Since the early work on axial compressors, the penalties due to radial clearances between blades and side walls are known and are an ongoing focus of research work. The periodic unsteadiness of the tip clearance vortex (TCV), due to its interaction with the stator wakes, has only rarely been addressed in research papers so far. The current work presents experimental and numerical results from a four-stage low-speed research compressor (LSRC) modeling a state-of-the-art compressor design. Time-resolved experimental measurements have been carried out at three different rotor tip clearances (gap to tip chord: 1.5%, 2.2%, 3.7%) to cover the third rotor's casing static pressure and exit flow field. These results are compared with either steady simulations using different turbulence models or harmonic Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) calculations to discuss the periodical unsteady TCV development at different clearance heights. The prediction of the local tip leakage flow is clearly improved by the explicit algebraic Reynolds stress model (EARSM) turbulence model compared to the standard shear stress transport (SST) model. The harmonic RANS calculations (using the SST model) improve the prediction of time-averaged pressure rise and are used to analyze the rotor stator interaction in detail. The interaction of the rotor tip flow field with the passing stator wakes causes a segmentation of the TCV and results in a sinusoidal variation in blockage downstream the rotor row.

Linear cascades are commonly used as surrogate geometries when performing fundamental studies of turbomachinery blading. Several effects are not accounted for in linear cascades, such as the relative motion between blade and endwall. In this study, three different relative endwall velocities are analyzed. The effect of the relative motion between endwall and blade in a linear compressor cascade is studied through direct numerical simulations. Results show a significant change in the secondary flow structure within the passage. Most notably, the tip leakage vortex is displaced away from the blade. Still, the blade spanwise range affected by the secondary flow field is similar to the case without relative endwall motion. At the outlet plane, a stratification of the total pressure losses and the exit flow angle is found, which overshadows any blade wake effects near the endwall.

Proportionally large relative radial clearances can be found within the rear stages of multistage axial compressors of gas turbines and aero engines, with significant impact on their efficiency. A new three-dimensional design for cantilevered stators in axial compressors is presented, with the aim of improving the overall efficiency and losses of rear stage vanes with large relative hub clearances. The new vane design comprises an unconventional dihedral, with special consideration to reduce the losses caused by the hub clearance vortex. The design was tested in a 4-stage low speed axial research compressor under rear stage conditions. The results are compared to the nominal design to validate the reduction of hub clearance losses and blockage. For both designs, the hub clearances over the third and fourth stator were varied from 1.5% up to 6.0% of span. Overall performance data and flow field traverses upstream and downstream of stator 3 and rotor 4 will be presented in this article in comparison with 3D CFD results.

Rotating instability (RI) can be regarded as a pre-stall signal because such phenomena are usually detected when a compressor operates at a near-stall point. Since RI is closely relevant to aerodynamic, acoustic, and structural issues, its mechanism has attracted industrial concerns and in-depth analysis. In this paper, a low-speed axial single compressor rotor row is selected as the baseline research object. A circumferential casing groove is mounted over the shroud. The solid casing and the casing treated configurations were simulated using the zonal large eddy simulation model, and the simulations present remarkable predictions in capturing the averaged and dynamic characteristics of the investigated compressor. By implementing a data-driven method called dynamic mode decomposition, the mode with the highest amplitude is proved to be correlated to the dominant RI frequency. The spatial and temporal property of the RI is visualized. The results show that the casing groove has limited influence on the averaged flow field but manipulates the dynamic features. The groove allows the RIs to shift from around 0.5 blade passing frequency to higher frequencies in the upstream region and effectively suppresses the unsteadiness in the zones under and downstream of the groove. The RIs are triggered by the flow interaction of the tip leakage flow at the front part of the blade. It can be depicted as pressure waves staggering with the rotor blade and propagating over the blade tip region at around half of the blade speed. With the existence of the casing groove, the dominant wavelength changes, and the fluctuation is damped under the groove, which finally modifies the properties of RIs.

When a compressor is throttled to the near stall point, rotating instability (RI) is often observed as significant increases of amplitude within a narrow frequency band which can be regarded as a pre-stall disturbance. In the current study, a single compressor rotor row with varying blade tip clearance (1.3%, 2.6% and 4.3% chord length) was numerically simulated using the zonal large eddy simulation model. The mesh with six blade passages was selected to capture the proper dynamic feature after being validated in comparison to the measured data, and the dynamic mode decomposition (DMD) approach was applied to the numerical temporal snapshots. In the experimental results, RIs are detected in the configurations with middle and large tip gaps (2.6% and 4.3% chord length), and the corresponding characterized frequencies are about 1/2 and 1/3 of the blade passing frequency, respectively. Simulations provide remarkable performance in capturing the measured flow features, and the DMD modes corresponding to the featured RI frequencies are successfully extracted and then visualized. The analysis of DMD results indicates that RI is essentially a presentation of the pressure wave propagating over the blade tip region. The tip leakage vortex stretches to the front part of the adjacent blade and consequently triggers the flow perturbations (waves). The wave influences the pressure distribution, which, in turn, determines the tip leakage flow and finally forms a loop.

For an axial compressor stator with tip gap, the boundary layer (BL) in the hub endwall region has a significant influence on the development and progression of the tip leakage vortex. Herein, the so-called BL skew, which develops through relative motion of the hub, is of particular interest. Therefore, experimental and numerical investigations of a single axial compressor stator row with varying tip gap height (tip gap height/chord length $=2.0%|5.4%|6.7%$⁠) have been conducted. Comparing cases with rotating or stationary hub endwall segments upstream of the examined vanes allowed to determine the effect of the skewed and un-skewed inflow BL. The steady-state flow fields up- and downstream of the stator row were measured using five-hole pressure probes. For validation and to improve the understanding of the existing flow phenomena, 3D-Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) CFD simulations using a commercial flow solver were carried out. Furthermore, analog cases with no tip gap were examined and considered in the comparisons to extend the knowledge on this BL characteristic. The results show that the BL skew has a major influence on the trajectory and size of the tip leakage vortex for the cases with tip clearance. The effect of reduction of the produced losses decreases with increasing tip gap height.