Analysis of a Linear Model for Non-Synchronous Vibrations Near Stall

Abstract

Non-synchronous vibrations arising near the stall boundary of compressors are a recurring and potentially safety-critical problem in modern aero-engines. Recent numerical and experimental investigations have shown that these vibrations are caused by the lock-in of circumferentially convected aerodynamic disturbances and structural vibration modes, and that it is possible to predict unstable vibration modes using coupled linear models. This paper aims to further investigate nonsynchronous vibrations by casting a reduced model for NSV in the frequency domain and analysing stability for a range of parameters. It is shown how, and why, under certain conditions linear models are able to capture a phenomenon, which has traditionally been associated with aerodynamic nonlinearities. The formulation clearly highlights the differences between convective non-synchronous vibrations and flutter and identifies the modifications necessary to make quantitative predictions.