Stall Inception and the Prospects for Active Control in Four High Speed Compressors

Abstract

As part of a European collaborative project, four high speed compressors were tested to investigate the generic features of stall inception in aero-engine type compressors. Tests were run over the full speed range to identify the design and operating parameters which influence the stalling process. A study of data analysis techniques was also conducted in the hope of establishing early warning of stall. The work presented here is intended to relate the physical happenings in the compressor to the signals that would be received by an active stall control system. The measurements show a surprising range of stall related disturbances and suggest that spike-type stall inception is a feature of low speed operation while modal activity is clearest in the mid speed range. High frequency disturbances were detected at both ends of the speed range and non-rotating stall, a new phenomenon, was detected in three out of the four compressors. The variety of the stalling patterns, and the ineffectiveness of the stall warning procedures, suggests that the ultimate goal of a flightworthy active control system remains some way off.

Visualization and Analysis of Rotating Stall for Transonic Jet Engine Simulation

“…Moreover, since mass flow rate is a global measure, it does not provide detailed phenomena or specific regions of stall in data for further analysis. Use of pressure probes in stall detection has been extensively studied and adopted widely in practice [12,13,33]. The probes are located circumferentially within the engine casing to record the pressure oscillation over time.…”

Tip injection as a means for rotating stall control in an axial flow fan

“…Figure 22 clearly shows that there are disturbances originating from the trailing edge of the distortion screen. Lin and Chen [13] and Day et al [19] also reported that the trailing edge of the distortion screen acts as a source of disturbance in the presence of inlet static distortion. However, the long-to-short length scale transition as reported by Lin and Chen [13] was not observed here.…”

“…4(a). The sensor location close to the rotor leading edge helps investigate the stall inception mechanism [19,34]. The pressure range of these sensors is 0-2 PSID.…”

“…However, a short length scale disturbance was observed near −1.5 rotor revolution of sensor 3 covering ∼20 per cent of the annulus. This disturbance was not narrow enough to be called a spike [19]. The disturbance then propagated further with reduced intensity.…”

Dämpfung von Rotating Stall in Radialverdichterstufen

“…The enforced turbulent eddy flow with unsteady gas pressure oscillation in side channel stages diminishes unsteady gas pressure oscillation in the centrifugal compressor stage and limits pressure gradient as well as the maximum reachable value of gas pressure oscillation at rotating stall. [2], [3], [4], [5] und [6]. Es [14], [15], [16].…”