in a controlled manner; thus it is an ideal test rig for such investigations.

Barankiewicz, Wendy S.↗

NASA NTRS1998

Jet Injection Used to Control Rotating Stall in a High-Speed Compressor

In a joint effort between the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and the NASA Lewis Research Center, a new technology was demonstrated to identify and control rotating stall and surge in a single-stage, high-speed compressor. Through the use of highvelocity, high-frequency jet injectors, the instabilities of surge and stall were controlled in a high-speed compressor rig. Through the use of active stall control, modal instabilities that normally occur in the pressure measurements prior to stall were normalized and the range of the compressor was extended. Normally the events of rotating stall and surge instabilities limit the operation of the aeroengine compressor to a region below the surge line. To enhance the performance of the compressor, the Lewis/MIT team used active stall control methods to extend the normal operation of the compressor beyond the original stall point.

Bright, Michelle M.↗

NASA NTRS2000

New Compressor Added to Glenn's 450- psig Combustion Air System

In September 1999, the Central Process Systems Engineering Branch and the Maintenance and the Central Process Systems Operations Branch, released for service a new high pressure compressor to supplement the 450-psig Combustion Air System at the NASA Glenn Research Center at Lewis Field. The new compressor, designated C-18, is located in Glenn s Central Air Equipment Building and is remotely operated from the Central Control Building. C-18 can provide 40 pounds per second (pps) of airflow at pressure to our research customers. This capability augments our existing system capacity (compressors C 4 at 38 pps and C-5 at 32 pps), which is generated from Glenn's Engine Research Building. The C-18 compressor was originally part of Glenn's 21-Inch Hypersonic Tunnel, which was transferred from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory to Glenn in the mid-1980's. With the investment of construction of facilities funding, the compressor was modified, new mechanical and electrical support equipment were purchased, and the unit was installed in the basement of the Central Air Equipment Building. After several weeks of checkout and troubleshooting, the new compressor was ready for long-term, reliable operations. With a total of 110 pps in airflow now available, Glenn is well positioned to support the high-pressure air test requirements of our research customers.

Swan, Jeffrey A.↗

NASA NTRS2005

Adaptive Technologies Developed and Demonstrated for Extending the Stable Operating Range of Compressors

The operational envelope of gas turbine engines is constrained by the stability limit of the compression system. The dangers of exceeding this limit are severe, with the potential for engine failure and loss of the aircraft. To avoid such failures, compressor designers provide an adequate stability (stall) margin in the compressor design to account for inlet distortions, degradation due to wear, throttle transients, and other factors that reduce compressor stability from the original design intent. In some cases, the required stall margin results in the compressor operating line being below the maximum efficiency potential of the compression system. Current approaches to increasing stability tend to decrease the efficiency of the compressor. The focus of this work is to increase the stall margin of compressors without decreasing their efficiency.

Hathaway, Michael D.↗

NASA NTRS1948

Investigation of X24C-2 10-Stage Axial-Flow Compressor. III - Surge Characteristics

Compressor operation at low air flows for a given speed is limited by unstable flow conditions, commonly called surge. An investigation of surge in centrifugal compressors (reference 1) showed that the pulsation of pressures and velocities occurred when the slope of the compressor characteristic curve was positive and that the magnitude and frequency, as well as the incidence of surge, depended on the capacity and resistance of the total system. Although the theory presented in reference 1 is applicable to axial-floe compressors, little experimental information is available on the surge characteristics of the individual stages of axial-flow compressors, or on the variation of the surge characteristics with operating conditions. During the investigation to determine the performance of the X24C-2 compressor (references 2 and 3), instrumentation was added to study the surge characteristics and to determine the effect of speed and inlet pressure on the frequency, amplitude, and phase relation of the pressure pulsations behind each stage.

Buckner, Howard A., Jr.↗

NASA NTRS1950

Investigation of Performance of Axial-Flow Compressor of XT-46 Turbine-Propeller Engine. I - Preliminary Investigation at 50-,70-, and 100-Percent Design Equivalent Speed

An investigation is being conducted to determine the performance of the 12-stage axial-flow compressor of the XT-46 turbine-propeller engine. This compressor was designed to produce a pressure ratio of 9 at an adiabatic efficiency of 0.86. The design pressure ratios per stage were considerably greater than any employed in current aircraft gas-turbine engines using this type of compressor. The compressor performance was evaluated at two stations. The station near the entrance section of the combustors indicated a peak pressure ratio of 6.3 at an adiabatic efficiency of 0.63 for a corrected weight flow of 23.1 pounds per second. The other, located one blade-chord downstream of the last stator row, indicated a peak pressure ratio of 6.97 at an adiabatic efficiency of 0.81 for a corrected weight flow of 30.4 pounds per second. The difference in performance obtained at the two stations is attributed to shock waves in the vicinity of the last stator row. These shock waves and the accompanying flow choking, together with interstage circulatory flows, shift the compressor operating curves into the region where surge would normally occur. The inability of the compressor to meet design pressure ratio is probably due to boundary-layer buildup in the last stages, which cause axial velocities greater than design values that, in turn, adversely affect the angles of attack and turning angles in these blade rows.

