Journal of Thermal Science Vol.23, No.

2 (2014) 120126

DOI: 10.1007/s11630-014-0685-7 Article ID: 1003-2169(2014)02-0120-07

Effects of Probe Support on the Flow Field of a Low-Speed Axial Compressor

MA Hongwei, LI Shaohui, WEI Wei

National Key Laboratory of Science and Technology on Aero-engines, School of Energy and Power Engineering, Bei-
hang University, Beijing, 100191, China

© Science Press and Institute of Engineering Thermophysics, CAS and Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2014

This paper presents an investigation on the effect of probe support on the flow field of an axial compressor. The
experiment is carried out in a large-scale low-speed research compressor. A cylindrical probe support intruding to
50% blade span was installed at 50% chord upstream from the rotor leading edge. The region from 5° to 32° off
the probe support in the direction of rotation at the rotor outlet was measured with a 5-hole probe and a
high-response total pressure probe. The experiment is performed at both near-design and near-stall points. The
measuring results of 5-hole probe and high-response total pressure probe indicate that the probe blockage effect is
different at different blade spans. The wake of the probe support weakens the leakage vortex intensity at the tip
region, leading to greater total pressure rise. At near-design condition, the presence of probe support has a nega-
tive effect on the region from 75% to 92% span, while improves the flow field below 75% span. At near stall
condition, the probe support has a negative effect on the region from 70% to 90% span, and almost has no influ-
ence on the flow field below 70% span.

Keywords: probe support, compressor, 5-hole probe, high-response total pressure probe, tip leakage flow

Introduction
Aerodynamic probes are widely used to measure the
aerodynamic performance and flow parameters of a
compressor [1]. Placing probes in the compressor, how-
ever, would cause flow blockage, which affects the flow
structure in the vicinity of the probe as well as down-
stream, even upstream [2]. The blockage effect is more
severe in micro compressors, which will even trigger
stall in some cases.
Some relative researches have been carried out to in-
vestigate the effects of probes on the flow field of com-
pressors. Simon Coldrick [3] performed a 3D numerical
simulation of a cylindrical probe fixed at the lead-
ing-edge of a stator at mid passage. The results indicate
that the probe changes the velocity and pressure distribu-
tion around the probe and causes mass flow reduction in
the blocked passage. Lepicovsky [4] carried out an ex-
perimental investigation of distortions of the rotor exit
flow field caused by a rotating aerodynamic probe
mounted in the rotor. The results validate that the pres-
ence of probe has a negative effect on the rotor exit flow
field, leading to a depression in pressure and axial veloc-
ity component. Wyler [5] identified the blockage effects
in closed channels by rotating a cylindrical probe with
one pressure tapping through a complete revolution in
closed channels. He concluded that the presence of the
probe caused an increase in speed and a corresponding
decrease in pressure indicated at the tapping.
Moreover, Xiang, et al [6-8] conducted both experi-

Received: July 15, 2013 MA Hongwei: Professor

This work was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, Grant No. 51161130525, 51136003, and the 111 Project,
No. B07009.
www.springerlink.com
Hongwei Ma et al. Effects of Probe Support on the Flow Field of a Low-Speed Axial Compressor 121

Nomenclature
Ps0 inlet static pressure on the endwall Ptr local relative total pressure
P0 atmosphere pressure Pt0 total pressure at the inlet of the compressor
Pin the averaged pressure before the rotor Pt local total pressure
Pout the averaged pressure after the rotor Cvz Vz/Ut, axial velocity coefficient
Ut rotor blade tip tangential velocity Cvr Vr/Ut, radial velocity coefficient
Dp 0.5·ρ·Ut2, dynamic pressure Cpt (Pt-Pt0)/Dp, total pressure rise coefficient
relative total pressure at inlet of the (Ptr0-Ptr)/Dp, relative total pressure loss coef-
Ptr0 Ptr-loss
compressor ficient
Cp pressure rise coefficient of the rotor Cva mass flow coefficient

