Numerical and Experimental Investigation of Low Reynolds Number Effects on Laminar Flow Separation and Transition in a Cascade of Compressor Blades

Abstract

The results of an experimental and numerical comparison of the effects of low Reynolds number on flow separation and transition in a controlled-diffusion compressor cascade are presented. The flow separation and subsequent flow transition are associated with low Reynolds number effects in the compressor blade rows. Current steady-state Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes codes with available turbulence and transition models do not calculate the current flow phenomena properly. An unsteady three-dimensional Navier-Stokes calculation that applies a third-order accurate upwind method has been performed and the numerical results are compared to the measurements in detail. The results from the current numerical procedure agree very well with the measurements in terms of laminar flow separation, reattachment, and subsequent flow transition at low Reynolds numbers. The present study indicates that flow separation and flow transition inside compressor blade rows at low Reynolds number are phenomena dominated by relatively larger eddies near the wall and can be simulated with the current type of unsteady numerical procedure.