Axial Compressor Chapter One
Axial Compressor Chapter One
Axial Compressor Chapter One
INTRODUCTION
NOMENCLATURE
a
C
cp
cv
H
=
=
=
=
=
sound speed
absolute velocity
specific heat at constant pressure
specific heat at constant volume
total enthalpy and compressor head
2 AXIAL-FLOW COMPRESSORS
h
k
M
m
N
P
Q
R
Re
r
T
U
W
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
static enthalpy
ratio of specific heats = cp / cv
Mach number = C / a
mass flow rate
rotation speed (rpm)
pressure
/ t
volume flow rate = m
Gas constant and stage reaction
Reynolds number
radius
temperature
local blade speed, r
relative velocity
flow angle
stagger angle
Pt0 / Pref
efficiency
polar (tangential) coordinate and Tt0 / Tref
viscosity
density
stage flow coefficient
stage work coefficient
rotation speed (radians/second)
Introduction 3
Subscripts
d
ref
rev
t
z
0
1
2
3
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
Superscripts
= relative condition
4 AXIAL-FLOW COMPRESSORS
Introduction 5
and development programs are common and may include unique blade designs
for all blade rows. By contrast, industrial compressors are usually designed
specifically for a unique application, rarely involving any duplicate units. Here, a
repeating stage approach is more common, where one or more basic stage
designs are used for all compressors. Aerodynamic and mechanical flexibility are
obtained by minor adjustments that do not compromise the basic stages performance. Blades may be scaled to longer and thicker blades for mechanical
integrity with a corresponding adjustment of the number of blades per row to
preserve aerodynamic similarity. Blades usually must be restaggered, i.e., rotated
on their base to change the stagger angle, , to achieve different performance levels. Otherwise, the intended duty would normally require a non-integer number
of stages. Often the inlet guide vane and some of the stator blades may be
adjustable so they can be restaggered by a control system while the machine is in
operation to broaden the compressors application range. This approach allows
these one-of-a-kind compressors to be designed within practical cost. It also
allows each compressors design to be based on a well-established performance
history. This is important, since these compressors cannot be confirmed by performance testing until after they are manufactured.
Figure 1-2 illustrates normal cantilevered blades that are attached at the root,
with a clearance between the blade tip and the adjacent end-wall. Figure 1-4
shows a different style often used for stator blades. Here, a shroud band is
attached to the blade tips to connect them together. This is often done for reasons
of mechanical integrity. To reduce fluid leakage from the blade discharge back to
the blade inlet, seal fins are normally attached to the shroud band. These provide
a reduced clearance to retard leakage, yet are thin enough to minimize damage in
the event that a rotor shaft excursion or rub causes the seals and shaft to come
into contact. To minimize damage to the shaft, the stator blades and stator
shrouds, the seal fins will be sacrificed in the event of a rub.
(1-1)
where r is the local radius. The axial components of velocity are identical in both
frames of reference, i.e.,
Wz = Cz
(1-2)
Introduction 13
The more speed deviates from the design speed, the greater the compromise of
the stage matching. In general, at speeds lower than the design speed, the front
stages are required to supply a greater portion of the rise in pressure while the
rear stages become less effective. The inverse is true for speeds greater than the
design speed. This stage mismatching can be alleviated to some degree if some
of the stationary blade rows are adjustable during operation. Closing some of
the stationary rows (i.e., increasing their stagger angles) in a controlled fashion
will shift the optimum matching condition to lower speeds to reduce the mismatch at low speeds.
The Mach number level has a definite influence above and beyond its pronounced effect on stage matching. As a blade rows inlet Mach number increases,
its low-loss operating range will decrease. At sufficiently high values, the blade
row will start to experience aerodynamic choke in the blade row to significantly
reduce its maximum flow capacity. Even the minimum loss levels will increase
when the inlet Mach number becomes high enough to produce shock waves that
are strong enough to induce boundary layer separation or to produce significant
bow shock losses. Consequently, as the equivalent speed increases, pressure-flow
characteristics become steeper, with less flow range from surge to choke as illustrated in Fig. 1-7, and the maximum achievable efficiency can be limited by Mach
number levels, similar to speed line N1 in Fig. 1-8.
(1-17)
where U = r is the local blade speed and H is the total enthalpy. Similarly, it will
be shown in Chapter 2 that the static enthalpy, h, is related to H by
H = h + 12 C 2
(1-18)
= H / U 2 = (C 2 C1) / U
(1-19)
where all data correspond to a constant, mean radius, or pitch line for the
stage. The stage flow coefficient, , is defined by
Introduction 7
W2 yields the absolute swirl component C 2. Hence, all velocity components and
the flow angle in the absolute frame of reference can be computed to define the
inlet conditions for the downstream (stationary) stator blade row. Construction
of the stator and exit guide vane blade row velocity diagrams is accomplished in
a similar fashion and will be left as an exercise for the reader. The important
thing to note is that construction of this simple velocity diagram is a fundamental technique commonly used by turbomachinery aerodynamicists to convert
between absolute and relative flow conditions. Here, Cz has been treated as
known. In practice, values of Cz may be specified design conditions from which
the flow passage areas will be computed to conserve mass. This will be referred to
as the design mode. Alternatively, Cz may be computed from basic mass and
momentum conservation for specified passage areas and the mass flow rate. This
will be referred to as the analysis mode.