mental and numerical research on the effects of airfoil-
probes on the compressor performance. They concluded
that the airfoil-probes have a negative influence on the
compressor aerodynamic performance at both design and
off-design operating points.
Until now, few researches of the effects of stationary
probe placed upstream of the rotor on the compressor
performance have been published. This paper presents an
experimental investigation of effects of the probe in-
stalled upstream of the rotor on the flow field of an axial
compressor.
tion of the test facility is shown in Fig. 1.
A 6-mm-dia five-hole probe and an 8-mm-dia high
response total pressure probe were used to measure the
flow parameters of the flow field 10% chord downstream
from the rotor trailing edge. The measurement flow angle
error of the 5-hole probe is less than 1°, and total pres-
sure error less than 1%.

Experiment Facility and Measurement Layout

The experiment is carried out on the low-speed

large-scale axial compressor (LLAC) in Beijing Univer-
sity of Aeronautics and Astronautics. The compressor
consists of 17 rotor blades, and the profiles of the rotor
blades are of C4 with a circular camber line. Details of
the design parameters are given in Table 1.

Table 1 Parameters of the compressor rotor

Parameters Value
Fig. 1 The test compressor and measuring layout
Outer diameter (m) 1
Hub to tip ratio 0.6
Design speed (r/min) 1200
Design mass flow rate (kg/s) 22.4
Blade chord (mm) 180
Blade height (mm) 200
Rotor tip clearance (mm) 3

