PIV measurements of the transient flow structure in the tip region of a transonic compressor near stability limit

Abstract

The flow structures in an axial compressor that lead to short-length scale stall inception are investigated using optical measurements in a high-speed one and a half stage compressor. During transient throttling procedures, velocity was measured in a tangential plane at 92% channel height, intersecting the tip leakage vortex. The results show large scale disturbances of the secondary flow structure, which results from unsteady breakdown of the tip leakage vortex. It was possible to resolve spill forward several revolutions before the occurrence of rotating stall. This effect leads to local flow separations on the blade suction side and the development of radial vortex structures. The vortices are transported to the adjacent blade and cause further separations. Both effects are described in literature but were measured directly for the first time in a transonic compressor in this investigation. They are visualized for several time steps during transient throttling maneuvers and compared to blade vibration amplitudes. During the final phase before rotating stall occurs, asynchronous blade vibrations correlate with axial velocity in the region around the blade leading edge.