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EFFECTS OF ROTATING INLET DISTORTION

ON MULTISAGE COMPRESSOR STABILITY

J. P. Longley H.-W. Shin R. E. Plumley and

Whittle Laboratory Aerodynamics Research Lab. P. D. Silkowski
Cambridge University GE Aircraft Engines Gas Turbine Laboratory
Cambridge, United Kingdom Cincinnati, Ohio Massachusetts Inst. of Tech.
Cambridge, Massachusetts

I. J. Day E. M. Greitzer and C. S. Tan D. C. Wisler

Whittle Laboratory Gas Turbine Laboratory Aerodynamics Research Lab.
Cambridge, United Kingdom Massachusetts Inst. of Tech. GE Aircraft Engines
Cambridge, Massachusetts Cincinnati, Ohio

ABSTRACT For counter-rotational distortions, all the com-

In multi-spool engines, rotating stall in an up- pressors tested showed minimal loss of stability margin.
stream compressor will impose a rotating distortion on The results imply that counter—rotation of the fan and
the downstream compressor, thereby affecting its stabil- core compressor, or LP and HP compressors, could be a
ity margin. In this paper experiments are described in worthwhile design choice.
which this effect was simulated by a rotating screen up- Calculations based on the two—dimensional
stream of several multistage low—speed compressors. theoretical model show excellent agreement for the
The measurements are complemented by, and compared compressors which had a single peak for stall margin
with, a theoretical model of multistage compressor re- degradation. We take this first—of—a—kind comparison
sponse to speed and direction of rotation of an inlet dis- as showing that the model, though simplified, captures
tortion. the essential fluid dynamic features of the phenomena.
For co—rotating distortions (i.e., distortions ro- Agreement is not good for compressors which had two
tating in the same direction as rotor rotation), experi- peaks in the curve of stall margin shift versus distortion
ments show that the compressors exhibited significant rotation speed. The discrepancy is attributed to the
loss in stability margin and that they could be divided three—dimensional and short length scale nature of the
into two groups according to their response. The first stall inception process in these machines; this includes
group exhibited a single peak in stall margin degrada- phenomena that have not yet been addressed in any
tion when the distortion speed corresponded to roughly model.
50% of rotor speed. The second group showed two
peaks in stall margin degradation corresponding to dis- 1.0 — SCOPE AND OBJECTIVES
tortion speeds of approximately 25-35% and 70-75% of Inlet distortion can modify the flow rate at
rotor speed. These new results demonstrate that multi- which rotating stall occurs in an aeroengine compressor,
stage compressors can have more than a single resonant degrading the range over which stable operation is pos-
response. Detailed measurements suggest that the two sible. This paper addresses the relationship between the
types of behavior are linked to differences between the speed and direction at which the inlet distortion pattern
stall inception processes observed for the two groups of rotates around the compressor annulus and the severity
compressors and that a direct connection thus exists be- of the degradation in stability margin. Imposition of a
tween the observed forced response and the unsteady rotating distortion can also be thought of as a type of
flow phenomena at stall onset. forced response experiment to probe the compressor dy-
Presented at the International Gas Turbine and Aeroengine Congress and Exposition
The Hague, Netherlands — June 13-16, 1994
This paper has been accepted for publication in the Transactions of the ASME
Discussion of it will be accepted at ASME Headquarters until September 30, 1994

