An improved prediction model for corner stall in axial compressors with dihedral effect

Abstract

Corner stall predictions are important and difficult in axial compressors. However, all of the prediction models have proved to be ineffective for advanced compressor blades, which tend to use the combined sweep and dihedral. As for the prediction parameter DL, although it effectively modeled the effects of the adverse pressure gradient and secondary flow, it failed to predict the corner stall of curved blades because the model failed to consider the intersection of the boundary layer at the corner region. In this paper, the shape factor gradient Ψ of the boundary layer at the corner region was investigated by numerically studying specially shaped expansion pipes under different adverse pressure gradients. The improved prediction parameter DJ was presented based on the model of Ψ and the circumferential pressure gradient ξ. A comparison of the critical range of the prediction parameters DL and DJ was investigated using the NACA65 cascade database, which was established by a numerical method. Then, the stall criterion was validated according to the experimental results of various test facilities with different blade geometries and experimental conditions. The results show that the improved prediction parameter is able to predict the corner separation/stall flows and is in good agreement with the experimental results for axial compressors with three-dimensional designed blades.