8 AXIAL-FLOW COMPRESSORS
(1-7)
(1-8)
where A is the passage area and 0 is the inlet gas density, which is unknown.
But the exercises in Chapter 2 will show that the ratio 0 / t0 is a function of Cz0,
Introduction 9
where t0 is the known inlet total gas density. Hence, unique velocity diagrams
are associated with a unique Q0 / A0, but can correspond to many values of m /A0
simply by altering t0. For this reason, all dynamic compressors are commonly
referred to as volume flow machines. The exercises in Chapter 2 will show that
the requirement for density ratio similarity requires that the Mach numbers be
similar throughout, where the Mach number is the ratio of fluid velocity to the
local sound speed, a. It will be shown that the ratio of a0 / at0 is, itself, a function
of the Mach number, so the unknown a0 can be replaced by the known inlet total
sound speed, at0. Figure 1-7 shows an equivalent performance map based on
these requirements. The flow parameter used is volume flow normalized by the
inlet total sound speed, at0, and the inlet area, A0. This ensures that the inlet
axial Mach numbers will be similar. Three performance characteristics, or speed
lines, are shown for three different rotation speeds: N, multiplied by a characteristic diameter, D, and normalized by the inlet total sound speed. This will
ensure similarity of the tangential Mach numbers. If two axial-flow compressors
are geometrically similar, and use the same working fluid, this performance map
will apply to both machines. This, in turn, ensures that the pressure ratios will
be the same for both, so pressure ratio is a reasonable choice for the other performance parameter. The situation becomes more complicated if the two compressors use different working fluids. In that case, complete similarity usually
cannot be achieved, since different working fluids may produce different gas
density (or specific volume) ratios for the same blade row velocity diagram. This
volume-ratio effect will compromise similarity after the first rotor row, since
10 AXIAL-FLOW COMPRESSORS
(1-9)
(1-10)
where the sound speed has been replaced by a perfect gas relation from chapter 2,
a = kRT
(1-11)
and and relate inlet total conditions to reference conditions (Tref, Pref), such as
standard atmosphere conditions, i.e.,
= Tt0 / Tref
(1-12)
= Pt0 / Pref
(1-13)
Introduction 11
(1-14)
The alternate flow rate and speed parameters in Eqs. (1-10) and (1-14) are commonly used, but have less fundamental significance than Q0 / at0 and N / at0.
Similarly, compressor head, Hrev, can be used in place of pressure ratio,
where head is defined as the total enthalpy increase required to produce the
actual pressure rise by an ideal, reversible process, i.e.,
Hrev =
rev
dp
(1-15)
It can be shown that the appropriate equivalent head parameter is Hrev / (at0)2.
The use of an equivalent head is common practice for centrifugal compressors,
but is much less common for axial-flow compressors.
Figure 1-7 supplies only part of the performance information required. In
addition to the pressure ratio and flow produced, it is necessary to know the
work required to drive the compressor. Hence, a second equivalent performance map is required to completely define the compressors performance. The
most common parameter for this purpose is efficiency, , defined as the compressor head or ideal (no loss) total enthalpy rise divided by the actual total
enthalpy rise, i.e.,
= Hrev / H
(1-16)
Alternate reversible processes that can be used to define Hrev and are discussed in Chapter 2. Figure 1-8 shows an equivalent efficiency map to be used in
conjunction with Fig. 1-7. In some cases, it may be appropriate to use the exit
static thermodynamic conditions rather than total values to define and PR. This
is appropriate when the kinetic energy available at the compressor discharge
serves no useful purpose for the specific application to which the compressor will
be applied.
12 AXIAL-FLOW COMPRESSORS
this severe unstable operation is commonly called surge. The limit of stable operation is referred to as the surge line as illustrated in Fig. 1-7. Surge is a very complex phenomenon, which depends on the entire system, not just the compressor.
So associating it with a maximum on the pressureflow rate characteristic is an
oversimplification, but a useful one. In some cases, an approach to zero-slope
near surge is evident, such as for speed line N3 in Fig. 1-7. In other cases, the
compressor may experience an abrupt stall, such that the characteristic appears
to be quite steep at surge, similar to speed line N1 in Fig. 1-7. This is mainly
because the drop in pressure with reduced flow is so abrupt that it cannot be
resolved in a performance test. Indeed, estimation of the onset of surge during
the design phase is based more on the expected blade loading limits at the onset
of stall than on the predicted shape of the pressure-flow characteristics. Similarly, at flow rates greater than the design flow rate, the increase in loss will eventually result in no rise in pressure. This condition is commonly referred to as
choke, although it may be caused by large losses due to off-design operation
rather than a true aerodynamic choke condition.