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 namic behavior. Although not originally envisaged, the
results from these forced response experiments appear
to be relevant to the types of instability phenomena that
occur in undistorted operation as well.
The loss of stability margin associated with a
rotating, and hence locally time dependent, inlet distor-
tion is directly relevant to multi-spool aeroengines.
When the upstream compressor or fan is in rotating stall,
the downstream compressor operates with an inlet flow
non-uniformity that rotates around the compressor an-
nulus. This form of non-steady compressor interaction
has been known for some time but has not been treated in
any rigorous manner for multistage machines. Investi-
gating the magnitude of the effect in a representative
configuration was thus one initial objective of the exper-
imental work.
Another equally important objective was to
provide a diagnostic tool for evaluating new theories
that describe the response of a compressor to non-
steady and non-uniform flow. Although the forms of
the predicted response in these instances can be com-
plex, the modelling techniques employ rather rudimen-
tary models for the non-steady flow within the compres-
sor. Detailed data of the type obtained is of considerable
utility in evaluating the theory. An additional benefit of
the experiments, only recognized once the results had
been obtained, is that measurements of forced compres-
sor response can also be interpreted to give information
about the general problem of compressor stall onset in
uniform as well as non-uniform flows.
2.0 - BACKGROUND TO THE PROBLEM
2.1- Compressor Response to Rotating Inlet Dis-
tortion
There is little detailed data concerning the deg-
radation in stability margin when compressors are sub-
jected to a rotating inlet distortion. The industry stan-
dard document on distortion(SAE AIR 1419) contains
no discussion of the effects of co-rotating versus count-
er-rotating distortion on gas-turbine engines. Experi-
ments carried out by Ludwig et al. [1973] for an isolated
rotor show clearly that the rotation speed of the distor-
tion has a major influence on the stability margin of the
compressor. Distortions that rotate in the same direction
as the compressor (co-rotating distortions) have a larger
effect than counter rotating distortions, with the greatest
loss of stability occurring at distortion speeds close to
the speed at which a rotating stall cell would propagate.
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Kozarev et al. [1983] investigated the forced response of
a two-stage compressor with similar results.
No relevant theoretical analysis accompanied
either of these investigations, but such an analysis was
subsequently carried out by Chue et al. [1989]. They
linked this phenomena to the resonant response of the
compressor, i.e. to a correspondence between the forc-
ing (distortion speed) and the natural eigenmodes of the
compression system. (Note that the response at issue is a
non-linear one; from a linearized analysis there is no ef-
fect of forcing on stability.) The experiments and
theoretical analysis described in the present paper ad-
vance the understanding of stability degradation ob-
tained by previous researchers in three ways: 1) quanti-
fying the degradation in stability, 2) demonstrating, for
the first time, that a compressor can have more than one
natural, or characteristic, speed, and 3) suggesting the
link between the type of behavior observed with rotating
distortion and the unsteady phenomena at stall onset.
2.2 - Stall in Multistage Axial Compressors
To establish the connection between the results
of the screen rotation rate tests and the fluid dynamic
events at stall onset, it is useful to summarize the stall
inception phenomena that occur in the natural situation,
i.e., without forcing. This will be seen to be important in
the interpretation of the forced response data. Day
[1993a] demonstrated that there are at least two routes
by which rotating stall can develop, referred to here as
"modal-wave" and "spike" types. The first, modal-
wave stall inception, is characterized by a small ampli-
tude propagating disturbance (typically detected at
1-2% of mean flow velocity) that affects the entire flow-
field, with a characteristic circumferential wavelength
which is comparable to the circumference of the com-
pressor. Observations are that at inception, these mod-
al-waves propagate at approximately 20-45% of rotor
speed, increasing to 40-60% rotor speed as they grow to
fully developed rotating stall. The behavior of these
types of flowfield disturbances has been well modeled
using a two-dimensional stability analysis [Longley,
1993], which is based on the length scale of the distur-
bance being much larger than a blade pitch.
The other type of stall inception, spikes, is a
much more localized flow disturbance. The spikes ini-
tially occupy only a few blade passages and are concen-
trated at the tips of the rotor blades. Observations so far
are that these disturbances have only been found on the
first rotor in multi-stage compressors [Day, 1993c].
 Typically they propagate at a higher speed of 70-80%
rotor speed and can travel only once or twice around the
compressor annulus before growing into rotating stall.
Little is known quantitatively about the evolution of
spike type disturbances other than that as they grow their
propagation speed decreases to that of fully developed
rotating stall. It is evident from the data that spikes are a
three-dimensional, short-length scale, flow feature. As
yet, however, the basic fluid dynamics associated with
their appearance, propagation, and growth is not under-
stood and they have not been satisfactorily modeled.
Some compressors have been found to exhibit
both types of unsteady disturbances. Even in these cir-
cumstances, in any particular configuration, one can
still point to one or the other (modes or spikes) as being
the dominant phenomenon in the process of transition to
rotating stall.
23- Theoretical Model
In this research there are strong links between
the experimental work and the theoretical modelling.
The model was used to guide both the planning and the
interpretation of the experimental work, whilst the mea-
surements were used to assess the conditions under
which the model is reliable. It is thus useful to describe
briefly the model, and, more importantly, the prediction
of the flowfield that arises from it.
The model is an extension of that developed by
Hynes & Greitzer [1987]. It addresses the behavior of
two-dimensional flowfield disturbances that have a cir-
cumferential length-scale which is an appreciable frac-
tion of the compressor circumference (and hence much
longer than a blade pitch). The analysis is therefore
strictly applicable only to cases where the flow through
the compressor may be considered as radially uniform.
While such purely two-dimensional flow dis-
turbance are not observed in practice, there are many sit-
uations in which the disturbances are predominantly
two-dimensional, and the usefulness of the theory has
been born out in a number of cases. These include anal-
ysis of the non-linear evolution of small amplitude dis-
turbances into rotating stall [Gamier, 19911, predictions
of the existence of modal waves, MacDougall et al.
