1

3.2 Compressor
2
3.2 Compressor
Role of the compressor
According to thermal
cycle analysis,
compressor is a
important component
which increases gas
pressure and so that the
cycle can output
mechanical work.
3
1. Compressor structures and types
1.1 Often seen types

Centrifugal



Axial
4
3.2 Compressor (Contd)
Centrifugal
Shaft is coupled
directly to
turbine.
Impeller can be
single or double
sided.
5
Centrifugal compressor
Rotating guide
vane: Air goes
in axially. It can
be made in one
piece with
impeller.
Impeller: Radial
blades increase
air speed and
pressure.
6
Centrifugal compressor
Diffuser:
Reduces speed
and gets
pressure rise.
Air outlet
casing: Turns
air to adapt
combustion
chamber.
7
Characteristic
Structure simple and reliable
Single stage pressure ratio highmay>12
Performance stable
Efficiency lower
Frontal area bigger
8
Centrifugal compressor (Cont'd)
Uses
Small power
Cruise missiles
UAVs or small airplanes
Helicopters
Often compressor is combined with
axial and centrifugal (last stage)
9
1. Compressor structures and types
Axial compressors
10
Axial compressor (Contd)
Single spool
Consists in one rotor and one stator.
The rotor may includes blades, disks drum
and shaft. They are assembled together
and sit on 2 bearings.
Stator has guide vanes and casing.
Axial compressor has pressure ratio lower
than centrifugal, normally 1.15~1.35. That
why multiple stage axial compressor.
11
Axial compressor (Contd)
Two spool compressors
12
Axial compressor (Contd)
Twin spool compressors
The same axe, but different shafts.
Front one is low pressure (LP)
compressor, it rotates with LP Turbine;
Rear one is high pressure (HP)
compressor coupled with HP turbine.
Two rotors have no mechanical
connection, and they have their own
rotational speed.
13
1. Compressor structures and types
1.2 Compressor rotors
Resistances
High speed rotation (thousands
~ hundreds k rpm)
Bending moment, torque,
centrifugal forces, vibrations.
Require light and enough
strength and stiffness
14
1.2 Compressor rotors (Cont'd)
Structure
Disks+shaft. One shaft and many disks
where blades are installed. Centrifugal
forces of blades and disks are borne by
the disks and bending stiffness depends
on the shaft.
No more used because of
bending stiffness too weak.
15
1.2 Compressor rotors (Cont'd)
Strurcture
Drum and drum+disks.
Blades are attached
circumferentially or axially
in drum or disk. Forces
are transferred through
the drum and disks. The
drum insures the bending
stiffness.
16
Rolls Royce structure
Meridian plane
17
Drum
18
Drum+discks
19
1. Compressor structures and types
1.3 Blades
Important parts
in axial
compressor,
composed by
airfoil and
attachment.
20
1.3 Blades
Blades suffer centrifugal,
aerodynamic and vibrating forces.
Attachment is also important.
Swallow tail (easy fabrication)
Pivot (No bending stress)
21
1.3 Blades (Cont'd)
Blades may be broken due to fatigue,
especially vibrating fatigue.
To reduce vibration amplitude, long
blades are often made with a mid-span
support called snubber or clapper.
|centrifugal force
+efficiency
22
1.3 Blades (Cont'd)
At the end of compressor, temperature
can reach 500 ~600C, even higher.
Materials used are normally titanium,
aluminum alloys, steels and composites.
23
1. Compressor structures and types
1.4 Compressor stator
is the part which does not rotate
and consists of vanes and casings.
bears axial forces, torques,
vibration and rotors forces
transferred by bearings.
is part of air passage, bears
pressure and thermal stress
caused by temperature.
24
1.4 Compressor stators (Cont'd)
Types of casing
Half-half
Good stiffness
Assembly no need disassemble the
rotor
Heavier
Entire
Must disassemble rotor (blades),
normally used in few stages
compressor.
Lighter
25
1. Compressor structures and types
1.5 Anti-icing and axial force redistribution
Water droplets may become ice. They may
reduce air passage and break blades when
detached.
Anti-icing methods
Heating (electricity,
hot air)
Hydrophobic
coating
26
1.5 Anti-icing and axial force redistribution
Bearing
Ball (Axial and radial forces)
Roller (Journal bearing, Radial force only)
Compressor axial force (>total thrust) is
too big for balls.
Coupling with turbine
Creating rooms (Not in air passage)
27
1.5 Anti-icing and axial force redistribution
High pressure (push)
Low pressure (pull)
Rooms have one side: rotor; another side: stator.
They are sealed.