When the compressor is operated at off-design speeds, operation at different
Mach number levels will compromise the stage matching, similar to the volumeratio effect mentioned previously. Consequently, it is unlikely that all stages will
be close to their optimum operating conditions at any flow rate for off-design
speeds. Rather, optimum performance will occur at the flow rate offering the
best compromise on stage matching. Performance will deteriorate for flows different from this optimum, much as described for the design speed performance.
Introduction 13
The more speed deviates from the design speed, the greater the compromise of
the stage matching. In general, at speeds lower than the design speed, the front
stages are required to supply a greater portion of the rise in pressure while the
rear stages become less effective. The inverse is true for speeds greater than the
design speed. This stage mismatching can be alleviated to some degree if some
of the stationary blade rows are adjustable during operation. Closing some of
the stationary rows (i.e., increasing their stagger angles) in a controlled fashion
will shift the optimum matching condition to lower speeds to reduce the mismatch at low speeds.
The Mach number level has a definite influence above and beyond its pronounced effect on stage matching. As a blade rows inlet Mach number increases,
its low-loss operating range will decrease. At sufficiently high values, the blade
row will start to experience aerodynamic choke in the blade row to significantly
reduce its maximum flow capacity. Even the minimum loss levels will increase
when the inlet Mach number becomes high enough to produce shock waves that
are strong enough to induce boundary layer separation or to produce significant
bow shock losses. Consequently, as the equivalent speed increases, pressure-flow
characteristics become steeper, with less flow range from surge to choke as illustrated in Fig. 1-7, and the maximum achievable efficiency can be limited by Mach
number levels, similar to speed line N1 in Fig. 1-8.
(1-17)
where U = r is the local blade speed and H is the total enthalpy. Similarly, it will
be shown in Chapter 2 that the static enthalpy, h, is related to H by
H = h + 12 C 2
(1-18)
= H / U 2 = (C 2 C1) / U
(1-19)
where all data correspond to a constant, mean radius, or pitch line for the
stage. The stage flow coefficient, , is defined by
14 AXIAL-FLOW COMPRESSORS
= Cz1 / U
(1-20)
The stage reaction, R, is defined as the fraction of the stage static enthalpy rise
that occurs in the rotor, i.e.,
R = ( h2 h1) / ( h3 h1)
(1-21)
(1-22)
In Chapter 10, it will be seen that parameters , and R provide useful guidance
for stage design. Stage design involves defining blade geometry that will produce
the desired performance. These dimensionless performance parameters define
performance in a form general to any stage design problem. They are normally
used to specify the performance objectives the stage should achieve at its mean
radius or pitch line. While there are no fixed rules for selecting values for them,
preferred values can normally be established based on the design goals most
important to the designer, supported to some degree by simple logic. For example, 50% reaction stages (R = 0.5) are quite common, prompted mainly by the
intuitive judgment that it is best to share the flow diffusion load equally between
the rotor and the stator. Once specified, these parameters can be used to define
the stage velocity diagrams from which the blades can be designed. For example,
Eqs. (1-19) through (1-22) can be combined to yield
tan 1 = ( / 2 + R) /
tan 2 = ( / 2 R)/
tan 1 = (1 R / 2)/
tan 2 = (1 R + / 2)/
(1-23)
(1-24)
(1-25)
(1-26)
and the velocity diagrams for the stator exit and rotor inlet are identical for a
repeating stage. These parameters have defined the velocity diagrams at the
pitch line only. It is necessary to supply additional design specifications and use
fundamental fluid dynamics relations to generate the velocity diagrams at other
radial locations.
Introduction 15
EXERCISES
1.1 An axial-flow compressor is to be operated with a different working
fluid, which can be modeled as a perfect gas, but has values of gas
constant, R, and ratio of specific heats, k, that are different from the
normal working fluid. Develop new equivalent speed and flow rate
, Tt0 and Pt0 that will ensure Mach number
parameters, in terms of m
equivalence at the compressor inlet.
1.2 Free vortex stages with 1 = 3 = 0 are often used for axial-flow compressors. Derive an expression for work coefficient as a function of
reaction for this type of stage. If the stage is also to have 50% reaction,
specify the range of values for and 1 that can be used. If the resulting stage is to be used as a repeating stage in a multistage compressor,
what type of inlet and exit guide vanes will be needed?
1.3 All dimensions of the compressor producing the performance map
shown in Fig. 1-7 are scaled by a factor of 1.2 and both compressors are
operated with the same inlet conditions and working fluid. If operating
points for the original compressor are denoted as NA and QA, develop
expressions for equivalent operating conditions NB and QB for the
scaled compressor. If the original compressor operates at a speed of
3,600 rpm, what speed must be used for the scaled compressor? How
much additional flow capacity will the scaled compressor have?
1.4 What scale factor should be applied to the compressor producing the
performance map shown in Fig. 1-7 to increase the compressors flow
capacity by 20% for the same inlet conditions and working fluid?
What adjustment in speed will be needed?