[ 1990], calculations of the effects of active control in ax-
ial compressors [Paduano et al., 1993; Haynes et al.,
1993] and design and demonstration of the suppression
of rotating stall using aeromechanical feedback [Gys-
ling, 1993]. For compressors operating with inlet distor-
tion, the model shows overall trends with distortion pa-
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rameters that are well in line with experimental results
such as the loss of compressor stability margin with dis-
tortion parameters [Hynes & Greitzer, 1987]. Further,
the predictions of spatial growth and decay of circum-
ferentially propagating disturbances when a distortion
was present have also been verified experimentally
[Longley, 1990]. In summary there are a variety of situ-
ations in which the model has been a useful conceptual
tool, and the extent of its applicability in the present
instance is of interest.
3.0 OVERALL APPROACH
-
The approach adopted was to rotate a distortion
screen upstream of several low-speed multistage com-
pressors. The experimental facility used allowed the
distortion screen to be rotated in either direction (co- or
counter-rotational) at various fractions of rotor speed.
Both time mean and time resolved measurements were
recorded for four different compressors with the data
analysed in terms of the insight they gave into the forced
and unforced compressor response. Comparisons were
also made with calculations using the theoretical model.
Anticipating the results to be presented, we
note that the compressors tested exhibited two qualita-
tively different types of behavior as far as stability mar-
gin degradation with screen speed. Two showed a
single resonant response peak as a function of distortion
propagation speed while the others exhibited a double
peaked response. As a framework for organizing the ex-
perimental and theoretical information, we first present
the results for the two compressors that showed a single
peak. These compressors, which will be referred to as
"dromedary", appear to respond in a two-dimensional
long length-scale manner (i.e., long compared to a
blade pitch), in accord with the assumptions on which
the analysis is based. The results for the compressors
that showed two peaks will then be presented. These
compressors, which will be referred to as "bactrian", do
not appear to respond in a two-dimensional manner.
Comments on the behavior of the two bactrian compres-
sors will then be given, along with discussion of the
broader implications of this work.
4.0 - EXPERIMENTAL FACILITY AND INSTRU-
MENTATION
The experimental measurements were made in
the four-stage research compressor at the General Elec-
tric Aerodynamics Research Laboratory. A schematic
 of the facility is shown in Fig. 1 and a detailed descrip-
tion is given by Wisler [1985]. The facility is a large
scale (1.52 m tip diameter) low—speed research com-
pressor well suited for obtaining detailed measurements
of steady and unsteady compressor flowfield phenome-
na. The rotor tip speed in the experiments to be de-
scribed was 40 m/s (at 500 rpm) so the flow can be con-
sidered incompressible. All the compressors tested had
inlet guide vanes and four stages of blading. The hub/tip
radius ratio of the present configurations was 0.85 .
Inlet
\11
Rotating
^-- Distortion
Screen
Compressor
Blading
Discharge
Throttle
Figure 1. Low Speed Research Compressor showing
location of rotating distortion screen relative to blading.
Four different blade geometries were used, de-
noted as compressors A to D. They are low Mach num-
ber equivalents of current state—of—the—art aeroengine
compressor designs. The total—to—static pressure rise
characteristics measured for the four compressors when
operating with undistorted inlet conditions are shown in
Fig. 2. Compressor C has a stage loading representative
of current commercial as well as military high—pressure
cores, while compressors A, B, and D, are targeted at
very aggressive stage loadings.
4.1 — Inlet Distortion Characteristics
For the distortion experiments the facility was
equipped with a drive mechanism that can rotate a wire
mesh screen at speeds between zero and 100% of the
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2.50
r 2 .00
a g
o
1.50
mN
1.00
N
N
m
a o.so
0.00
4), Flow Coefficient (Cz/Uw)
Figure 2. Overall pressure rise for the four stage compressors tested.
design rotor speed in either direction. The advantage of
a screen generated distortion, rather than one generated
by another compressor in rotating stall, is that it allows
independent control of the severity of the distortion, the
rotation direction and the speed.
The screen was located 1.5 radii upstream of
the IGVs, as shown in Fig. 1. This is far enough up-
stream so that there is negligible potential field interac-
tion between the distortion generator and the compres-
sor. The screen produced a roughly square—wave total
pressure distortion of 120° circumferential extent, with
amplitude corresponding to 1.2 dynamic heads based on
the mean inlet velocity. This total pressure non—unifor-
mity was chosen to be representative of realistic inlet
distortion conditions (DC(60°)' -0.8) and to give a large
change in the compressor stability margin for the case
where the screen was stationary (based on calculations
using the model).
4.2 — Instrumentation
Time mean and fast response instrumentation
were used during the series of tests which spanned a four
year period. In all cases the overall pressure rise and
mass flow were measured using the same time—mean
instrumentation. The fast response instrumentation was
changed between experiments according to which flow
aspects were of concern. For the initial experiments
(which were in fact carried out on compressor D) the fast
response measuring probes (a circumferential array of 8
equally spaced single element hot—film velocity sensors
at mid—span) were placed 0.7 radii upstream of the IGVs
 where they could detect the presence of modal-waves
[McDougall et al., 1990].
For compressor C the fast response instrumen-
tation included up to 20 velocity and 10 casing static
pressure transducers which were concentrated around
the first rotor. Here we will only discuss the casing static
pressure measurements at 0.2 chords upstream of the
first rotor. In light of the discovery and definition of the
spike type route to rotating stall, which took place be-
tween the initial tests and those for compressors A and
B, the later configuration included sixteen equally
spaced velocity sensors placed 0.2 chords upstream of
the first rotor at 30% immersion. These velocity sensors
were used both as an array of eight equally spaced trans-
dary compressors A and B are presented in Figs. 3 and 4.
The calculations from the theory are shown in the fig-
ures as the solid lines. The stall flow coefficients with
no distortion and the design flow coefficients are also in-
dicated in the figure. Negative screen speeds corre-
spond to distortion rotating in the direction opposite to
the rotor rotation (counter-rotation). For both compres-
sors some tests were carried out at reduced compressor
speeds to allow higher screen-to-compressor speed
Legend for Figs. 3 & 4
0 Design PM Flow Coefficient
• Stationary Distortion Step Point
• UNfam Flow Std Point
❑ E^erteenLI Data. 500 rpm
o Expedniental Date. 350 rpm

