Experimental and computational investigation of flow in a transonic compressor inlet

Abstract

As part of an initial baseline survey of the inlet flow-field into a transonic compressor rotor, a five-hole probe was calibrated and used to determine the Mach number and inlet pitch angle distributions. The data for Mach number were compared to data obtained with a three-hole probe. A numerical investigation of the flow in the inlet ducting to the rotor was also initiated using the commercial code CFX marketed by ANSYS. Comparisons were also made between the numerical predictions and the experimental measurements. The purpose of the study was to more accurately determine the characteristics of the flow to the rotor of the compressor prior to steam-ingestion experiments to quantify effects on compressor stability.