Aeromechanical Control of High-Speed Axial Compressor Stall

Abstract

General methodologies will be developed in this work for the evaluation of passive high-speed compressor stabilization strategies using tailored structural design and aeromechanical feedback control. These passive stabilization strategies will be compared in their performance of several aeromechanical stabilization approaches which could potentially be implemented in high-speed axial compressors used by industry. The stability of aeromechanically-compensated high-speed compressors will be determined from linearized, compressible structural-hydrodynamic equations of stall inception developed in this study. This work offers a systematic study of the influence of ten aeromechanical feedback controller schemes to increase the range of stable operation of two high-speed laboratory compressors, using static pressure sensing and local structural actuation to postpone modal (long wave) stall inception. The maximum operating range for each scheme is determined for optimized structural parameters, and the various schemes are compared. Ten passive stabilization schemes that could potentially be used by industry were discussed and examined in a high-speed compressible flow environment. The concept of elasticity was introduced and implemented to examine the effects of flow non-uniformity, entropic loss, and unsteadiness on thermodynamic state changes within the compression system. Finally, pumping and aeroelastic characteristics of these laboratory compressors both with and without feedback were analyzed.