As this paper aims at investigating the effect of probe

on the flow field of micro compressors, so the geometri-
cal size of the probe support should be set according to
the geometrical similarity principle. Here, a cylindrical
probe support intruding to 50% blade span was installed
at 50% chord upstream from the rotor leading edge. The
diameter of the cylindrical probe support is 40mm
(length 100mm), and it occupies a projected area ratio of
13% to the single rotor passage. The overall configura-
Fig. 2 Measuring stations in the measured plane
The region from 5° to 32° off the probe support in the
direction of rotation at the rotor outlet (Fig. 1) was meas-
ured according to the 3D unsteady numerical simulation.
The numerical simulation results shows that the region
122
from 5° to 32° off the probe support in the direction of
rotation is most affected. This region is named ‘measured
plane’ in the following section of the paper. The meas-
ured plane contains 10 span-wise stations and 45
pitch-wise stations as shown in Fig. 2. The 5-hole probe
is used to measure the steady flow parameter of the
measured plane, while the dynamic flow parameters are
obtained by rotating the high-response total pressure
probe at three angular positions (Fig. 3), which is based
on the measuring principle of 3-hole probe. The initial
probe setting angle is in correspondence with the abso-
lute flow angle obtained by the 5-hole probe, then rotat-
ing the total pressure probe by +30°and -30° respectively.
The flow parameters can be acquired based on the aero-
dynamic performance of the total pressure probe (cali-
brated in a wind tunnel). More details about this measur-
ing method refer to [9].
Fig. 3 Measuring method of the total pressure probe
Four on-casing static pressure taps are distributed un-
iformly at both 150% chord upstream from the rotor
leading edge and 250% chord downstream from the rotor
trailing edge to measure the overall compressor per-
formance. The measurement static pressure error of the
static pressure taps are less than 0.1%.
The NI-PXI dynamic data acquisition system is used
to obtain the pressure signals. A once-per-revolution
mark (a black stripe) on one of the rotor tip is used in
conjunction with an optical pickup to generate a single
voltage pulse per rotor revolution.
Results and Discussion
The effect of probe support on the overall compressor
performance
The experiment is carried out at 75% design rotor
speed. The overall compressor performance in terms of
the static pressure rise coefficient (Cp) and the mass flow
coefficient (Cva) is shown in Fig. 4. Here the author
J. Therm. Sci., Vol.23, No.2, 2014
supposes that the circumferential variation due to the
presence of probe support can be ignored at 250% chord
downstream from the rotor trailing edge. Cp and Cva are
defined as follows:
Cp = (Pout - Pin) / Dp (1)
Cva = 2(P0 - Ps0) /  / Ut (2)
It can be seen that static pressure rise after installing
the probe support is lower than that of the normal case
(before installing probe support). At near-design point
(Cva=0.65), the static pressure rise coefficient is lowered
by 1.3%, and it is 1.1% smaller at the near-stall point
(Cva=0.55). It can be concluded that the presence of
probe support causes a negative effect to the overall per-
formance of the compressor.
Fig. 4 Overall static pressure rise characteristic
The effect of probe support on the mass flow rate at
rotor exit
According to the dynamic axial velocity obtained by
high-response total pressure, the time-variation of mass
flow rate in the measured plane could be calculated by
taking the area integral of the product of axial velocity
and density.
Fig. 5(a) and Fig. 5(b) gives the change of mass flow
rate of the measured plane within the period of a rotor
blade passing through the measured plane at near-design
point and near-stall point respectively. The unit time in
Fig. 5 is defined as the time interval from a rotor blade
entering into the measured plane to coming out of the
measured plane. It is clear that the mass flow rate of the
measured plane drops at a large scale after installing the
probe support. It means the increase of the mass flow rate
of the remained rotor exit region, which is not measured
in the experiment. The time-averaged mass flow rate at
the measured plane drops by 11.15% at near-design point
and 12.89% at near-stall point. It indicates that the flow
blockage effect is more severe at near-stall point than that
at near-design point. The depression in mass flow rate is
another manifestation that the presence of probe support
has a negative effect on the flow field of the compressor.
Hongwei Ma et al. Effects of Probe Support on the Flow Field of a Low-Speed Axial Compressor
(a) Cva=0.65
(b) Cva=0.55
Fig. 5 Time-variation of mass flow rate in the measured plane
(a) Cva=0.65
(b) Cva=0.55
Fig. 6 Radial distribution of axial velocity coefficient of the
measured plane
The circumferential averaged radial distribution of the
axial velocity coefficient of the measured plane obtained
by 5-hole probe is presented in Fig. 6. There is a notice-
123
able decrease of the axial velocity coefficient between
65% and 95% span at near-design condition after placing
the probe support, while the sector between 40% and
70% span shows an increase in axial velocity coefficient,
and it almost stays the same with the normal case in the
remained region. The situation is a little different for the
near-stall condition. The axial velocity shows a large
decrease between 70% and 95% span, while it is almost
the same with the normal case at the rest region of the
measured plane. Comparing the two figures, it can be
easily concluded that the blockage effect at near-stall
condition is more severe than that at near-design condi-
tion, which is in good agreement with the dynamic re-
sults.
Steady analysis of the influence of the probe support
on rotor exit flow field
Steady flow parameters of the measured plane are ob-
tained by 5-hole probe. Fig. 7 gives the radial distribution
of the flow parameters of the measured plane at
near-design point (Cva=0.65). In order to show clearly
the distortions of the relative flow angle (defined as the
angle between relative flow direction and the circumfer-
ential direction) of the measured plane, only upper half
span of the measured plane is shown in Fig. 7(a), and the
lower half span almost keeps the same with the normal
case.
As seen here, the distortions in relative flow angle, to-
tal pressure rise, relative total pressure loss and radial
velocity are all notable. It appears that below 75% span,
the total pressure rise is greater than the normal case, the
relative total pressure loss is lower at the same time, and
the radial velocity drops at a large scale, all these facts
indicate that the presence of probe support does a posi-
tive effect on the flow field below 75% span. It is be-
cause that the probe support causes a severe flow block-
age on the upper half span, which results a depression on
the radial velocity. As a consequence, the flow loss
caused by radial flow is lowered and the rim power is
more converted to total pressure rise.
At the sector between 75% and 95% span, there is a
decrease in relative flow angle and total pressure rise,
and the relative total pressure loss is higher than the
normal case, and these facts signify the negative influ-
ence of the probe support. It is because of the wake gen-
erated from the probe support interacts with the main
flow, adding another kind of secondary flow in the rotor
passage, thus resulting in higher flow losses.
At the tip region (above 95% span), both the relative
flow angle and the total pressure rise are higher than the
normal case, which indicates the positive effect of the
probe support. The reason is that the wake of the probe
support weakens the leakage vortex magnitude at the tip
region. The Karman vortex street generated from the
124 J. Therm. Sci., Vol.23, No.2, 2014

