THEORY OF

AXIAL FLOW COMPRESSORS

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 Axial
Flow
Compressors
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 Diagram of an axial flow
compressor

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 Low pressure axial compressor
scheme of the Olympus BOl.1
turbojet

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 Schematic representation of an
axial flow compressor

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 Typical multistage axial flow
compressor

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 Pressure and velocity profiles
through a multi-stage axial
compressor.

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 Shrouded Compressor Stators

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 Axial Flow Compressor Case

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 Fixed-shaft gas turbine engine
(also called "direct drive")

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 Free Turbine Engine

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 High flow rates at high
efficiencies

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 Direction of Blade
Rotation

Direction of Air Flow

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 Axial Velocity Variation

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  2

1  D 2  D h1
2
 
C a  m

4 
D h1  ???

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 Ca2= 75

w2
10 wt2
2
2 Ca2
wt1

U = 150m/s
w1

1
Ca1
1
ct2
C2
35 ct1
C1

Ca1 = 85
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DOR = 50%
Ca2

w2
wt2
wt2

2 wt1
2
w1

1

U
1 ct2
ct1 C2
ct1
C1

Ca1
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 R > 50%

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DOR > 50%
Ca2

w2 wt2
wt2

wt1
w1
2
2
1

U
1 ct2
ct1 C2
ct1
C1

Ca1
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 Various Loss Coefficients

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 Flow Losses

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The following are the flow losses:

Aerodynamic Losses: These are principal losses

occurring in most of the turbomachines due to the growth
of boundary layer and its separation on the blade and
passage surfaces.

Other Losses: occur due to wasteful circulatory flows and

the formation of shock waves.

Mixing or Equalization Loss: Losses due to non-uniform

velocity profiles at the exit of the cascade.

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 MAJOR LOSSES
BL Growth & Separation
Eddies and Vortices
Losses due to Shock waves
Non-Uniform exit velocity profile.

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Loss magnitude depends on the fraction of
passage affected by the circulatory flow.

It is less in High Aspect Ratio Blades

It is high in Low Aspect Ratio Blades

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As mass flow rate increases, the pressure
ratio decreases

At every speed, there is a minimum mass

flow rate below which the compressor
operation is unstable.

As the speed increases, the operating range

becomes narrower.
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 Unstable Operating Zones of
Compressor

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 Surging

Surging is a cyclic flow reversal due to the

insufficient mass flow through the
compressor.

It specifies the lower limit for mass flow rate

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Reasons
Off-design Operations

Depends on
the relative volume of
Compressor and delivery pipe
Compressor and combustion chamber
Mass flow rate below surge mass flow rate

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Effects
Vibration of entire machine
Even Machine failure may occur\

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 Chocking Limit
It is the max mass flow rate Limit

Depends on Air velocity

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 Stalling
• The stalling is the separation of flow from
the blade surface.
• At low flow rates (Higher axial velocities),
the incidence is increased
• At large values of the incidence, flow
separation occurs on the suction side of
the blades which is referred to as positive
stalling.
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