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Performance analysis of the two-stage axial compressor with 90-degree bend inlet conditions

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Abstract

The 90-degree bend is one of the basic connection components applied in industrial flowing systems. This bend influences the aerodynamic performance of the downstream connecting equipment. In this study, the performance of a two-stage axial compressor with a 90-degree bend inlet was numerically and experimentally analyzed under low rotating speed. The testing results show that the outflow of the bend was numerically non-uniform in the circumferential and radial directions. To analyze the performance influence of the bend on the downstream compressor, a full passage compressor model with and without the inlet bend was simulated. The size of the distortion region gradually spread to the entire cascade, and the intensity of the distortion obviously dropped after the first stage as the compressor ran with the bend. The deterioration of the compressor performance, especially in the first stage, was verified numerically and experimentally. The total pressure coefficient and isentropic efficiency decreased by 2.6 % and 1.13 %, respectively. To save simulation cost, a model with a downstream single blade passage and cylindrical inlet was proposed, and the distorted flow was set as the inlet boundary condition. In addition, the unsteady numerical simulation was performed with the rotating inlet distortion region. Compared with the full blade passage model, the unsteady single blade passage model obtained the downstream spread characteristic of the distortion and performance deterioration. The latter can therefore be suggested as a compromised approach for obtaining the propagation characteristics of the inlet distortion with acceptable accuracy and low computational cost.

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Abbreviations

A:

Area [m2]

B:

90-degree bend

c:

Absolute velocity [m/s]

D:

Diameter [m]

FPC:

Full passage compressor

k:

Polytropic exponent

n:

Rotating speed [rpm]

N:

Blade number

Pt :

Total pressure [Pa]

Qm :

Mass flow rate [kg/s]

r:

Radius in the polar coordinate system [m]

R:

Bending radius of the bend [m]

R1m:

Middle cross-section of rotor in first stage

R2m:

Middle cross-section of rotor in second stage

S1m:

Middle cross-section of stator in first stage

S2m:

Middle cross-section of stator in second stage

SPC:

Single passage compressor

Tt :

Total temperature [K]

u:

Circumferential velocity [m/s]

USPC:

Unsteady single passage compressor

v:

Velocity coefficient

w:

Relative velocity [m/s]

z:

Distance from the sections to the dome

α :

Installation angle of stator blade [∘]

β :

Installation angle of rotor blade [∘]

Δ:

Tip clearance [m]

Φ :

Flow rate coefficient

η :

Isentropic efficiency

θ :

Circumferential angle in the polar coordinate system [∘]

ρ :

Density [kg/m3]

ψ :

Total pressure coefficient

b:

Bend

c:

Compressor

d:

Dome

h:

Hub

in:

Inlet position

out:

Outlet position

z:

Axial direction

1:

First stage of the compressor

2:

Second stage of the compressor

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Mechanical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China

    Wei Sun & Tong Wang

Authors
  1. Wei Sun
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  2. Tong Wang
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Tong Wang.

Additional information

Wei Sun is a master’s student in the School of Mechanical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China. He received his B.E. degree from the University of Shanghai for Science and Technology. His research interest includes the internal flow and performance of axial compressors.

Wang Tong is an Associate Professor in the School of Mechanical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University. She received her Ph.D. degree from Xi’an Jiao Tong University in China in 1999. She has been working on the design and analysis of turbomachinery for almost 20 years.

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Sun, W., Wang, T. Performance analysis of the two-stage axial compressor with 90-degree bend inlet conditions. J Mech Sci Technol 34, 4941–4950 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12206-020-2107-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12206-020-2107-y

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