Numerical Prediction of Wakes in Cascades and Compressor Rotors Including the Effects of Mixing: Part I—Cascade Wakes Including the Effects of Incidence and Free-Stream Turbulence

Abstract

The results of a numerical investigation to predict the flow in the wake regions of compressor cascades, and wakes and mixing in rotors are presented in this paper. Part I deals with flow in compressor cascades including the effects of change in loading (incidence) and the inlet free-stream turbulence intensity. Part II of the paper deals with the predictions of the rotor flow field, including wakes and spanwise mixing. The wake behavior has been studied numerically using a three-dimensional incompressible Navier–Stokes solver with a high Reynolds number form of the k–ε turbulence model. The equations are solved using a time-dependent implicit technique. The agreement between the measured data and predictions is good, including the wake profile, decay, and losses. The ability of the pseudocompressibility scheme to predict the entire flow field including the wake profile and its decay characteristics, effect of loading, and the viscous losses of a compressor cascade is demonstrated. The numerical analysis shows a slight increase in the total pressure loss coefficient through the cascade with increasing turbulence levels. The results also show a slight increase in the rate of decay of the wake at higher turbulence levels but the change in the spreading of the wake was found to be very small with increased turbulence levels.