ASE 376K

Propulsion

Designing rotor blades for radial equilibrium(cr 0)

The radial equilibrium condition is:
cz

dcz
dc
c2
dc
c d ( rc ) dho
ds
+ c + = cz z +
=
T
dr
dr
r
dr
r dr
dr
dr

(1)

ds
dho
0 and choose to design for
= 0 , i.e. constant work
dr
dr
input (compressor) or output (turbine) per unit length of rotor blade. Thus we have

We assume in this analysis that

cz

dc z c d ( rc )
+
=0,
dr
r dr

(2)

which implies that the radial variations of cz and cr are coupled, if we want cr0.
Consider a compressor rotor and let us design our blade twist variations in the rotor
(1(r), 2(r)) such that:
n
r
r
c1 ( r) = a b m
r
rm
rm is the mean radius; a, b > 0.
n
r
r
c2 (r ) = a + b m
r
rm

(3)

The exponent n is a design choice. A similar set of equations can be used for a turbine rotor, by
replacing subscript 1 with 3. Note that c2 > c1 for a compressor and c2 > c 3 for a turbine.

r
From Eqs. (3) we see that c2 ( r) c1 (r ) = 2 b m , so that
r

ho = U (r )(c2 ( r ) c1 (r ) ) = r 2b

rm
= 2 brm = 2bU m f ( r) .
r

(4)

Here is the angular velocity of the rotor. We see that the choice of tangential velocity
dho
distribution (3) has guaranteed that ho f(r), i.e.
= 0 , for any a, b, n (provided the fluid
dr
follows the blades). Equation (4) determines b, provided To,stage, Um and are known for the
stage
b=

c T
ho
= p o ,stage .
2U m
2U m

(5)

For example, if To,stage 50K, cp 1000 J/kgK, Um 200 m/s, 1, then b125m/s.
Using c 2 = cr2 + c2 + c z2 = c2 + cz2 for radial equilibrium, the degree of reaction for a
compressor
h2 h1
c22 ( r ) c12 (r )
c22 c12 c22z c12z
R ( r) =
= 1
=1

ho
2 ho
2 ho
2 ho
Philip L. Varghese, UT Austin, 2001

ASE 376K

Propulsion

Because c22 c12 = (c2 c1 )(c2 + c1 ) and ho = U ( c2 c1 ) , we get

R ( r) = 1

c 2 + c1 c22z c12z

2U
2ho

(6)

It is convenient to normalize by the mean radius rm and introduce a dimensionless variable

r
x
in equation (3):
rm

b
b
c1 = ax n ; c2 = ax n +
x
x

(3a)

c2 + c1
2 ax n
a
=
=
x n 1 .
2U m x U m
2 U

(7)

so

Now we need to determine cz(r), or equivalently cz(x), from the radial equilibrium
condition (2).
d c z2
c d
r dr 2 dr = r r dr (rc )dr
m
m
r

2
cz2 c zm
c d

=
(rc )dr
2
2
r
dr
rm
r

2
= 2 I ; I
c z2 c zm

rm

(8)

c d
(rc )dr
r dr

Using the definitions of c 1, c2 in Eq. (3a), it is easy to see that the integral I in Eq. (8) is
I = a (n + 1) (ax 2 n 1 m bx n 2 )dx
x

b
a

(
x n 1 1); n 0, 1
= a (n + 1) (x 2 n 1) m
n 1
2n

= a ln x b 1; n = 0
x

= 2a (x 2 1) m b ln( x) ; n = 1
2

(9)

The distributions with n=0,1 are often used. They are called exponential (n=0), free-vortex
(n=1), and first-power (n=1). Hill and Peterson (p. 335) refer to the case n=1 as constant
reaction but we shall see that the degree of reaction is not constant in this case. (Note that Hill
and Peterson define the distribution for rc, rather than c.) Since blades are made by numerical
machining there is no reason to stay with integral n. Although it gives mathematicians fits, the
cases n=0 and n=1 can be considered under the general case using n=, and n=1 respectively,
where is a small number like 10-5. The numerical result for the blade angles, degree of reaction,

Philip L. Varghese, UT Austin, 2001

ASE 376K

Propulsion

etc. computed using this approximation are the same (to better than 1%) as the exact
mathematical results for these special cases, and the fluid does not follow the specified angles
exactly anyway.
Then, confining ourselves to the general case, we get:

b
a
(x n1 1)
c22z c12zm = 2a (n + 1) (x 2 n 1) +
n 1
2n

b
a
(x n 1 1)
c12z c22 zm = 2a (n + 1) (x 2 n 1)
n 1
2n

(10)

Assuming that c 1zm = c2zm= czm (common design practice), then

c22z c12z = 4ab
Using ho = 2bUm, we obtain

( n + 1) n 1
(x 1)
( n 1)

c22z c12z
a (n + 1) n1
=
(x 1) , so finally from Eq. (6)
2ho
U m (n 1)
R ( x) = 1 +

a (2 x n1 n 1)
.
U m
(n 1)

(11)

a ( 2 n 1)
a
=1
, so the second
U m ( n 1)
U m
constant in the velocity expression is determined from
At the mean radius (x=1, r=r m) R (1) R m = 1 +

a = U m (1 Rm )

(12)

for all n. For Rm 0.5, Um200 m/s, 1, we have a100 m/s. In general R' increases with
radius, so one has to choose Rm sufficiently high that degree of reaction is not too low near the
hub (problems of high adverse pressure gradient and flow separation near hub in stator).
Conversely Rm must not be so high that there is a high adverse pressure gradient and flow
separation in the rotor near the tip. Examination of the figure shows why rotors commonly have
relatively high hub-to-tip ratios, , because this limits the variation in R' (and all other flow
properties) from their mean radius values.

Special cases: n = 0
n =1

1
x2
2

R = 1 + (1 R m )1
x

R = 1 + (1 Rm )(2 ln x 1)

1.0

R = 1 (1 Rm )

R' =0.6
Degree of reaction, R'

n = 1

0.8

0.6
0.4
n=-1 (free vortex)
n=0 (exponential)
n=1 (first power)

0.2
0.0

Philip L. Varghese, UT Austin, 2001

0.6

0.8

1.0
x

1.2

1.4

ASE 376K

Propulsion

Examining Eq. (9) we see that for free-vortex blading (n=1), the integral I is identically
0, so from Eq. (10) cz=czm for all x (or r). However in this case the degree of reaction falls quite
rapidly for small x, and tends to go negative near the hub which limits the lower value of hub-totip ratio for the blade.
For a mean radius (rm) and hub-to-tip radius ratio rh/rt, and designers choice for n, the
values of Rm , rotational speed (and thus Um), and stage stagnation temperature rise To,stage are
constrained by the need to maintain reasonable reaction at all radii, and limitations on the amount
of turning that can be achieved in the rotor. These then determine the constants a and b. It must
be remembered that while one can specify a flow turning angle in the rotor the flow will not
necessarily follow the blade if the turning is too specified too high.

Philip L. Varghese, UT Austin, 2001