Paper 6: Recent Developments in the Aerodynamic Design of Axial Flow Compressors

Abstract

Work on subsonic compressors is reviewed and traditional British and American methods of design are compared. Transonic compressors are now well established and recent progress, demonstrating the necessity for properly shaped blades in machines having high tip speeds, is examined.

Advances in the computer-aided design of turbomachinery are described: these include the ‘Matrix through-flow’ and ‘Streamline curvature’ methods of calculating the meridional flow. Experimental results give preliminary confirmation of a method of annulus wall boundary layer prediction.

Finally, current and future developments are discussed and an attempt is made to describe how an axial flow compressor may be designed a decade hence.