28
3.2 Compressor
2. Basic equations
2.1 Energy equation
Fixed system
(Ignoring heat)

*
1
*
2
2
1
2
2
1 2
2
h h
v v
h h W
u
=

+ =
29
1.1 Energy equation (Cont'd)
Mobile system
(Ignoring heat exchange)

Compressor

ublade circumferential velocity
wRelative velocity

2 2
2
1
2
2
1 2
2
1
2
2
w w
h h
u u
+ =

30
1.1 Energy equation (Cont'd)
In case of axial compressor (u not
significant change), so



i.e.

Gas relative total enthalpy unchanged
form inlet to outlet.
*
2
*
1 w w
h h =
2 2
2
2
2
2
1
1
w
h
w
h + = +
31
2. Basic equations (Cont'd)
2.2 Bernoulli equation
Fixed system


W
f
Losses
Polytropic work:


f u
W
v v dp
W +

+ =
}
2
2
1
2
2
2
1

) (
1
1 2
2
1
T T R
n
n dp

=
}

32
2.2 Bernoulli equation (Cont'd)
Polytropic work (Compressor)



Isentropic work


|
|
|
.
|

\
|

|
|
.
|

\
|

=

1
1
1
1
2
1
n
n
nC
p
p
RT
n
n
W
|
|
|
.
|

\
|

|
|
.
|

\
|

=

1
1
1
1
2
1

p
p
RT W
iC
33
2.2 Bernoulli equation (Cont'd)
Work added by compressor blades used
to accomplish generic compression,
increase air kinetic energy and
overcome flow losses.


In case of isentropic
f nC C
W
v v
W W +

+ =
2
2
1
2
2
2
2
1
2
2
v v
W W
iC C

+ =
34
2.2 Bernoulli equation (Cont'd)
Due to losses, more work needed

) (
iC nC f
W W W +
35
2.2 Bernoulli equation (Cont'd)
Polytropic work (Turbine)



Isentropic work
|
|
|
|
|
|
.
|

\
|
|
|
.
|

\
|

= =
}
n
n
nT
p
p
T R
n
n dp
W
1
2
1
1
'
2
1
1
1
1
|
|
|
|
|
|
.
|

\
|
|
|
.
|

\
|

=

'
'
1
2
1
1
'
'
'
1
1
1

p
p
T R W
iT
36
2.2 Bernoulli equation (Cont'd)
Gas expansion work and kinetic
energy change generate shaft
work and overcome losses.


Isentropic expansion
f T nT
W W
v v
W + =

+
2
2
2
2
1
T iT
W
v v
W =

+
2
2
2
2
1
37
2.2 Bernoulli equation (Cont'd)
Work lost in turbine due to losses


More work needed in compressor

) (
nT iT f
W W W +
) (
iC nC f
W W W +
38
2.2 Bernoulli equation (Cont'd)



) (
nT iT f
W W W + ) (
iC nC f
W W W +
39
2.2 Bernoulli equation (Cont'd)
Rotational coordinate system


For axial compressor


Relation of velocities and pressures in
inlet and outlet.
f
W
w w dp u u
+

+ =

}
2 2
2
1
2
2
2
1
2
1
2
2

0
2
2
1
2
2
2
1
= +

+
}
f
W
w w dp

40
2.2 Bernoulli equation (Cont'd)
In case of isentropic
For compressor, p|, w+.
For turbine, p+, w|.
0
2
2
1
2
2
2
1
=

