MI 304 FLUID MACHINES

LECTURE 23
B. K. Gandhi
 AXIAL FLOW COMPRESSORS

The basic components of an axial flow compressor are a rotor and a stator
The rotor carrying the moving blades and the stator the stationary rows of blades

The stationary blades convert the flow into an angle suitable for entry to the
next row of moving blades
Each stage will consist of one rotor row followed by a stator row
Two forms of rotor have been taken
up, namely drum type and disk type

Contraction of the flow annulus from the

low to the high-pressure end of the
compressor is to maintain the axial
velocity at a constant level throughout the
length of the compressor despite the
increase in density of air.
Velocity triangles of a stage of an axial flow compressor
 From the velocity triangles

U
 tan 1  tan 1
Vf
U
 tan  2  tan 2
Vf
Where
V f  V f 1  V f 2 is the axial velocity, assumed constant through the stage
The work done per unit mass or specific work input W

W  U Vw2  Vw1 
In terms of the axial velocity and air angles

W  UV f  tan 2  tan 1 
or

W  UV f  tan 1  tan  2 
 W  U U  V f tan 1   V f tan  2 

 U U  V f  tan 1  tan  2  

If the absolute velocity of the air leaving the stage V3 is made equal to that at the
entry V1

The stagnation temperature rise Tos will also be the static temperature rise of
the stage, Ts ,
UV f
Tos  Ts   tan 1  tan  2 
cp

a work-done factor  is the ratio

of actual work absorbing capacity
of the stage to its ideal value.
UV f
Tos   tan 1  tan  2 
cp
The pressure ratio Rs


 s Tos   1
Rs  1  
 T01 
where T01 is the inlet stagnation temperature

s is the stage isentropic efficiency

Degree of Reaction

The ratio of the static enthalpy rise in the rotor to that in the whole stage.

If TA and TB are the static temperature rises in the rotor and the stator

W  c p  TA  TB   c p Ts

 UV f  tan 1  tan 2 
 UV f  tan 2  tan 1 
Since all the work input to the stage is transferred to air by means of the rotor
The steady flow energy equation yields

1 2

W  c p TA  V2  V12
2

c p TA  UV f  tan  2  tan 1  
2

1 2
V2  V12 
 But V2  V f sec  2 and V1  V f sec 1
Hence
1 2

c p TA  UV f  tan  2  tan 1   V f sec2  2  sec2 1
2

 UV f  tan  2  tan 1   V f  tan 2  2  tan 2 1 
1 2
2
The degree of reaction

TA
R
TA  TB

1

UV f  tan  2  tan 1   V f2 tan 2  2  tan 2 1
2

R
UV f  tan  2  tan 1 

Vf
R  1  tan  2  tan 1 
2U
We know from velocity triangles
U U
 tan 1  tan 1  tan  2  tan 2
Vf Vf

By adding up we get

2U
 tan 1  tan 1  tan  2  tan  2
Vf

Vf
R  tan 1  tan  2 
2U
As the case of 50% reaction balding is important in design, it is of interest to
see the result for   0.5
tan 1  tan 2 , i.e.1  2 tan 1  tan  2 , i.e. 1   2

U
 tan 1  tan  2
Vf
Problem 1: The conditions of air at the entry of an axial flow compressor stage
are p1 = 100kN/m2 and T1 = 300K. The air angles are 1  510  2  100 1   3  80
The mean diameter and peripheral speed are 0.5 m and 150m/s respectively. Mass
flow rate through the stage is 30 kg/s; the work done factor is 0.95 and mechanical
efficiency is 90%. Assuming an isentropic stage efficiency of 85%,
Determine
(a) Blade height at entry
(b) Stage pressure ratio, and
(c) The power required to drive the stage

Solution:
p1 100 103
(a). 1    1.16kg / m3
RT1 287  300

U
 tan 1  tan 1
Vf

150
Vf   109.06m / s
tan8o  tan51o
 
m  V f 1  dh1 

30  109.06 1.16    0.5h1

Which gives h1 = 0.15m
(b).
UV f 1.4
T0 s   tan 1  tan  2  cp 
1.4 1
 287  1005J / kgK
cp

0.95  150  190.06

T0s 
1005

tan51o  tan10o 
 16.37o C
1.4
 0.85 16.37  0.4
Pressure ratio Rs  1    1.17
 300
  
(c). mw m c p T0 s
P 
m m

30 1005 16.37
 kW  548.39kW
0.9 1000
Problem 2: The preliminary design of an axial flow compressor is to be based
upon a simplified consideration of the mean diameter conditions. Suppose
that the characteristics of a repeating stage of such a design are as follows:
Stagnation temperature = 300C, Degree of reaction = 0.6, Flow coefficient =
0.5, Blade speed = 300m/s.
Assuming constant axial velocity across the stage and equal absolute
velocities at inlet and outlet, determine the blade angles of the rotor for a
shock free flow.

Solution: Specific work input W  1005  30 J / kg

UV f
Tos  Ts   tan 1  tan  2 
cp

1005  30   300   (0.5)  tan 1  tan  2 

2

tan 1  tan 2  0.67

 Vf
R  tan 1  tan  2 
2U
0.5
0.6   tan 1  tan  2 
2
tan 1  tan 2  2.4

1  56.920 ,  2  40.860