T
- Catoiadon
ducers and as an array of sixteen. The sensors were
placed close to the first rotor in order to be able to detect
both long and short length-scale flowfield disturbances
0.60
T
uniform Inlet
0

Mi xr^,
0.56
Row Range Flow Range with
[Day, 1993a]. a Rotating Distortion
Co
W
Cat
4.3 - Data Analysis for Long Length scale Dis- 0.52 Flow Range
at
turbances (Modal Waves) at

The presence of small amplitude long circum- 0 0.48

LL
ferential-length-scale flowfield disturbances (modal- at
at
waves) was investigated by conducting a spatial-tem- 2 0.44
poral Fourier analysis of the data. This process makes 0
0 0
0
0 0
use of a two-dimensional Fourier decomposition. The 0.40 0 o 0 0

coefficient of the einewc component of the velocity

flowfield is calculated from the spatial and temporal 0.36 ' - _ i
data. Using sixteen sensors equally spaced around the
-1.00 -0.50 0.00 0.50 1.00
Screen Rotation Rate (Fraction of Rotor Speed)
circumference, one can analyze up to the seventh cir-
cumferential harmonic. The temporal resolution de- Figure 3. Flow coefficient at stall versus distortion rotation rate for
compressor A; uniform flow stall point and design point are also shown.
pends upon the sampling rate. The spatial-temporal de-
composition was done in two steps. First, at each instant 0.70
in time, the sixteen signals can be spatially Fourier ana-
Minimum Row Ra nge
lyzed to yield the phase and amplitude for each of the v5 0.66 wIa,
2 Rotating Distortion
resolved circumferential harmonics. This information,
represented as a complex number, is a function of time, 0.62
•
and can therefore be Fourier analyzed to yield the tem- Oat
poral spectra of any of the required spatial modes, usual- 0.ss
0.58
o
ly the first.
c ry Distortion ® °
0.54 Range ® o
oe•.
5.0 - EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS: COMPRES-
t_r^m 0
SORS WITH A SINGLE RESONANT PEAK 0.50
s
(DROMEDARY TYPE) Counter Rotation Co-rotation
0.46
5.1- Forced Response to a Rotating Distortion -1.00 -0.50 0.00 0.50 1.00
The measured mean flow coefficients at stall Screen Rotation Rate (Fraction of Rotor Speed)
inception as a function of screen rotational speed, non- Figure 4. Flow coefficient at stall versus distortion rotation rate
for compressor B; uniform flow stall point and design point are
dimensionalized by rotor rotation speed, for the drome- also shown.

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 ratios; the agreement in the portions of the data that
overlap indicates minimal Reynolds number effects.
Several observations can be made concerning
these data The most evident is that the speed at which
the inlet distortion rotates has a major effect on the sta-
bility point, with co-rotation of the screen having a
much larger impact than counter-rotation. The change
in the stall flow coefficient with co-rotation is a substan-
tial fraction of the difference between the stall flow co-
efficient at zero distortion screen speed and the design
flow; this gives an indication of how much the stability
margin is degraded by co-rotating distortion. Further,
the degradation of compressor stability margin is largest
near a certain screen co-rotation speed, 45% for com-
pressor A and 55 % for compressor B. The screen speeds
about which these peaks are centered and the per cent
loss in stability margin are listed in Table 1. In the case
of compressor B, the reduction in stability is a much as
90% of the margin which would exist for a steady distor-
tion.
Counter-rotating distortions have much less
deleterious effect, as seen in Table 1 and Figs. 3 and 4.
There are no peaks in the response curve, as there were
for co-rotation. The flow range for some cases is larger
then with uniform flow.
Finally, for both of these compressors the cal-
culations of stability degradation are in good agreement
with the measurements, implying that the stability mar-
gin degradation is governed by two-dimensional long
circumferential-length-scale phenomena.

