DESIGN OF AXIAL FLOW COMPRESSORS

Proper Integration of Mild Compression Stages !!!

P M V Subbarao
Professor
Mechanical Engineering Department

Design Specifications
The different input parameters, used in design Process
are:
Main specification
Detailed specification
Inlet specification
Specifications of Axial Flow Compressor
Main specification
Type of compressor
Mass flow
Number of stages
Pressure ratio of
each stage
Rotational speed
Stage reaction

Inlet specification
Inlet flow angle,
Stage flow coefficient
Hub tip ratio, r
hub
/r
tip

Parameter variations throughout the compressor
Certain parameters in the compressor will vary in
the compressor, namely:
Tip clearance, e/c
Aspect ratio, h/c
Thickness chord ratio, t/c
Axial velocity ratio, AVR
Blockage factor, BLK
Diffusion factor, DF
Stage Loading distribution
A simple linear distribution for the parameters may,
for simplicity, be used except for the stage loading.
The stage load distribution throughout the
compressor
Mean stream line analysis
The calculations are based on mean line stream
analysis i.e. one dimension.
The mean radius is used in the calculations to
determine the blade speed.
Normally when calculating with the mean line
stream method, the mean radius will not change.
But by changing the mean radius throughout one
stage will give a more accurate design.
The mean radius will be kept constant in the
space between rotor and stator as well for the
space between each row.
A change in radius in the space between each
blade row wont make a big difference in the end
result.
It is more crucial to have a change in radius in the
blade them self since this will have a more
noticeable effect.

Design Calculation process
Module 0, Inlet geometry
To be able to solve the inlet geometry the inlet
flow velocity, V
f
, must be known.
If this velocity is unknown, an iterative process
must be used.
By approximating the value of V
f
, the density can
be found.
With help of mass continuity a new inlet flow
velocity can be calculated.
This value is then used to start over the
calculation until converged.
The first step is to get hold off the
thermodynamic properties in the inlet of the
compressor.
The inlet pressure and temperature is known and
from these the enthalpy and entropy can be
found.

Algorithm: Inlet Geometry
Inlet Parameters: M,p,T ..
Specify inlet flow angle, o
i

Calculate flow area:
.BLK V
m
Area
f

=
1/2
2
tip
hub
tip
r
r
1
Area
r
(
(
(
(
(
(

|
|
.
|

\
|

1/2
2
tip
2
hub
rms
2
r r
r
(
(

+
=
(

=
60
N r 2
U
rms
mean

Blockage Factor
The blockage factor is here denoted as, BLK.
The geometry is the same for the rotor inlet as for
the stator-outlet in the previous stage.
A result of this is that the blockage factor should be
the same for the rotor-inlet and the stator-outlet at
the previous stage.
From the definition of the cross section area and the
mean radius, the hub radius, the mean radius or the
tip radius can be calculated depending if the
compressor is of the type CID, CMD or COD.
.BLK . V
m
Area
1 f1
1

=
Stage load coefficient
2
w1 w2
2
U
V V
U
h
= =
Stage flow coefficient
U
V
f
=
Stage reaction
01 03
1 2
h h
h h

=
de Haller number
Compressor stages both the rotors and the stators are
designed to diffuse the fluid.
Transfer and transform kinetic energy into an increase in
static enthalpy and static pressure of the fluid.
The more the fluid is decelerated, the bigger pressure
rise, but boundary layer growth and wall stall is limiting the
process.
To avoid this, de Haller proposed that the overall
deceleration ratio, i.e. V
r2
/ V
r1
and V
a3
/ V
a2
in a rotor and
stator respectively, should not be less than 0.72 (historic
limit) in any row.
Module 1: Rotor-inlet Triangle
When starting the calculation, the geometry from the inlet
calculations is used.
The calculation for the entire stage is repetative.
Conside the rotor-inlet conditions, i.e. station 1, will have
the same velocity and radius as the stator-outlet, i.e.
station 3, for the previous stage.

1) 3(i 1
1) f,3(i f,1
1) rms,3(i rms,1

V V
r r

=
=
=
Flow Angles &Velocities
Inlet Velocity Triangle
V
a1

V
a1

V
r1

V
r1

INLET CONDITIONS
Static Properties
Static properties:

Now that the velocity is known, the static enthalpy
can be calculated.
With help from the entropy other fluid dynamic
properties like pressure, temperature, density etc. can
be found.
To be able to move from the rotor-inlet towards the
outlet of the rotor a relationship between these
must be used.
Rothalpy Based Design
Define the rothalpy which is constant throughout
the rotor.
The rothalpy is useful for calculating the outlet
conditions of the rotor.
2
U
2
V
h I
2
2
r
+ =
Further in to the calculations the relative Mach
number and the axial Mach number will be used.
Module 2, Rotor-outlet/stator-inlet
There are two separate modules in module 2.
The first, 2.1, is for the calculation of the entropy
rise in the rotor.
The second, 2.2, calculates the mean radius of rotor-
outlet.
Both of these are iteration processes where an
approximated value is first guessed and then a new value
is calculated to adjust the approximated first value.
Iteration Loop:
Flow angles and velocities : The mean radius at rotor-outlet in
unknown so a value for this must be approximates to be able to
find out the blade speed.
A new value for this will be calculated further on in the
calculation.
Since a change in radius throughout the rotor is
occurring a modification to the definition of the stage
load coefficient must be made.
A modification is made based on the blade velocity
at the rotor-outlet.
Outlet Velocity Triangle