Integrated Control of Rotating Stall and Surge in High-Speed Multistage Compression Systems

Abstract

Aeroengines operate in regimes for which both rotating stall and surge impose low-flow operability limits. Thus, active control strategies designed to enhance operability of aeroengines must address both rotating stall and surge as well as their interaction. In this paper, a previously developed nonlinear control strategy that achieves simultaneous active control of rotating stall and surge is applied to a high-speed three-stage axial flow compression system with operating parameters representative of modern aeroengines. The controller is experimentally validated for two compressor builds and its robustness to radial distortion assessed. For actuation, the control strategy utilizes an annulus-averaged bleed valve with bandwidth on the order of the rotor frequency. For sensing, measurements of the circumferential asymmetry and annulus-averaged unsteadiness of the flow through the compressor are used. Experimental validation of simultaneous control of rotating stall and surge in a high-speed environment with minimal sensing and actuation requirements is viewed as another important step toward applying active control to enhance operability of compression systems in modern aeroengines.