+
}
w w dp

41
3.2 Compressor (Cont'd)
2. Basic equations
2.3 Efficiency and losses
Due to viscosity, gas flowing in
turbomachines will produce many
kinds of losses and they can classed
into 2 :
(1) Airfoil losses
42
(1) Airfoil losses (Cont'd)
Boundary layer lossFriction (a)
Separation loss (b)
43
(1) Airfoil losses (Cont'd)
Tail trace vortexes (c)
Shockwave loss (d)

44
2.3 Efficiency and losses (Cont'd)
(2) Circumferential losses (secondary flow)
Tip and hub circumferential boundary layers
Tip clearance leaking and passage
vortexes

45
(2) Circumferential losses (Contd)
46
2.3 Efficiency and losses (Cont'd)
These losses are presented W
f
in
Bernoulli equation. But, usually,
efficiency is used to evaluate
performance.
Bernoulli equation can be used for
whole compressor:


) (
2
*
1
*
2
2
1
2
2
T T c W
v v
W W
p f nC C
= +

+ =
47
2.3 Efficiency and losses (Cont'd)
Isentropic
|
|
|
.
|

\
|

|
|
.
|

\
|

=
=

+ =

1
1
) (
2
1
*
1
*
2
*
1
*
1
*
2
2
1
2
2

p
p
RT
T T c
v v
W W
i p iC Ci
48
2.3 Efficiency and losses (Cont'd)

Compressor efficiency (definition for certain
pressure ratio)



Real work



In general, 0.9 for a single stage, 0.83 for
whole compressor.
*
1
*
2
*
1
*
2
*
) Real ( T T
T T
W
W
i
C
Ci
C

= = q
*
1
* *
1
/ 1
1
C C C
RT W q t

|
.
|

\
|

=

49
2.3 Efficiency and losses (Cont'd)
The same, for turbine




3-25



) (
2
*
4
*
3
2
4
2
3
T T c W
v v
W W
p f nT T
=

+ =
50
2.3 Efficiency and losses (Cont'd)
Isentropic




(3-26)
|
|
|
|
|
|
.
|

\
|
|
|
.
|

\
|

=
=

+ =

'
'
1
*
4
*
3
*
3
'
'
'
*
4
*
3
2
4
2
3
1
1
1
) (
2

p
p
T R
T T c
v v
W W
i p iT Ti
51
2.3 Efficiency and losses (Cont'd)
Turbine efficiency



Real work



0.88 for a stage, 0.92 for whole turbine.
*
4
*
3
*
4
*
3
*
) (
i Ti
T
T
T T
T T
W
Generic W

= = q
*
1
*
*
3
'
'
'
'
1
1
1
T
T
T
RT W q
t

|
|
|
.
|

\
|

=

52
2. Basic equations (Cont'd)
2.4. Equation of moment of
momentum
Take an isolated element
from 1-1 to 2-2. After dt, it
moves to 1'-1' to 2'-2'.
Between 2-2 and 2'-2',
moment of momentum:
dm
2
v
2u
r
2
and between 1-1and
1'-1', dm
1
v
1u
r
1
.
53
2.4. Equation of moment of momentum (Cont'd)
Because of continuity, dm
1
=dm
2
=q
m
dt
In period dt, Momentum change:
dm
2
v
2u
r
2
- dm
1
v
1u
r
1
= q
m
dt(v
2u
r
2
-v
1u
r
1
)
Based on law of moment of
momentum: Change is equal to sum of
moments, so the Moment:


) (
) (
1 1 2 2
1 1 2 2
r v r v q
dt
r v r v dt q
M
u u m
u u m
=

=
54
2.4. Equation of moment of momentum (Cont'd)
Specific work (Euler equation)




If equal radius in inlet and outlet

(3-31)
1 1 2 2 1 1 2 2
1 1 2 2
) (
) (
u v u v r v r v
dt q
dt r v r v q
dt q
Md
W
u u u u
m
u u m
m
u
= =

= =
e
e u
u u u u
v u v v u W A = = ) (
1 2