Prediction of Rotor Dynamic Destabilizing Forces in Axial Flow Compressors

Abstract

It has been shown by Thomas (1958) and Alford (1965), that axial flow turbo-machinery is subject to rotor dynamic destabilizing gas forces produced by the circumferential variation of blade-tip clearance when the rotor is whirling. However, the magnitude and direction of these forces have yet to be clarified. For example, it is still uncertain, under which circumstances the rotor whirl direction will be forward, and when it will be backward, with respect to the rotation. In the present paper, a simple analysis of the perturbed flow in an axial compressor stage with whirling rotor is presented, based on the actuator disc analysis of Horlock and Greitzer (1983), and the gas force on the rotor is calculated on this basis. It appears that in the normal operation range of an axial compressor, the whirl direction is predicted to be forward always. Backward whirl is predicted to take place only at very low flow rates, well below the normally expected stall limit. Experimentally, forces were indeed found in direction of backward whirl for low flow rates, and in direction of forward whirl for high flow rates, in the results reported by Vance and Laudadio (1984), as analyzed by Ehrich (1989). While this experimental evidence supports the present theory qualitatively, a direct comparison of the measured and predicted destabilizing force has yet to be carried out.