Table 1: Overall mean flow and unsteady flow results for the four compressors

Compressor A B C D
Mean Flow
Flow range: uniform inlet 0.174 0.093 0.068 0.163
4>design 4sta11 uniform flow
-

Flow range: stationary distortion 0.162 0.105 0.068 0.117

4design 4 stall stationary distortion
- )
(93%) (113%) (100%) (72%)
Minimum flow range: co—rotating distortion 0.093 0.010 0.046 0.060
design 4 sta11 rotating distortion
- ) (53%) (11%) (68%) (35%)
Flow range: counter-rotating distortion -50% 0.194 0.103 0.083 0.140
4design 4sta1l —50% rotating distortion
-
(111%) (111%) (122%) (86%)

Unsteady Flow
Screen speed of first peak 45% 55% 20% 30%
Screen speed of second peak - - 72% 70%
Spike propagation speed - - 70% -

Stall cell speed 46% 46% 45% 44%

Modal-wave speed (measured)
Modal-wave speed (calculated)
5.2 - Natural Stall Inception
Compressor A had hot wires located 0.2 chords
upstream of the first rotor. Time resolved measurements
of the velocity at each of the eight equally spaced sen-
sors at 30% immersion are shown in Fig. 5. No short
length-scale disturbances (spikes) could be detected at
this location close to the rotor. From the data we con-
clude that the route to rotating stall was via the growth of
a long length scale small amplitude disturbance (mod-
al-wave).
33% 53% 10% 18%
35% 33% 33% 27%
The presence of a first harmonic modal-wave
prior to stall was confirmed by a spatial-temporal Fouri-
er analysis. The spectra of the first spatial harmonic of
the velocity flowfield recorded by sixteen sensors are
shown in Fig. 6. The data were taken 20 rotor revolu-
tions prior to stall for a slow throttle closure. (The height
of the peaks in the spectra is dependent on the throttle
range over which the data were acquired, so that the or-
dinate should be used as a relative measurement only.)
The smaller of the two peaks in the spectrum cone-
sponds to a once-per-revolution disturbance associated
with a slight rotor asymmetry. The taller peak indicates

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 a modal-wave traveling at 33% of rotor speed; the mea- ral analysis, drawn on the figure show that the modal
sured amplitude was 1.4% of the mean axial velocity. disturbance initially travels at 53% of rotor speed and
The fully developed stall cell propagated at 46% of rotor slows as it grows into rotating stall. Spatial-temporal
speed. analysis of the output from sixteen sensors measured at
fixed throttle close to the stall point identifies a first spa-
1 469/6 tial harmonic modal-wave traveling at 53% of rotor
0.5 a'°°° re speed, as shown in Fig. 8. The average amplitude of the
0.
0.5 Probe 07
wave at this throttle position was 0.4% of mean flow ve-
0.
locity.
0.5 Pmb' le
46% 46%
0. 53% 53% 50% 46%
m 0.5 j Probe#5
0.
0.5
0. 0.05 P,-b.a7
1
o. o ^!I
0 0.5
u
Pib .#1 .
V ^• Probe 15
Il
0 0 5 compressor A
2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 0. Prow14

III
Rotor Revolutions 0.5
0. PIcb,43
Figure 5. Inlet hot wire measurement of axial velocity in front of
compressor A during slow throttle dosing to stall showing modal U 0.5
type stall inception process. Uniform flow, eight wires equally
spaced around the circumference, 30% immersion, 02 chords
o 0. Pmbe#
! J I t
& 0.5
upstream of the first rotor.
0., Pb.11
! I r
o 15 0
Comps or B
2 4
1
6 8
r'
10
-
12 14 16 18
Rotor Revolutions
33% Modal Wave Figure 7. Inlet hot wire measurement of axial velocity in front of
compressor B during slow throttle dosing to stall showing modal
type stall inception process. Uniform flow, eight wires equally
m 10 spaced around the circumference, 30% immersion, 02 chords

o2 Slight Rotor
Asymmetry
upstream of the first rotor.

It t 15
CL

0 1 v - -
m 10
-2.00 -1.00 0.00 1.00 2.00
Nondimensional Frequency (f/f PoloR)
o
Figure 6. Temporal spectrum of first spatial harmonic of hot
wire measurements for compressor A. Slow throttle dosing,
20 revolutions prior to stall. Uniform flow. Instrumentation as IS 5
In Figure 5.

