Overall and Stage Characteristics of Axial-flow Compressors

Abstract

Axial compressors, particularly near design conditions are, on the whole, amenable to analytical treatment, and usually a good estimate of their performance can be made before they are run. Away from the design points, the performances are conveniently thought of in terms of the overall characteristics of pressure-rises, temperature-rises, and efficiencies plotted against mass-flows. For these performance estimations the aerodynamicists must have knowledge of the stage and overall characteristics of previous compressors and of methods of predicting such characteristics. Obtaining the overall characteristics from a stage-by-stage calculation is a lengthy process, but, fortunately, simplified methods can often be used. In this lecture we have indicated some of the methods that are employed to obtain and predict the overall characteristics and their associated stage characteristics. Reference is made to test-results from various National Gas Turbine Establishment research compressors, one of which uses water instead of air as the working fluid, and also to published information on other compressors. The importance of blade and test errors on performance and analysis work is also emphasized. In our simplified method of analysis and prediction of overall characteristics we have reduced the individual overall characteristics at each speed to what are, in effect, mean stage characteristics plotted relative to their maximum-efficiency-point conditions. Then the maximum-efficiency-point conditions at the different speeds are plotted and considered separately.