A Numerical Investigation of Transonic Axial Compressor Rotor Flow Using a Low-Reynolds-Number k–ε Turbulence Model

Abstract

We have developed a computer simulation code for three-dimensional viscous flow in turbomachinery based on the time-averaged compressible Navier–Stokes equations and a low-Reynolds-number k–ε turbulence model. It is described in detail in this paper. The code is used to compute the flow fields for two types of rotor (a transonic fan NASA Rotor 67 and a transonic axial compressor NASA rotor 37), and numerical results are compared to experimental data based on aerodynamic probe and laser anemometer measurements. In the case of Rotor 67, calculated and experimental results are compared under the design speed to validate the code. The calculated results show good agreement with the experimental data, such as the rotor performance map and the spanwise distribution of total pressure, total temperature, and flow angle downstream of the rotor. In the case of Rotor 37, detailed comparisons between the numerical results and the experimental data are made under the design speed condition to assess the overall quality of the numerical solution. Furthermore, comparisons under the part-speed condition are used to investigate a flow field without passage shock. The results are well predicted qualitatively. However, considerable quantitative discrepancies remain in predicting the flow near the tip. In order to assess the predictive capabilities of the developed code, computed flow structures are presented with the experimental data for each rotor and the cause of the discrepancies is discussed.