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The effect of leading-edge geometry on wake interactions in compressors

The effect of leading-edge geometry on wake interactions in compressors
The effect of leading-edge geometry on wake interactions in compressors
The effect of leading-edge geometry on the wake/boundary-layer interaction was studied in a low-speed single-stage HP compressor. Both a 3:1 elliptic and a circular leading edge were tested on a controlled diffusion aerofoil stator blade. Experiments were undertaken on the stator suction surface; these included hotwire boundary-layer traverses, surface hotfilm measurements, and high resolution leading-edge pressure measurements. Steady computational fluid dynamics (CFD) predictions were also performed to aid the interpretation of the results. The two leading-edge shapes gave rise to significantly different flows. For a blade with an elliptic leading edge (Blade A), the leading-edge boundary layer remained attached and laminar in the absence of wakes. The wake presence led to the formation of a thickened laminar boundary layer in which turbulent disturbances were observed to form. Measurements of the trailing-edge boundary layer indicated that the wake/leading-edge interaction for Blade A raised the suction-surface loss by 20%. For a blade with a circular leading edge (Blade B), the leading-edge boundary-layer exhibited a separation bubble, which was observed to reattach laminar in the absence of wakes. The presence of the wake moved the separation position forward while inducing a turbulent reattachment upstream of the leading-edge time-average reattachment position. This produced a region of very high momentum thickness at the leading edge. The suction-surface loss was found to be 38% higher for Blade B than for Blade A. Wake traverses downstream of the blades were used to determine the total profile loss of each blade. The profile loss of Blade B was measured to be 32% higher than that of Blade A.
0889-504X
041013-1-041013-8
Wheeler, Andrew P. S.
0f243ba3-3aae-470c-ba4a-46a8c4b9197a
Sofia, Alessandro
152b1058-0342-493c-aa08-aef1ee37aee6
Miller, Robert J.
c0b73cf1-ba94-4018-ba7a-dc471ffa6d76
Wheeler, Andrew P. S.
0f243ba3-3aae-470c-ba4a-46a8c4b9197a
Sofia, Alessandro
152b1058-0342-493c-aa08-aef1ee37aee6
Miller, Robert J.
c0b73cf1-ba94-4018-ba7a-dc471ffa6d76

Wheeler, Andrew P. S., Sofia, Alessandro and Miller, Robert J. (2009) The effect of leading-edge geometry on wake interactions in compressors. Journal of Turbomachinery, 131 (4), 041013-1-041013-8. (doi:10.1115/1.3104617).

Record type: Article

Abstract

The effect of leading-edge geometry on the wake/boundary-layer interaction was studied in a low-speed single-stage HP compressor. Both a 3:1 elliptic and a circular leading edge were tested on a controlled diffusion aerofoil stator blade. Experiments were undertaken on the stator suction surface; these included hotwire boundary-layer traverses, surface hotfilm measurements, and high resolution leading-edge pressure measurements. Steady computational fluid dynamics (CFD) predictions were also performed to aid the interpretation of the results. The two leading-edge shapes gave rise to significantly different flows. For a blade with an elliptic leading edge (Blade A), the leading-edge boundary layer remained attached and laminar in the absence of wakes. The wake presence led to the formation of a thickened laminar boundary layer in which turbulent disturbances were observed to form. Measurements of the trailing-edge boundary layer indicated that the wake/leading-edge interaction for Blade A raised the suction-surface loss by 20%. For a blade with a circular leading edge (Blade B), the leading-edge boundary-layer exhibited a separation bubble, which was observed to reattach laminar in the absence of wakes. The presence of the wake moved the separation position forward while inducing a turbulent reattachment upstream of the leading-edge time-average reattachment position. This produced a region of very high momentum thickness at the leading edge. The suction-surface loss was found to be 38% higher for Blade B than for Blade A. Wake traverses downstream of the blades were used to determine the total profile loss of each blade. The profile loss of Blade B was measured to be 32% higher than that of Blade A.

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e-pub ahead of print date: 6 July 2009
Published date: October 2009
Organisations: Aerodynamics & Flight Mechanics Group

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Local EPrints ID: 334476
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/334476
ISSN: 0889-504X
PURE UUID: 424960c2-b933-4a2c-9945-898beb126de7

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Date deposited: 07 Mar 2012 15:01
Last modified: 14 Mar 2024 10:35

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Contributors

Author: Andrew P. S. Wheeler
Author: Alessandro Sofia
Author: Robert J. Miller

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