probe support is actually a radial-wise vortex, while the Fig. 8 provides the same kind of results as that shown
leakage vortex is a stream-wise vortex, thus the leakage in Fig. 7, but for the near stall condition (Cva=0.55). As
vortex magnitude is suppressed instead of being streng- for relative flow angle, only the upper half span of the
thened. measured plane is shown for the same reason with near

Fig. 7 Radial distribution of the flow parameters of the measured plane at near-design condition

Fig. 8 Radial distribution of the flow parameters of the measured plane at near-stall condition
Hongwei Ma et al. Effects of Probe Support on the Flow Field of a Low-Speed Axial Compressor
design condition, and the lower half span almost keeps
the same with the normal case. It is clear that the relative
flow angle, total pressure rise coefficient, relative total
pressure loss and radial velocity changes a little below
70% span, which is different from that at near-design
condition. In conclusion, the probe support imposes little
influence on the sector below 70% span.
At the sector between 70% and 90% span, there is a
depression in absolute flow angle and total pressure rise,
and the relative total pressure loss is higher than the
normal case, which signify the negative influence of the
probe support. It is also because of the secondary flow
caused by the wake of the probe support.
At the tip region (above 90% span), both the relative
flow angle and the total pressure rise are higher than the
normal case, which is similar as that of the near-design
condition. It is also because of the weakened tip leakage
vortex magnitude.
Dynamic analysis of the influence of the probe sup-
port on rotor exit flow field
Based on the once per rotor revolution signal and high
frequency data acquisition system, the time-variation of
Fig. 9 Contours of total pressure rise coefficient of the measured plane
125
the flow parameters are obtained by the phase-average
data reduction method. The contours of total pressure rise
coefficient of the measured plane under near-design con-
dition (Cva=0.65) at time series T1 and T2 are introduced
in Fig. 9. The time interval between T1 and T2 is 20%
unit time (unit time is defined as the same with that in
Fig. 5).
It is easy to find that the flow field of the measured
plane comes to be much more irregular, which is due to
the interaction between the wake of the probe support
and the complex flow character (wake of the rotor, tip
leakage flow, passage vortex, etc) in the compressor. It is
clear that the noticeable tip leakage flow in the normal
case is depressed both in scope and intensity after placing
the probe support. One can also find that the disturbance
caused by the wake of the probe support at upper span is
more severe than that at the lower span. What’s more, the
total pressure rise coefficient is lower between 80% and
95% span, and a bit higher below 80% span. These find-
ings are in good agreement with the steady results ob-
tained by 5-hole probe.
The dynamic flow field obtained by the high-response
total pressure probe at near-stall condition (Cva=0.55) is
126
also in good agreement with the steady results. Due to
the limitation of the length of the paper, no more descrip-
tions about the dynamic results are presented here.
Conclusions
The present paper performed an experimental investi-
gation of the effects of the probe support on the flow
field of a low speed axial compressor. Several conclu-
sions can be made.
(1) The static pressure rise after installing the probe
support is lower than that of the normal case. For the
static pressure rise coefficient, it is lowered by 1.3% at
near-design point (Cva=0.65), and for the near-stall point
(Cva=0.55) it is lowered by 1.1%. The presence of the