Data for compressor B was similarly analyzed

0to determine
-2.00
the stall inception process. Fig. 7 shows -1.00 0.00 1.00 2.00
' -

the velocities recorded ahead of the first rotor. A mod- Nondimensional Frequency (f/fnoma)
al-wave type stall inception is seen with the fully devel- Figure 8. Temporal spectrum of first spatial harmonic of hot
oped stall cell propagating at 46% of rotor speed. The wire measurements for compressor B. Fixed throttle near to
lines of constant phase, calculated using spatial-tempo- stall. Uniform flow. Instrumentation as In Figure 7.

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The measurements of stall inception in these
two compressors indicate that the natural (unforced) be-
havior is a two—dimensional, long length—scale, modal—
wave. The measured wave and stall cell speeds are sum-
marized in Table 1. For compressor A the peak stall
margin degradation occurs when the distortion is rotated
at the stall cell speed whilst for compressor B it occurs at
the modal—wave speed.
53 — Velocity Distribution at the Compressor
The velocity variation due to the distortion is
also of interest as another means of assessing the capa-
bilities of the theory. This flowfield, which is steady in a
screen fixed coordinate system, provides the back-
ground conditions for the growth or decay of traveling
small perturbations which propagate at the mode speed.
For compressor B the flowfield non—uniformity was
measured at the compressor face since this could be
compared with that calculated by the model. For the
compressor operating at fixed throttle setting close to
the stability boundary, each velocity sensor measures
the entire circumferential flowfield variation as the
screen rotates. The resulting velocity distribution as a
function of time, or rather screen position, can be en-
semble averaged for each sensor to give eight indepen-
dent measurements. The stagnation pressure distribu-
tion far upstream, which had been measured for the
stationary screen in earlier experiments, was used as in-
put. In carrying out the computations it was assumed
that the screen produced a similar distortion profile at all
rotation speeds.
The measured and calculated circumferential
distribution of axial velocity at three different screen
speeds are compared in Fig. 9. The measurements rep-
resent the average of eight hot wires. The comparisons
show that the model captures the asymmetry and the dif-
ference in flow between the plateau and trough of the ve-
locity distribution. Note that the largest velocity non—
uniformity measured between plateau and trough occurs
at 35% screen speed. For this compressor, the greatest
stability margin degradation occurred at 55% screen
speed. The measured velocity distribution at 55%
screen speed, however, shows an appreciably smaller
flow coefficient non—uniformity than that at 35% speed.
The implication is that loss of stability margin is not just
a function of the degree of velocity non—uniformity but
is also crucially dependent on the propagation speed of
the distortion.
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0.eo
0.so
compressor B
a 020
0.80
o
^5 q,40 4b%
Compressor B
N 020
to
0
Z 0.80
0.60
:ti —Measured
(Average of
040
Compressor
B Wires)
020
0 90 Leo 270 360
Circumferential Position
Figure 9. Comparison of computed and measured a,dal
velocity profiles at IGV inlet for three distortion rotation
speeds. Measurements are averages of eight hot wires
around the circumference.
6.0 — EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS: COMPRES-
SORS WITH TWO RESONANT PEAKS (BAC-
TRIAN TYPE)
In the previous section we discussed two com-
pressors which responded in a two—dimensional man-
ner. The main features of this response were well cap-
tured using a theoretical model based on a
two—dimensional, long length—scale approach. In this
section we present results for two other four—stage com-
pressors which responded quite differently to the rotat-
ing distortion. Specifically, these compressors exhib-
ited two peaks in the curves of stalling flow versus
screen rotation rate; the shape of the curves is not cap-
tured by calculations using the model.
6.1— Forced Response to a Rotating Distortion
Measured and calculated mean flow coeffi-
cients at stall inception are shown as a function of screen
rotation rate for bactrian compressors C and D, in Figs.
10 and 11 respectively. Both of these two compressors
show two peaks in stability margin degradation as a
function of distortion rotation rate. The first peak is at
20% for compressor B and 30% for compressor C. The
second peak, which is much narrower, occurs at 72%
and 70% respectively. The stability computations, on
the other hand, yield curves with a single peak, and the


0.60 r Legend for Figs. 10 8,11 ception occurs in this case. The line marked on the
' 0 Design Point Flow Coefficient
• Stationary Distortion Shl Point
figure indicates that the propagation speed of the spike
• Uniform Flow suo Point is 70% of rotor speed. Within several revolutions
❑ EVe^rnent i Dam, 350 nxn
0.56
— ca^wmnw, around the compressor annulus the local spike evolves
Minimum Flow Range
with into a fully developed, full-span rotating stall that trav-
0.52
T T
Rotatlng Olatonlon els at 45% of rotor speed. Spatial-temporal analysis of
these eight casing pressure signals shows a broad band
Uniform Inlet I
Distortion response for the first spatial mode at 10% of the rotor
LL
0.48
i
Flow Range SAO g
F speed with amplitude AP/QUa p2=0.6x10-3 . This com-
00000 0\

