Experiments in Active Control of Stall on an Aeroengine Gas Turbine

Abstract

This paper describes work carried out between 1989 and 1994 to investigate the application of “Active Stall Control” to a Rolls-Royce Viper turbojet. The results demonstrate that stall control is feasible and can increase the stable operating range by up to 25 percent of pressure rise. Stall disturbances were detected using rings of high response pressure transducers positioned at different axial planes along the compressor, and processed using a PC-based data acquisition and control system. Actuation was provided by six hydraulically operated sleeve valves positioned to recirculate air over all or part of the compressor. Stall was artificially induced using combinations of in-bleed into the combustor outer casing, fuel spiking, hot gas ingestion, and inlet pressure spoiling, thus replicating many of the transient conditions commonly observed to make a compressor prone to stall. Results are compared from a number of stall control strategies including those demonstrated at low speed by Paduano et al. (1993) and Day (1993). Best results were obtained with detection of nonaxisymmetric disturbances coupled with axisymmetric control action. A control system of this type is demonstrated to be capable of extending the stable engine operating range at all speeds and with each method of inducing stall.