UNSTEADY 3-D MULTI-STAGE WAKE BEHAVIOR IN AXIAL COMPRESSORS

To further improve performance of axial compressors, it is important to understand 3-D unsteady flow phenomena which occur in compressors. Such phenomena include but are not limited to tip clearance flows, wakes, and leakage flow-passage flow interactions.
This experimental and numerical study investigates 3-D unsteady interactions among the stator hub shroud leakage flow, rotor tip clearance flow, and the main passage flow. Slanted single-element hot wire anemometry and Unsteady RANS simulations are carried out.  Preliminary results show significance of unsteady wake-wake interactions as well as interactions between shroud leakage flows and stator hub corner separation.