0.44 00 pressor, therefor, exhibits only a weak modal-wave be-

0 0 0 0 0 havior (in many signals this response could not be de-
tected).
0.40
For compressor D limited information is avail-
Counter Rotation -r--. Co-rotation
able concerning the stall inception process because the
-1.00 -0.50 0.00 0.50 1.00 time resolved measurements were recorded 0.7 radii up-
Screen Rotation Rate (Fraction of Rotor Speed) stream of the IGVs [Plumley, 1990]. In the absence of
Figure 10. Flow coefficient at stall versus distortion rotation rate for instrumentation placed closer to the compressor face,
compressor C; uniform flow stall point and design point are also shown. the presence of spikes cannot be decided. The data of
compressor D is useful, however, in showing that the
two-peaked behavior in the curve of stall flow coeffi-
cient versus distortion speed is not simply tied to loading
`DT Minimum Flow Range
0.461 1 1 or stage work coefficient. Compressor D was from the
N unKam inlet - same family of designs, and had comparable constant
Flow Range
0.42
speed line shapes as compressors A and B.
m
otea
Distortlon XMe& o o ® 8 Snika RnMd — 7(O/ 45% — Stall Cell
0.38

0
0.34

10.301 .
-

• 0
J
Counte r Rotation Co-rotation U
026 ' fiS
-1.00 -0.50 0.00 0.50 1.00 m
Screen Rotation Rate (Fraction of Rotor Speed)
m
Figure 11. Flow coefficient at stall versus distortion rotation We for
compressor D; uniform flow stall point and design point are also shown. m
a
maximum loss of stability is calculated to occur in the
range of 40-60% of rotor speed. Rotor Revolutions
Figure 12. Wall static pressure measurements during slow
throttle dosing to stall showing spike type of stall inception
6.2 - Natural Stall Inception process. Uniform flow, eight equally spaced pressure
As a clue to the forced response behavior, we transducers, 0.2 chords upstream of the first rotor.
now describe the natural (unforced) stall inception pro-
cess for compressor C. This has been determined by Sil- 63- Summary of the Different Measured and Cal-
kowski [1992] as part of a detailed investigation of un- culated Propagation Speeds
steady flow behavior in multistage compressors. As a Table 1 shows a comparison of the mean flow
representative data set, static pressure measurements re- coefficients at design and at stall points and the different
corded at the casing just ahead of the first rotor are re- disturbance propagation and screen speeds. For the two
produced in Fig. 12. The spike-type process of stall in- compressors just described the first peak does not coin-

