Numerical simulation of flow instabilities in high speed multistage compressors

Abstract

In the present paper, a nonlinear multi “actuator disk” model is proposed to analyze the dynamic behavior of flow instabilities, including rotating stall and surge, in high speed multistage axial compressors. The model describes the duct flow fields using two dimensional, compressible and unsteady Euler equations, and accounts for the influences of downstream plenum and throttle in the system as well. It replaces each blade row of multistage compressors with a disk. For numerical calculations, the time marching procedure, using MacCormack two steps scheme, is used. The main purpose of this paper is to predict the mechanism of two dimensional short wavelength rotating stall inception and the interaction between blade rows in high speed multistage compressors. It has been demonstrated that the model has the ability to predict those phenomena, and the results show that some system parameters have a strong effect on the stall features as well. Results for a five stage high speed compressor are analyzed in detail, and comparison with the experimental data demonstrates that the model and calculating results are reliable.