Role of Shock and Boundary Layer Separation on Unsteady Aerodynamic Characteristics of Oscillating Transonic Cascade

Abstract

The unsteady aerodynamic characteristics of an oscillating compressor cascade composed of Double-Circular-Arc airfoil blades were both experimentally and numerically studied under transonic flow conditions. The study aimed at clarifying the role of shock waves and boundary layer separation due to the shock boundary layer interaction on the vibration characteristics of the blades. The measurement of the unsteady aerodynamic moment on the blades was conducted in a transonic linear cascade tunnel using an influence coefficient method. The cascade was composed of seven DCA blades, the central one of which was an oscillating blade in a pitching mode. The unsteady moment was measured on the central blade as well as the two neighboring blades. The behavior of the shock waves was visualized through a schlieren technique. A quasi-three dimensional Navier-Stokes code was developed for the present numerical simulation of the unsteady flow fields around the oscillating blades. A k-ε turbulence model was utilized to adequately simulate the flow separation phenomena caused by the shock-boundary layer interaction. The experimental and numerical results complemented each other and enabled a detailed understanding of the unsteady aerodynamic behavior of the cascade. It was found that the surface pressure fluctuations induced by the shock oscillation were the governing factor for the unsteady aerodynamic moment acting on the blades. Such pressure fluctuations were primarily induced by the movement of impingement point of the shock on the blade surface. During the shock oscillation the separated region caused by the shock boundary layer interaction also oscillated along the blade surface, and induced additional pressure fluctuations. The shock oscillation and the movement of the separated region were found to play the principal role in the unsteady aerodynamic and vibration characteristics of the transonic compressor cascade.