Investigation of Surge in a Transonic Centrifugal Compressor With Vaned Diffuser: Part II—Correlation With Subcomponent Characteristics

Abstract

In the first part of the paper, surge signatures and the underlying mechanisms thereof for a high-speed centrifugal compressor were investigated using signals from fast-response transducers installed along the flow path. The compressor surge signature is observed to vary as the impeller inlet tip flow transitions from subsonic to supersonic conditions. Spike-type deep surge is observed at subsonic and supersonic impeller inlet tip conditions while modal-type mild surge occurs at 90% speed with transonic inlet tip conditions. In Part II of the paper, a detailed analysis of the static pressure rise characteristics at the stage, component, and subcomponent levels is conducted. Additionally, the influence of the impeller inlet conditions on the instability is also considered. A connection between the surge mechanism and component static pressure rise characteristics is shown which exhibits the potential for prediction of the stall inception mechanism including identification of the destabilizing component. Furthermore, the transition from subsonic to transonic impeller inlet conditions is shown to be the cause of the unique mild surge instability at 90% speed. Lastly, both experimental and computational results are utilized to investigate the development of a shock wave at the impeller leading edge. The shock is considered to be critical to stage stability at speeds where the compressor experiences transonic inlet conditions.