Experimental and Theoretical Investigations on the General Flow Patterns in Axial Flow Compressors

Citation

Sabersky, Rolf Heinrich (1949) Experimental and Theoretical Investigations on the General Flow Patterns in Axial Flow Compressors. Dissertation (Ph.D.), California Institute of Technology. doi:10.7907/6H98-MT27. https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechETD:etd-05142003-142428

Abstract

1. An axial flow compressor and the corresponding test facilities including instrumentation have been designed and constructed. The compressor has a blade tip diameter of 36 inches, is designed for a top speed of 2000 rpm, and is powered by a 125 hp dynamometer. The unit is in operation and has been used extensively for the experiments of this thesis.

2. A number of blade types were designed, all having the same overall performance. Criteria were established characterizing the individual properties of each type and a comparison was made on this basis. It vas shown that some of these blade types are often more suitable than the "free vortex" blading which is most commonly used at present.

3. Two sets of blades were constructed, the types having been selected from the blade study. Single stage experiments were carried out with each type and detailed measurements of flow patterns as well as overall performance measurements were made at various flow conditions. The experimental data were compared to those calculated by means of the compressor theory of Professor W.D. Rannie. Excellent agreement was obtained; this was interpreted as a verification of the theory. As a further result, measurements of the maximum efficiency of each blade type have established that a blading with an essentially three-dimensional flow pattern can equal the efficiency of the conventional "free vortex" blading which has a two-dimensional flow pattern.

Thesis Files