Study of the aerodynamic instabilities in an axial flow compressor using 3D-1D codes coupling approach

Authors

F. de Créc, G. Després, G. Ngo Boum, F. Lebœuf - Ecole Centrale de Lyon, France

Abstract

This article presents a coupling method between 1D and 3D CFD codes developed in order to simulate a surge cycle of a compressor stage. The idea is to use 3D URANS code to compute the aerodynamic field of the compressor and to have 1D code and pressure loss correlations to model the surrounding test bench facility. Thus, an unsteady aerodynamic field of the compressor during a surge cycle can be obtained with reasonable computation costs. Coupling methodology has been tested on an academic air flow configuration in order to validate the model. Analysis focuses on the quality of information transmission and the reliability of the simulation model in case of mass flow reversal. In a second step, the simulation model is used to study instabilities in one stage of a highly loaded axial flow compressor. Several surge cycles are simulated and aerodynamic fields are analysed during surge and at minimum mass flow.