AXIAL FLOW COMPRESSORS

P M V Subbarao
Professor
Mechanical Engineering Department


An Efficient Way to Ingest Life in Large amount of Fluids !!!
An Option for High Specific Speed
In aero applications, the specific speed is defined as:
( )
4
3
h
Q
N
s
A
=

e
and the flow coefficient as
2
2 2
D r
Q
e
|

=
4
3
|
.
|

\
|
A
=

p
m
n
N
s

Schematic representation of an axial flow

compressor
It is easy to design a turbine that will work. It requires a
considerable skill to design a compressor that will work
Antonov An-225 Mriya
The Antonov An-225 Mriya is a strategic airlift cargo aircraft,
designed by the Antonov Design Bureau in the 1980s.
Payload: 250,000 kg (550,000 lb) !!!
Cruise speed: 800 km/h.
Altitude: 11,000 m (36,100 ft).
Thrust Required: 1350 kN
Power plant: 6 ZMKB Progress D-18 turbofans.



The Progress D-18T ( Lotarev D-18T)
General characteristics
Type: Three-spool high bypass turbofan engine with a single-stage fan.
Fan diameter: 2.33 m (91.73 in)
Dry weight: 4,100 kg (9,039 lb)
Components
Compressor: Seven-stage IP compressor, seven-stage axial HP
compressor
Combustors: Annular combustion system
Turbine: Single-stage HP turbine, single-stage IP turbine, four-stage LP
turbine
Performance
Maximum thrust: 229.77 kN
Overall pressure ratio: 27.5
Bypass ratio: 5.7
Turbine inlet temperature: 1,600K
Thrust-to-weight ratio: Approx 5.7:1
Stages of an Axial-flow Compressor
Selection of Pressure Ratio per Stage
The first step in a design of Axial Flow
Compressor....
The Aerofoil
A Cascade of Aerofoils..
Invention of high population element
Aerofoil Geometry
1: zero lift line
2: leading edge
3: nose circle
4: camber
5: thickness
6: upper surface
7: trailing edge
8: main camber line
9: lower surface
Geometrical Description of NACA 65
NACA 65 Series of Aerofoils
Cascade of Aerofoils
Viscous flow through Cascade
Cascade Geometry
= stagger angle ( positive
for a compressor cascade)
o
1
= blade inlet angle
o
1
= blade outlet angle
Lift & Drag of a cascade
Selection of Inlet flow angle
Cycling of Kinetic Energy in Axial Flow
Compressor
Macro Geometric Specification of An Axial
Compressor
The geometry of a compressor can be
categorised into 3 main designs types,
A Constant Outer Diameter (COD),
A Constant Mean Diameter (CMD) or
A Constant Hub Diameter (CID),
Specifications of An Axial
Compressor
There are several different parameters that can
specify a particular compressor.
The first set of input parameters are based on the
running conditions for the machine.
These involve mass flow, pressure ratio , rotational
speed and the number of stages.
Stage degree of reaction : For controlling the
distribution of the load between the rotor and the
stator.
If this is not of importance, the outlet flow angle
for the each stage must be set instead.
V
a1
2
/c
p

p
1
T
1

p
01
T
01

p
03
= p
02
T
03
= T
02
V
a2
2
/c
p

p
2

V
a3
2
/c
p

p
3

s
T
( )
1 w1 2 w2
r V r V m T P = =

Thermodynamics of An Axial flow
Compressor Stage
Kinematics of An Axial Flow
Compressor Stage
Inlet Velocity Triangle
Outlet Velocity Triangle
Kinetics of An Axial Flow
Compressor Stage
Rate of Change of Momentum:
( ) ( )
1 1 f 2 2 f w1 w2
tan V tan V m V V m F = =
- -
Inlet Velocity Triangle
Outlet Velocity Triangle
Power Consumed by an Ideal
Moving Blade
( )
1 1 f 2 2 f
tan V tan V U m P =
-
Energy Analysis of An Axial Flow
Compressor Stage
Inlet Velocity Triangle
Outlet Velocity Triangle
Change in Enthalpy of fluid in
moving blades :
( ) ( )
01 02 p 01 02
T T c m h h m P = =
- -
|
|
.
|

\
|
(
(

+ + =
-
p
2
a1
1
p
2
a2
2 p
2c
V
T
2c
V
T c m
|
|
.
|

\
|
(
(

+ =
-
p
2
a1
p
2
a2
1 2 p
2c
V
2c
V
T T c m
|
|
.
|

\
|
(

+ =
-
2
V
2
V
h h m
2
a1
2
a2
1 2
( )
(

=
2
V
2
V
h h
2
r2
2
r1
1 2
( )
(
(

=
p
2
r2
p
2
r1
1 2
2c
V
2c
V
T T
Isentropic compression in Rotor Blade
|
|
|
.
|

\
|

)
`

=

1
T
T
p p p
1
2
1 1 2
1

Degree of Reaction of A Stage, R :

( )
01 02
1 2
h h
h h
R

=
2
a1
2
a2
2
r2
2
r1
2
r2
2
r1
V V V V
V V
R
+

=
Compressible Flow Machines
Owing to compressibility of gas in a compressor

The degree of reaction for equal pressure rise in
stator and rotor will be greater than 0.5.

The stage total pressure rise will be higher in
order to get equal static pressure rise in stator
and rotor.

Power input to the compressor :
( ) ( ) ( )
01 02 p 01 03 p 01 03 act
T T c m T T c m h h m P = = =
- - -
Current Practice:
2 1 f f f
V V V = =
2 2 1 1
tan tan tan tan | o | o + = + =
f
V
U
Theoretical Power input to the compressor:
( ) ( )
1 2 f w1 w2 th
tan tan UV m V V U m P = =
- -
( )
2 1 f th
tan tan UV m P =
-
Inlet Velocity Triangle
Outlet Velocity Triangle
For an isentropic compressor:
( ) ( )
2 1 f 01 03 p th
tan tan UV m T T c m P = =
- -
( ) ( )
0S p 01 03 p 01 03 p th
T c m T T c m T T c m P
- - -
= = =
)
`

|
|
.
|

\
|
+ =
1

01
0S
01
iso 03,
T
T
1
p
p
( )
p
2 1 f
0s
c
tan tan UV
T

=
)
`

|
|
.
|

\
|
+ =
1

01
0S stage
01
act 03,
T
T
1
p
p
( ) )
`

|
|
|
|
.
|

\
|

+ =
1

01
p
2 1 f
stage
01
act 03,
T
c
tan tan UV

1
p
p
2
a1
2
a2
2
r2
2
r1
2
r2
2
r1
V V V V
V V
R
+

=
2 2 1 1
f
tan tan tan tan
V
U
+ = + =
| |
2
2 1 1 f
r2
cos
tan tan tan V
V
+
=