John W R Creagh↗

NASA NTRS1952

Effect of Various Blade Modifications in Performance of a 16-Stage Axial-flow Compressor. IV - Effect on Over-all Performance Characteristics of Decreasing Twelfth through Fifteenth Stage Stator-blade Angles 3 deg and Increasing Stator Angles in the Inlet Stages

The performance of a 16-stage axial-flow compressor, in which two modifications of unloaded inlet stages were combined with loaded exit stages, has been determined. In the first modification the exit stages were loaded by decreasing the twelfth through fifteenth stage stator angles 3 deg. as compared with the blade angles in the original compressor, and the inlet stages were unloaded by increasing the blade angles the following amounts: guide vanes and first-stage stator, 6 deg; second- and third-stage stators, 4 deg.; and fourth-stage stators, 3 deg. The over-all performance of this configuration was compared with that of the compressor with the original blade angles. The peak efficiency was increased at all speeds below design and the weight flow was higher at speeds below 80 percent of design, the same at 80 percent of design, and lower at speeds abovce 80 percent of design. The maximum reduction in weight flow occurred at design speed. The surge limit line was higher at speeds between 75 and 90 percent of design when presented on a pressure ratio against weight flow basis. The second configuration was the same as the first with the exception that the second-, third-, and fourth-stage stator blade angles were the same as in the compressor with the original blade angles. A comparison of the performance of this configuration with that of the compressor with the original blade angles showed the same general trends of changes in performance as the first configuration. Comparisons were made of compressor configurations to show the effects upon the performance of decreased loading in the inlet stages. Below 75 percent of design speed, decreased loading results in increased weight flow and peak efficiency; above 80 percent of design speed, decreased loading in the inlet stages results in decreased weight flow and small changes in peak efficiencies. Between 75 and 90 percent of design the changes in surge weight flow and pressure ratio were such that the surge limit line was raised with decreased loading in the inlet stages when presented as pressure ratio against weight flow.

Hatch, James E.↗

NASA NTRS2004

Algorithm for Controlling a Centrifugal Compressor

An algorithm has been developed for controlling a centrifugal compressor that serves as the prime mover in a heatpump system. Experimental studies have shown that the operating conditions for maximum compressor efficiency are close to the boundary beyond which surge occurs. Compressor surge is a destructive condition in which there are instantaneous reversals of flow associated with a high outlet-to-inlet pressure differential. For a given cooling load, the algorithm sets the compressor speed at the lowest possible value while adjusting the inlet guide vane angle and diffuser vane angle to maximize efficiency, subject to an overriding requirement to prevent surge. The onset of surge is detected via the onset of oscillations of the electric current supplied to the compressor motor, associated with surge-induced oscillations of the torque exerted by and on the compressor rotor. The algorithm can be implemented in any of several computer languages.

Benedict, Scott M.↗

NASA NTRS2011

Steady and Unsteady Flow Effects of Circumferential Grooves Casing Treatment in a Transonic Compressor Rotor

The current paper reports on an investigation of steady and unsteady flow effects of circumferential grooves casing treatment in a transonic compressor rotor. Circumferential grooves casing treatment is used mainly to increase stall margin in axial compressors with a relatively small decrease in aerodynamic efficiency. It is widely believed that flow mechanisms of circumferential grooves casing treatment near stall conditions are not yet well understood even though this treatment has been used widely in real engines. Numerical analysis based on steady Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) has been the primary tool used to understand flow mechanism for circumferential grooves casing treatment. Although steady RANS explains some flow effects of circumferential grooves casing treatment, it does not calculate all the measured changes in the compressor characteristics. Therefore, design optimization of circumferential grooves with steady RANS has not been very successful. As a compressor operates toward the stall condition, the flow field becomes transient. Major sources of self-generated flow unsteadiness are shock oscillation and interaction between the passage shock and the tip leakage vortex. In the present paper, an unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (URANS) approach is applied to study the effects of circumferential grooves in a transonic compressor. The results from URANS are compared with the results from RANS and measured data. The current investigation shows that there are significant unsteady flow effects on the performance of the circumferential grooves casing treatment. For the currently investigated rotor, the unsteady effects are of the same magnitude as the steady effects in terms of extending the compressor stall margin.

