Module 1

Axial Flow Compressors

Department of Mechanical Engineering

GIMT, Guwahati

Dr. Kankan Kishore Pathak

 Axial Flow Compressors

Drum Type

Disc Type

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 Working Principle-(Axial Flow Compressors)
 The flow of air takes in the direction
of the axis of compressor therefore it is
called as axial flow compressor.

 The basic components of an axial flow

compressor are a rotor and stator, the
former carrying the moving blades and
the later the stationary rows of blades.

 The moving blades impart kinetic

energy to the air while increasing the
air pressure.

 The stationary (fixed) blades convert

kinetic energy of the fluid into
pressure energy, and redirects the flow
into an angle suitable for entry to next
row of moving blades. 3
 Working Principle-(Axial Flow Compressors)
 Each stage will consist of one rotor row
followed by a stator row, but it is usual to
provide a row of so called inlet guide vanes.

 The height of blades is seen to decrease as

the fluid moves through the compressor to
rise the pressure. The length of blades is
reduced in the of flow direction to
compensate for the reduction in volume
resulting from the increased pressure.

 For a compressor, a row of rotor blades

followed by a row of stator blades is called a
stage. Two forms of rotor have been taken
up, namely drum type and disk type.

 The disk type is used where consideration of

low weight is most important. The disc type
rotors being light weight are preferred for
aircraft applications. The drum type rotors
are used for static industrial applications
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 The materials used for various components of the compressor
S.No. Component Materials

1 Rotor Blades Fibrous composites, Aluminium, Titanium, Steel, Nickel

alloy.

2 Rotor Steel for shaft, disc. In aircrafts, first stage uses Titanium
while the later stages use Nickel steel.

3 Stator Blades Fibrous composites, Aluminium, Titanium, Steel, Nickel

alloy.

4 Casing Casting of magnesium, aluminium, steel, iron or fabricated

from Titanium or steel

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Velocity triangle for axial flow compressors
 All angles are measured
from the axial direction
and the blade velocity U is
taken to be same at blade
entry and exit. This is
because the air enters and
leaves the blades at almost
equal radii.
 Due to diffusion in the
diverging passages formed
by rotor blades, there is
some pressure rise. This is
at the expense of relative
velocity and so the
relative velocity decreases
from Vr1 to Vr2. 8
 Since work is being done
on the air by rotor blades,
the air would ultimately
leave the rotor with
increased absolute velocity
V2.

 The air then enters the

stator blades and the
diffusion and deceleration
takes place in the
diverging passage of stator
blades.

 Finally the air leaves the

stator blades with a
velocity that is equal to the
approach velocity V1.

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 Nomeclature of velocity triangle

U → Tangential blade speed

V1 and V2 → Absolute flow velocity at inlet 1 and exit
2
𝑉𝑓1 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑉𝑓2 → Axial component of V at 1 and 2
𝑉𝑤1 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑉𝑤2 → Whirl or tangential component of V at
1 and 2.
𝑉𝑟1 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑉𝑟2 → Relative flow velocity at 1 and 2
𝛼1 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝛼2 → Absolute flow angle at 1 and 2
𝛽1 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝛽2 → Relative flow angle at 1 and 2

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From the velocity triangles, assuming Vf1=Vf2=Vf, we have
From inlet velocity triangle
U Vw1  U  Vw1 Vw1 U  Vw1
    tan 1  tan 1 (1)
Vf Vf Vf Vf

And from outlet velocity triangle

U Vw 2  U  Vw 2 Vw 2 U  Vw 2 (2)
    tan  2  tan  2
Vf Vf Vf Vf

Assuming 1 kg of flow of air through the compressor stage.

From Newton‟s second law of motion
Work absorbed by the stage per kg of air (W)
= Change in momentum in axial direction × Distance
travelled
= (Vw2-Vw1)×U
=ΔVw.U (3)
= cp (T02-T01)act
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It may be important to note that here whirl component at the entrance of the
compressor is not zero because of the fact that air flows axially and not radially.
The expression for work done may be put in terms of flow/axial velocity and air
angles.
Again

Vw V  Vw1 V V
 w2  w 2  w1  tan  2  tan 1
Vf Vf Vf Vf
Vw  V f (tan  2  tan 1 )
W  UV f (tan  2  tan 1 ) (4)
from eq.(1) & (2)
tan  2  tan  2  tan 1  tan 1
tan  2  tan 1  tan 1  tan  2
hence eq.(4) beccomes

W  UV f (tan 1  tan  2 ) (5)

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Degree of Reaction (Rd)
Degree of reaction (Rd) is defined as the ratio of pressure rise in the rotor
blades to the pressure rise in the stage.
Pressure rise in the compressor stage equals works input per stage and is
= U(Vw2 -Vw1)
Pressure rise in the rotor blades is at the expense of K.E. and is given by
= Vr12  Vr 2 2
2
Hence,
Vr12  Vr 2 2
Rd  (1)
2U (Vw 2  Vw1 )
Referring inlet and outlet velocity triangles:

