Centrifugal compressors operating at varying rotational speeds, such as in helicopters or turbochargers, can experience forced response failure modes. The response of the compressors can be triggered by aerodynamic flow nonuniformities such as with diffuser-impeller interaction or with inlet distortions. The work presented here addresses experimental investigations of forced response in centrifugal compressors with inlet distortions. This research is part of an ongoing effort to develop related experimental techniques and to provide data for validation of computational tools. In this work, measurements of blade surface pressure and aerodynamic work distribution were addressed. A series of pressure sensors were designed and installed on rotating impeller blades and simultaneous measurements with blade-mounted strain gauges were performed under engine representative conditions. To the best knowledge of the authors, this is the first publication, which presents comprehensive experimental unsteady pressure measurements during forced response, for high-speed radial compressors. The experimental data were obtained for both resonance and off-resonance conditions with uniquely tailored inlet distortion. This paper covers aspects relating to the design of fast response pressure sensors and their installation on thin impeller blades. Additionally, sensor properties are outlined with a focus on calibration and measurement uncertainty estimations. The second part of this paper presents unsteady pressure results taken for a number of inlet distortion cases. It will be shown that the intended excitation order due to inlet flow distortion is of comparable magnitude to the second and third harmonics, which are consistently observed in all measurements. Finally, an experimental method will be outlined that enables the measurement of aerodynamic work on the blade surface during resonant crossing. This approach quantifies the energy exchange between the blade and the flow in terms of cyclic work along the blade surface. The phase angle between the unsteady pressure and the blade movement will be shown to determine the direction of energy transfer.
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September 2010
Research Papers
Blade Forcing Function and Aerodynamic Work Measurements in a High Speed Centrifugal Compressor With Inlet Distortion
Albert Kammerer,
Albert Kammerer
Department of Mechanical and Process Engineering, Laboratory for Energy Conversion,
ETH Zurich
, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland
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Reza S. Abhari
Reza S. Abhari
Department of Mechanical and Process Engineering, Laboratory for Energy Conversion,
ETH Zurich
, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland
Search for other works by this author on:
Albert Kammerer
Department of Mechanical and Process Engineering, Laboratory for Energy Conversion,
ETH Zurich
, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland
Reza S. Abhari
Department of Mechanical and Process Engineering, Laboratory for Energy Conversion,
ETH Zurich
, 8092 Zurich, SwitzerlandJ. Eng. Gas Turbines Power. Sep 2010, 132(9): 092504 (11 pages)
Published Online: June 21, 2010
Article history
Received:
July 23, 2009
Revised:
October 24, 2009
Online:
June 21, 2010
Published:
June 21, 2010
Citation
Kammerer, A., and Abhari, R. S. (June 21, 2010). "Blade Forcing Function and Aerodynamic Work Measurements in a High Speed Centrifugal Compressor With Inlet Distortion." ASME. J. Eng. Gas Turbines Power. September 2010; 132(9): 092504. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4000614
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