Large eddy simulation of a low pressure compressor cascade at high incidence

Abstract

This work presents Large Eddy Simulations of a low pressure compressor cascade in order to understand the sudden rise of losses at high incidence. The simulation reveals a leading-edge separation bubble interacting with a superposed supersonic pocket ending in a normal shockwave. The unsteady interaction between the shear-layer and the shock is observed to be the principal transition mechanism. Through refinement studies, adequate mesh independence is demonstrated. The influence of turbulence injection at the inlet is also explored, and shown not to significantly alter the physics, although reducing the extent of the separation bubble.