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 cide with either the measured stall cell speed or the mod-
al-wave speed. The speed at which the second peak ap-
pears for both compressors matches the measured spike
propagation speed for compressor C. This aspect will be
discussed further in the next section.
6.4 - A Suggestion Concerning the Connection Be-
tween Forced Response and the Natural Stall Onset
Behaviors
The interpretation of the results for the two
single humped (dromedary) compressors seems clear.
The disturbances that characterize the unsteady re-
sponse are predominantly two-dimensional, long cir-
cumferential length scale. For the compressors that ex-
hibit the two-humped behavior, however, the
dynamical response is less well understood. In this and
the next sections an attempt is made to provide an inter-
pretation of this behavior that may be useful as a basis
for further work.
It is suggested that the two peaks on the degra-
dation of compressor stability margin with screen speed
are related to the two types of stall inception processes.
The first peak on these curves is associated with the long
circumferential length scale, primarily two-dimension-
al, response of the flowfield. The second peak is
associated with short length scale, probably three-di-
mensional, flowfield response and occurs at a distortion
speed corresponding to the spike propagation speed.
These results suggest that compressors are susceptible
to both types of stall inception; in some cases one type
may be dominant, in other cases the other, but there also
may be cases in which both types have the capability to
cause stall.
6.5 Interpretation of the Second Peak
-
For both of the bactrian compressors (C and D),
the second peak occurs at a screen speed (72% & 70%)
that is similar to the spike propagation rate. For the
dromedary compressors (A and B) there is no measur-
able second peak and spikes could not be detected prior
to stall. It is therefore likely that the occurrence of the
second peak is associated with the inlet distortion excit-
ing the creation of a (three-dimensional) spike that then
develops into rotating stall. The second peak is relative-
ly narrow and this is consistent with an interaction be-
tween two distinct types of flowfield phenomena (ie
spike and modal-wave). Interaction can only occur
over a very narrow range of speeds since any mismatch
lull
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in speed allows the two phenomena to behave indepen-
dently.
From another point of view, since the spike is a
short length-scale event, a spike may be expected to be-
have and propagate according to the local flow environ-
ment only. Consider a compressor that exhibits a spike-
type stall inception in undistorted flow. When operating
with distorted inflow, spikes are likely to be created
whenever a sufficiently large portion (a few blade pas-
sages) of the flowfield has reached a flow level that is
below the uniform-flow stall point. Once created, the
spike propagates round the annulus. If it enters a high-
flow region, it is likely to be suppressed. For an inlet dis-
tortion traveling at the spike propagation speed, the
spikes do not leave the local low flow region until they
have grow enough so that their speed has changed. This
condition would seem likely to promote the growth of
the spike into rotating stall. The consequence of such a
sequence of events would be, as seen in the experiments,
a degradation of stall margin centered about a rotation
speed corresponding to the spike propagation rate. This
is no more than a hypothesis at present, but it is one that
seems useful to pursue.
6.6 Calculating Bactrian Compressor Stability
-
Margin Degradation
The theoretical model is for long length-scale
two-dimensional flowfield disturbances. Therefore, it
is unable to capture the spike phenomena. However, the
model does not accurately capture the first hump for the
bactrian compressors which is hypothesized to be a pri-
marily two-dimensional response. A possible explana-
tion is that three-dimensional flow within bactrian com-
pressors affects the speed of the long length-scale
resonance which appears to be between the modal-
wave speed and the fully developed stall cell speed.
7.0 - ADDITIONAL COMMENTS ON COM-
PRESSOR RESPONSE TO ROTATING INLET
DISTORTION
Aside from the insight that the above results
give into the fluid dynamic response of compressor
flowfields, there are practical implications of direct in-
terest to the aeroengine designer. For example in a fan
and core compressor combination the speed of the fan
stall cell is, generally speaking, about one half of fan
speed and the fan speed itself is about one half of core
compressor speed. Consequently for a co-rotational fan
 and core compressor, the speed of the rotating distur-
bance generated by a fan stall cell would be approxi-
mately 25% of the core compressor speed. Reference to
Figs. 3, 4, 10 and 11 for the four compressors tested in
this paper shows that most would suffer a severe stabil-
ity margin degradation with rotating distortion. Howev-
er, for counter-rotation of the fan and core compressor,
all would actually show beneficial results.
Finally we note that the four compressors can
be ranked according to the stability boundary range,
measured in terms of flow coefficient, between the most
and least favorable screen speeds, see Table 1. Com-
pressor C (bactrian) has the smallest range whilst com-
pressors A and B (both dromedary) have the largest.
This ranking correlates with the stacking of the pressure
rise characteristics given in Fig. 2 and shows the effect
of stage pressure rise in determining the unsteady com-
pressor response. It is a topic of current research interest
into what aspect of compressor design determines the
spike or modal response.
8.0 - CONCLUSIONS
(1) The change in compressor stability margin
when a rotating inlet distortion is present de-
pends strongly on the speed at which the
flow non-uniformity travels around the annu-
lus. If the distortion speed matches a charac-
teristic speed of the compressor flowfield, a
resonant response can result, with the conse-
quence of a severe degradation in stability
margin.
(2) For multistage compressors that exhibit mod-
al type stall behavior, the response to inlet
distortion appears to be well described by the
present theoretical model. The disturbance
structure is in accord with the assumptions of
the theory, which yields good predictions of
the changes in compressor stability margin
with distortion rotation speed. Machines of
this class have a single peak in the curve of
loss in stability margin versus distortion rota-
tion speed.
(3) Compressors that exhibit a spike type stall
inception process have a second characteris-
tic disturbance speed at which there is a stall
margin degradation. The speed corresponds
closely with the spike propagation rate. The
11
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theory does not describe the phenomena
associated with this situation.
(4) In the first of these circumstances (i.e. for
the conditions corresponding to (2)), the dis-
turbances appear to have wavelengths that
are long compared to the blade pitch and to
be essentially two-dimensional in nature. In
the second (conditions corresponding to (3)),
the disturbances are much more local, with a
length scale that is on the order of one to sev-
eral blade pitches, and are strongly three-di-
mensional.
(5) All the compressors tested would benefit
from counter-rotation of fan and core com-
pressor as a means of decoupling the non-
steady flowfield interaction between succes-
sive compressors.
(6) While many of the two-dimensional aspects
of stall onset appear to be yielding to theoret-
ical investigation, there is no corresponding
description of the three-dimensional aspects.
These have been shown to be the observed
route to instability in a number of compres-
sors and seem a fruitful area to address.
9.0 - ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This work has been supported by the Air Force
Office of Scientific Research, under grants
F4960--93-1-0015 and AFOSR-90-0035, Major D.B.
Fant, Program Manager. This support is gratefully ac-
knowledged. Support for P. Silkowski and R. Plumley
was provided under the Air Force Research in Aero Pro-
pulsion Technology (AFRAPT) Program; this assis-
tance is also appreciated. The authors would like to
thank General Electric Aircraft Engines Division, espe-
cially Dr. L.H. Smith and Mr. C.C. Koch, for support
and for permission to publish the results. Finally we are
pleased to acknowledge the contributions of Prof. N.A.
Cumpsty throughout this work.
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