probe support causes a negative effect to the overall per-
formance of the compressor.
(2) The mass flow rate of the measured plane drops at
a large scale after installing the probe support. The
time-averaged mass flow rate of the measured plane
drops by 11.15% at near-design point and 12.89% at
near-stall point. The blockage effect is more severe at
near-stall condition than that at near-design condition.
(3) At near-design condition, the presence of probe
support has a negative influence on the sector between
75% and 95% span of the measured plane, while it im-
proves the flow field below 75% span. It is because that
the probe support causes a depression on the radial ve-
locity and the rim power is more converted to total pres-
sure rise.
(4) At near-stall point, the presence of probe support
has a negative influence on the sector between 70% and
90% span of the measured plane, and it does little effect
on the flow field below 70% span.
(5) The wake of the probe support weakens the leak-
age flow at the tip region, resulting in higher total pres-
sure rise at the tip region both at near-design and near-
stall condition.
This paper presents the qualitative and quantitative
findings about the flow field distortion due to the pres-
ence of a probe support with a specific diameter and in-
truding position. How much effect will the probe support
impose to the flow field and how to reduce the effects are
undoubtedly related to the diameter and intruding posi-
tion of the probe support. We suggest that in future re-
searches of probe blockage effect, one should consider
the diameter and intruding position of the probe.
Acknowledgement
This work was funded by the National Natural Science
J. Therm. Sci., Vol.23, No.2, 2014
Foundation of China, Grant No. 51161130525, 51136003,
and the 111 Project, No. B07009.
References
[1] Sieverding C. H., Arts T., Denos R., et al., Measurement
techniques for unsteady flows in turbomachines, Experi-
ments in Fluids, Vol. 28, No. 4, pp. 285321, (2000)
[2] Dudziniski T. J. and Krause L. N., Effect of Inlet Geome-
try on Flow Angle Characteristics of Miniature Total
Pressure Tubes, NACA TN D-6406, (1971)
[3] Simon Coldrick, Paul Ivey and Roger Wells. Considera-
tions for using 3-D pneumatic probes in high-speed axial
compressors, ASME Journal of Turbomachinery, Vol. 125,
pp.149154, (2003)
[4] Lepicovsky J., Effects of a rotating aerodynamic probe on
the flow field of a compressor rotor, 2008, NASA/CR-
2008-215215
[5] Wyler, J. S., Probe Blockage Effects in Free Jets and
Closed Tunnels, ASME Journal of Engineering for Power,
Vol. 97, No. 4, pp. 509515, (1975)
[6] Honghui Xiang, Minlin Ren, Hongwei Ma, et al. Ex-
perimental and numerical investigation of airfoil probe
influences on the performance of compressor cascade,
Gas Turbine Experiment and Research, Vol. 23, No. 4,
pp.1016, (2010) (in Chinese)
[7] Honghui Xiang, Minlin Ren, Hongwei Ma, et al. Effect
of airfoil probes on the experimental results of axial flow
compressor performance, Gas Turbine Experiment and
Research, Vol. 21, No. 4, pp. 2833, (2008) (in Chinese)
[8] Honghui Xiang, Minlin Ren, Hongwei Ma, et al. Com-
parative investigation of the influence characteristics be-
tween two types of airfoil probe in a plane cascade. Gas
Turbine Experiment and Research, Vol. 24, No. 3, pp.
4449, (2011) (in Chinese)
[9] Xiang He, Hongwei Ma, Minglin Ren, et al. Investigation
of the effects of airfoil-probes on the aerodynamic per-
formance of an axial compressor, Chinese Journal of
Aeronautics, Vol. 25, No. 4, pp. 517523, (2012)
[10] Jingyang Lee, Hongwei Ma and Xiang He. Method of
measuring 3-D unsteady flow at exits of transonic com-
pressor rotor passages using a two-hole tip-wedge pres-
sure probe, Journal of Aerospace Power, Vol. 27, No. 10,
pp. 22622268, (2012) (in Chinese)