Hah, Chunill↗

DOE OSTI2025

Operation of helium sub-atmospheric multistage cryogenic centrifugal compressor trains: Part 2 – Transient modeling and pump-down path selection

Low-pressure conditions required for operation of helium cryogenic systems below the normal boiling point (i.e. 4.2 K) are established through a transient process, commonly referred to as ‘pump-down’. This process is defined as the transition from pressures above atmospheric conditions to the saturation pressure which corresponds to a specified operational temperature. The FRIB 2 K system consists of five cryogenic centrifugal compressors which are operated in series. Historically, the pump-down process path has been established through empirical methods and system operator experience. Investigation into the pump-down process at FRIB aimed to develop a pump-down methodology which relies on theoretical model predictions rather than empirically developed process paths. Ensuring stable operation during the pump-down process involved application of a centrifugal compressor performance prediction model, which is described in Part 1 of this paper. Compressor performance maps can be directly used to evaluate the stability of a selected pump-down path and anticipate the overall reliability of the selected path. In conjunction with the compressor performance maps, a system pressure model was developed to estimate the transient pressure response during the pump-down process. Lastly, an explicit equation was developed to establish a mass flow rate profile for the pump-down process. Implementation of the presented methodology (including the developed models) allows for the system operator to determine a continuous pump-down path which maintains compressor stability while conforming to overall system capabilities. Altogether, the methodology presented has resulted in simplification of transient pump-down operations and increased the reliability, stability and efficiency of the pump-down process.

Compressor train control↗

NASA NTRS2015

Unsteady Loss in the Stator Due to the Incoming Rotor Wake in a Highly-Loaded Transonic Compressor

The present paper reports an investigation of unsteady loss generation in the stator due to the incoming rotor wake in an advanced GE transonic compressor design with a high-fidelity numerical method. This advanced compressor with high reaction and high stage loading has been investigated both experimentally and analytically in the past. The measured efficiency in this advanced compressor is significantly lower than the design intention goal. The general understanding is that the current generation of compressor design analysis tools miss some important flow physics in this modern compressor design. To pinpoint the source of the efficiency miss, an advanced test with a detailed flow traverse was performed for the front one and a half stage at the NASA Glenn Research Center.

Compressor↗

NASA NTRS2016

Effects of Double-Leakage Tip Clearance Flow on the Performance of a Compressor Stage with a Large Rotor Tip Gap

Effects of a large rotor tip gap on the performance of a one and half stage axial compressor are investigated in detail with a numerical simulation based on LES and available PIV data. The current paper studies the main flow physics, including why and how the loss generation is increased with the large rotor tip gap. The present study reveals that when the tip gap becomes large, tip clearance fluid goes over the tip clearance core vortex and enters into the next blade's tip gap, which is called double-leakage tip clearance flow. As the tip clearance flow enters into the adjacent blade's tip gap, a vortex rope with a lower pressure core is generated. This vortex rope breaks up the tip clearance core vortex of the adjacent blade, resulting in a large additional mixing. This double-leakage tip clearance flow occurs at all operating conditions, from design flow to near stall condition, with the large tip gap for the current compressor stage. The double-leakage tip clearance flow, its interaction with the tip clearance core vortex of the adjacent blade, and the resulting large mixing loss are the main flow mechanism of the large rotor tip gap in the compressor. When the tip clearance is smaller, flow near the end wall follows more closely with the main passage flow and this double-leakage tip clearance flow does not happen near the design flow condition for the current compressor stage. When the compressor with a large tip gap operates at near stall operation, a strong vortex rope is generated near the leading edge due to the double-leakage flow. Part of this vortex separates from the path of the tip clearance core vortex and travels from the suction side of the blade toward the pressure side of the blade. This vortex is generated periodically at near stall operation with a large tip gap. As the vortex travels from the suction side to the pressure side of the blade, a large fluctuation of local pressure forces blade vibration. Nonsynchronous blade vibration occurs due to this vortex as the frequency of this vortex generation is not the same as the rotor. The present investigation confirms that this vortex is a part of separated tip clearance vortex, which is caused by the double-leakage tip clearance flow.

flow↗