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Effect of Axial Velocity Density Ratio on the Performance of a Controlled Diffusion Airfoil Compressor Cascade

  • R. Senthil Kumaran EMAIL logo , Sachin Kamble , K.M.M. Swamy , Q.H. Nagpurwala and Ananthesha Bhat
Published/Copyright: January 7, 2015
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Abstract

Axial Velocity Density Ratio (AVDR) is an important parameter to check the two-dimensionality of cascade flows. It can have significant influence on the cascade performance and the secondary flow structure. In the present study, the effect of AVDR has been investigated on a highly loaded Controlled Diffusion airfoil compressor cascade. Detailed 3D Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) studies were carried out with the cascade at five different AVDRs. Key aerodynamic performance parameters and flow structure through the cascade were analyzed in detail. CFD results of one AVDR were validated with the experimental cascade test data and were seen to be in good agreement. Loss characteristics of the cascade varied significantly with change in AVDR. Increase in AVDR postponed the point of separation on the suction surface, produced thinner boundary layers and caused substantial drop in the pressure loss coefficient. Strong end wall vortices were noticed at AVDR of 1.177. At higher AVDRs, the flow was well guided even close to the end wall and the secondary flows diminished. The loading initially improved with increase in AVDR. Beyond a certain limit, further increase in AVDR offered no improvements to the loading but rather resulted in drop in diffusion and deviation.

Nomenclature

Symbol

Description

C

Chord

Cx

Axial chord

s

Pitch

o

Throat

t

Maximum blade thickness

M

Mach number

P

Pressure

V

Velocity

k

Turbulent kinetic energy

x

x-direction

y

y-direction

y+

Dimensionless wall distance

β

Flow angle

βs

Stagger angle

ψ

Metal angle

ρ

Density

Ω

Pressure loss coefficient

ω

Specific dissipation rate

γ

Ratio of specific heats

Abbreviations

Full Form

AR

Area Ratio

AVDR

Axial Velocity Density Ratio

CAD

Computer-Aided Design

CD

Controlled Diffusion

CFD

Computational Fluid Dynamics

CSIR

Council of Scientific & Industrial Research, India

DCA

Double Circular Arc

LE

Leading Edge

NACA

National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics

NAL

National Aerospace Laboratories

RANS

Reynolds Averaged Navier–Stokes Equation

SST

Shear Stress Transport

TCT

Transonic Cascade Tunnel

TE

Trailing Edge

Subscripts

Description

isen

Isentropic

0

Stagnation

1

Inlet

2

Outlet/exit

y

Local point in the wake

Acknowledgments

The authors wish to express gratitude to all those who helped in carrying out this work successfully. The authors thank the management of CSIR-National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL), Bangalore, for permitting to take up this research work and for allowing it to be published. The authors sincerely thank the president, M S Ramiah University of Applied Sciences, Bangalore, for the support extended during the course of this research.

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Received: 2014-11-28
Accepted: 2014-12-10
Published Online: 2015-1-7
Published in Print: 2015-12-1

©2015 by De Gruyter

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