The effect of dimpled surface on loss reduction and vortices in a highly loaded compressor cascade

Abstract

This study investigates the influence of geometry parameters of dimples on the blade surface in a high-turning linear compressor cascade. Four arrays of dimples with a depth-to-diameter ratio of 0.25 and the depth varying from 0.1 mm to 0.6 mm in six different configurations were erected to explore their effects on loss coefficients, streamline patterns, topology structure as well as vortex structure. The dimple configurations were evenly distributed among 42–65% axial chord on the suction surface. The Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes method was used in the computational investigation under the nominal condition. The results show that the dimples with proper size can positively affect the flow loss and flow pattern. The larger dimples do not dramatically overtake the smaller ones in loss reduction, suggesting that there exists an optimal size of dimples in loss reduction within compressor cascades. The total number of singular points and separation lines in the cascade are both reduced under the dimple configurations. Furthermore, the vortex structures of the prototype and a prominent dimple configuration were depicted in detail. Passage vortex plays a dominant role in organizing the fluid within the cascade. The dimple configurations can suppress the migration of passage vortex along the spanwise direction and thereby decreases its influence region.

Keywords

Dimpled surface highly loaded compressor cascade flow control topological structure numerical simulation

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Liesner K and Meyer R. Evaluation of passive and active secondary flow control in a high speed compressor cascade with different measurement techniques. In: New results in numerical and experimental fluid mechanics VIII. Heidelberg, Berlin: Springer Berlin, 2013, pp.125–133.

Schreiber

Steinert

Küsters

. Effects of Reynolds number and free-stream turbulence on boundary layer transition in a compressor cascade. J Turbomach 2000; 124: 1–9.

Liu

Sun

. Corner separation control by boundary layer suction applied to a highly loaded axial compressor cascade. Energies 2014; 7: 7994–8007.

Evans

Hodson

Hynes

. Flow control in a compressor cascade at high incidence. J Propul Power 2010; 26: 828–836.

Guo

Chen

et al.

Vortex control and aerodynamic performance improvement of a highly loaded compressor cascade via inlet boundary layer suction. Exp Fluids 2013; 54: 1570–1570.

Zhao

et al.

Numerical investigation of flow separation control on a highly loaded compressor cascade by plasma aerodynamic actuation. Chin J Aeronaut 2012; 25: 349–360.

Zhong

Han

et al.

Effect of tip geometry and tip clearance on aerodynamic performance of a linear compressor cascade. Chin J Aeronaut 2013; 26: 583–593.

Evans

Hodson

. Separation-control mechanisms of steady and pulsed vortex-generator jets. J Propul Power 2012; 28: 1201–1213.

Choi

Kwak

. Effect of dimple configuration on heat transfer coefficient in a rib-dimpled channel. J Thermophys Heat Transfer 2013; 27: 653–659.

10.

Wan

. An experimental study of pressure loss and heat transfer in the pin fin-dimple channels with various dimple depths. Int J Heat Mass Transfer 2012; 55: 6723–6733.

11.

Murata

Yano

Hanai

et al.

Arrangement effects of inclined teardrop-shaped dimples on film cooling performance of dimpled cutback surface at airfoil trailing edge. Int J Heat Mass Transfer 2017; 107: 761–770.

12.

Bearman

Harvey

. Golf ball aerodynamics. Aeronaut Quart 1976; 27: 112–122.

13.

Bearman

Harvey

. Control of circular cylinder flow by the use of dimples. AIAA J 1993; 31: 1753–1756.

14.

Lake J, King P and Rivir R. Low Reynolds number loss reduction on turbine blades with dimples and V-grooves. In: 38th aerospace sciences meeting and exhibit, Reno, NV, USA, 2000.

15.

Rouser K. Use of dimples to suppress boundary layer separation on a low pressure turbine blade. MS Thesis, Airforce Institute of Technology, Wright-Patterson AFB Ohio School of Engineering and Management, USA, 2002.

16.

Casey J, King P and Sondergaard R. Parameterization of boundary layer control dimples on a low pressure turbine blade. In: 40th AIAA/ASME/SAE/ASEE joint propulsion conference and exhibit, Fort Lauderdale, FL, USA, 2004.

17.

Zhao

Sun

. Experimental studies of dimpled surface effect on the performance of linear cascade under different incidence angles. Procedia CIRP 2016; 56: 137–142.

18.

Tian

Jin

et al.

Improved flow performance of a centrifugal compressor based on pit formation on the Notum of the Whirligig Beetle (Gyrinidae Latreille). Adv Mech Eng 2015; 7: 1–10.

19.

Lan

Xie

Zhang

. Effect of leading edge boundary layer thickness on dimple flow structure and separation control. J Mech Sci Technol 2011; 25: 3243–3251.

20.

Sondergaard R, Rivir R, Bons J, et al. Control of separation in turbine boundary layers. In: 2nd AIAA flow control conference, Portland, OR, USA, 2004.

21.

Zhang

et al.

Experimental investigation on a high subsonic compressor cascade flow. Chin J Aeronaut 2015; 28: 1034–1043.

22.

Robarge T, Stark A, Min SK, et al. Design considerations for using indented surface treatments to control boundary layer separation. In: 42nd AIAA aerospace sciences meeting and exhibit, Reno, NV, January 2004.

23.

Zhong

Kang

et al.

Study on three-dimensional steady vortex structure in a highly loaded compressor cascade. J Propul Technol 2015; 36: 852–863.

24.

Kang

. An application of topological analysis to studying the three-dimensional flow in cascades: Part I-Topological rules for skin-friction lines and section streamlines. Appl Math Mech 1990; 11: 489–495.

25.

Zhang

Deng

. Analytic studies for three-dimensional steady separated flows and vortex motion. Acta Aerodyn Sin 1992; 10: 8–19.