Vw 2  U  V f tan  2
Vw1  U  V f tan 1
Vw 2  Vw1  V f (tan 1  tan  2 ) (2)

assuming Vf1=Vf2=Vf 13
Similarly from velocity triangles,
Vr12  (V f ) 2  (V f tan 1 ) 2
Vr 2 2  (V f ) 2  (V f tan  2 ) 2
Vr12  Vr 2 2  V f 2 (tan 2 1  tan 2  2 )
So,
V f2 (tan 2 1  tan 2  2 )
1 Vf
Rd   (tan 1  tan  2 )
2UV f (tan 1  tan  2 ) 2 U
Degree of reaction is usually kept as 0.5, (i.e., for 50% reaction blading )
1 Vf
0.5  (tan 1  tan  2 )
2U
U U
or  (tan 1  tan  2 ),  tan 1  tan 1  tan  2  tan  2 ( from velocity triangles)
Vf Vf
U
Hence,  tan 1  tan  2  tan 1  tan 1  tan  2  tan  2
Vf
From this, 1   2 ;  2  1
So, with 50 % reaction blading, the compressors have symmetrical blades and with
this type of set-up losses in flow path are sufficiently reduced. In symmetrical
blades, the tip clearance and fluid friction losses are minimum. 14
 Surging and Choking (Compressor Characteristics)

Surging: In axial flow and centrifugal compressors “surging” is an unstable

limit of operation. Surging is caused due to unsteady, periodic and reversal of
flow through the compressor when the compressor has to operate at less mass
flow rate than a predetermined value (a value corresponding to maximum
pressure). As the flow is drastically reduced than this predetermined value, this
surge can reach such a magnitude as to endanger the compressor and in many
cases mechanical failure may result.
Choking: When the pressure ratio is unity (i.e., there is no compression),
theoretically mass flow rate becomes maximum. This generally occurs when
the Mach number corresponding to relative velocity at inlet becomes sonic.
The maximum mass flow rate possible in compressor is known as choking
flow.

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• Maximum discharge pressure is obtained at minimum flow and vice versa for a
particular speed.
• Surge is the operating point, where Maximum head and minimum flow capacity
is reached.
• If maximum head capacity is reached, then pressure in diffuser will be greater than
pressure at impeller outlet.
• This will prevent fluid from moving further at impeller outlet and causes the fluid in
diffuser to flow back, i.e. flow reversal takes place.
• This can be deteriorating as it has
potential to damage the bearings and
other rotating parts, and also cause
high vibrations.
• This can be rectified by providing an
anti surge valve, which takes fluid
from discharge and directs it to
suction so that flow is increased and
surge is controlled.
• The line joining minimum flow
points for each speed is called Surge
Line, and compressor must operate
to the right side of it.

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• Compressor operates, somewhere between Surge point and Stonewall Point also
known as Choking Point.
• If flow increases, and discharge pressure decreases, then it means that back
pressure experienced by the fluid will be less, i.e. resistance to flow is
decreased.
• Hence, flow increases, and flow velocity increases up to maximum MACH, i.e.
sonic speed.
• This is very high speed and may cause severe damage to the compressor.
• This can be prevented by
maintaining minimum flow
resistance to the fluid flow by
providing Anti-choke valves at
discharge which closes to restrict
the flow and hence preventing
Choke.

Refer to the video „Surging And

Choking of Centrifugal
Compressor‟

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 Surging and Choking (Compressor Characteristics)

• At point N, the compressor is choked and is passing the maximum mass flow rate.
• On the section MN of the curve the flow is stable. A fall in mass flow rate will result in a rise
in pressure ratio.
• On the section LM of the curve, the flow is not stable. A fall in mass flow rate will be
accompanied by a fall in pressure ratio. In this situation any small disturbance causing a
check in mass flow will cause a fall in pressure ratio and the flow may reverse at some point.
• When the temporary disturbance is removed , the flow will pick up and it is found that small
disturbances cause the flow to oscillate rapidly. The oscillations is noisy and cam, if allowed
to continue, cause structural damage in the compressor.
• It is called surge and the point M on the curve marks the limit of useful operation of the
compressor. It is found that compressor efficiency is highest at point adjacent to M and it is
therefore advisable to operate as close to M as possible.
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 Euler equation
• The input energy is absorbed usefully in raising the pressure, temperature
and velocity of the air and wastefully in overcoming various frictional
losses.

W  C p T0 s  UV f (tan 1  tan  2 )

UV f
T0 s  (tan 1  tan  2 )
Cp
If V3  V1 , then
UV f
T0 s  Ts  (tan 1  tan  2 )
Cp
• In fact, the stage temperature rise will be less than given in above equation
owing to three dimensional effects in the compressor annulus. Experiments
show that it is necessary to multiply the right hand side of the above
equation by a work-done factor λ which is a number less than unity.

Refer to „Mod-01 Lec-24 Axial Flow Compressor Part I – YouTube‟

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 Work done factor of axial flow compressor
• Axial velocity is not uniform along the blade height due to growth of boundary
layers on shaft and casing.
• The end wall boundary layers are responsible for the nature of axial velocity
distribution, as shown.
• The axial velocity profile becomes more and more peaky as the flow proceeds
downstream and settles down in the fourth stage.
• There is no appreciable change in the axial velocity profile beyond fourth stage.

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Refer to „Mod-01 Lec-24 Axial Flow Compressor Part I – YouTube‟
Refer to „Mod-01 Lec-24 Axial Flow Compressor Part I – YouTube‟
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• Work done factor is the ratio of the actual work absorbing capacity of
the stage to its ideal value.

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

 U U  V f  tan 1  tan  2  

• Since α1and β2 are approximately constant for a given design,
an increase in Vf will result in a decrease in „W‟ and vice
versa, hence less work at the region where Vf is high.

UV f
T0 s  Ts  (tan 1  tan  2 )
Cp
• λ is the work done factor which is less than unity. Its value
may range from 0.96 at the first stage to about 0.85 at the
fourth and subsequent stages.
Refer to „Mod-01 Lec-24 Axial Flow Compressor Part I – YouTube‟
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