TURBOMACHINARY

AXIAL COMPRESSORS FOLLOWED

BY CENTRIFUGAL COMPRESSOR
 AXIAL FLOW COMPRESSSSOR

• Axial flow compressors usually consists of a series

of stages.
• The working fluid is initially accelerated by the
rotor blades and then decelerated in the stator
passages.
• In the stator, the kinetic energy transferred in the
rotor is converted to static pressure.
• This process is repeated in several stages to yield
the necessary overall pressure ratio.
Thermodynamics of compressors
Thermodynamics of compressors
 AXIAL FLOW COMPRESSSSOR

• The compression process consists of a series of

diffusions.
• This occurs both in the rotor as well as the stator.
• Motion of the rotor blades
– Absolute Velocity - inertial frame
– Relative Velocity
• Absolute velocity of the fluid is increased in the
rotor, whereas the relative velocity is decreased,
leading to diffusion.
 AXIAL FLOW COMPRESSSSOR

• Pressure ratio is limited because a compressor

operates in an adverse pressure gradient envt

• Several stages of an axial compressor can be

driven by a single turbine stage

• Careful design of the compressor blade is essential

to minimize losses as well as to ensure stable
operation.
MAJOR COMPONENTS
COMPRESSION IN TERMS OF STATIC
PARAMETERS

X1, X2 are the losses in the rotor and the stator respectively
COMPRESSION IN TERMS OF
TOTAL PARAMETERS

 ENERGY IS ADDED IN ROTOR

 NO ENERGY ADDN IN STATOR

 STAGNATION TEMP
 RISES IN ROTOR
SAME IN STATOR

 STAGNATION PRESSURE
RISES IN ROTOR
 DECREASES IN STATOR
 THERMODYNAMICS OF
COMPRESSOR
• Applying the steady flow energy equation to the rotor, and recognizing that
the process can be assumed to be adiabatic, it can readily be seen that
the power input is given by

• Repeating with the stator, where the process can again be assumed
adiabatic and there is zero work input, it follows that T02 = T03.
• All the power is absorbed in the rotor, and the stator merely transforms
kinetic energy to an increase in static pressure with the stagnation
temperature remaining constant.
• The increase in stagnation pressure is accomplished wholly within the
rotor and, in practice, there will be some decrease in stagnation pressure
in the stator due to fluid friction.
• Losses will also occur in the rotor and the stagnation pressure rise will be
less than would be obtained with an isentropic compression and the same
power input.

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VARIATIONS IN AXIAL COMPRESSOR

COMPONENT ABSOLUTE RELATIVE STATIC TOTAL

VELOCITY VELOCITY PRESSURE PRESSURE
ROTOR INCREASES DECREASES INCRESASE INCREASE
STATOR DECREASE - INCREASES SLIGHT
DECREASE
Velocity triangles
VELOCITY TRIANGLES
VELOCITY TRIANGLES
 WORK AND COMPRESSION

• Assuming Ca=Ca1=Ca2, from the velocity

triangles

• Considering the change in angular momentum

of the air passing through the rotor, work done
per unit mass flow is
 WORK AND COMPRESSION

• Substituting we get
 WORK AND COMPRESSION

• Input energy will dictate the rise in stagnation

temp
• Work done will also be equal to the change in
stagnation enthalpy across the stage
 WORK AND COMPRESSION

• Flow is assumed to be adiabatic T03= T02

• Stage efficiency
 WORK AND COMPRESSION

• In terms of pressure Ratio

• Per stage Temperature rise to the pressure ratio

 WORK AND COMPRESSION

• To obtain a high temperature ratio for a given

overall pressure ratio (for minimizing number
of stages)
– High blade speed: limited by blades stresses
– High axial velocity
– High fluid deflection (β1-β2)
Aerodynamic considerations and adverse
pressure gradients limit the above.
 WORK INPUT TO THE COMPRESSOR
• Derivation based on assumption that axial vel
is const
• Simplifies the design calculations
 CENTRIFUGAL COMPRESSOR

Maj L S Chauhan Faculty of Aeronautical Engineering 25

 CENTRIFUGAL COMPRESSOR

• Centrifugal compressors were used in the first

jet engines developed independently by Frank
Whittle and Hans Ohain
• Centrifugal compressors still find use in smaller
gas turbine engines.
• For larger engines, axial compressors need
lesser frontal area and are more efficient.
• Centrifugal compressors can develop higher per
stage pressure ratios.
 CENTRIFUGAL COMPRESSOR

• Besides small aero engines, centrifugal compressors

are used in the auxiliary power units (APUs) in many
aircraft
• Some of the aircraft air conditioning sys employ
centrifugal compressors
• In a few engines, centrifugal compressors are used
as the final stage of the compression process
downstream of a multi -stage axial compressor
CENTRIFUGAL COMPRESSOR
CENTRIFUGAL COMPRESSOR
CENTRIFUGAL COMPRESSOR
 Principle

A fluid with large kinetic energy content is

allowed to hit a freely rotating set of blades,
certain amount of energy can be extracted
from the passing fluid as shaft power
 Axial Turbine
• Shaft Energy from the Turbine is used:
– A compressor, or a fan , which raises the internal
energy content of the fluid before it goes into the
combustor, for hot thrust
– A Fan or propeller that produces cold propulsive
thrust
Axial Turbine
 Axial Turbine
• Axial turbines like axial compressors usually
consists of one or more stages.
• The flow is accelerated in a nozzle/stator and
then passes through a rotor.
• In the rotor, the working fluid imparts its
momentum on to the rotor, that converts the
kinetic energy to power output.
• Depending upon the power requirement, this
process is repeated in multiple stages
 Axial Turbine
• Due to motion of the rotor blades ,two distinct
velocity components: absolute and relative
velocities in the rotor
• Since turbines operate with a favourable
pressure gradient, it is possible to have much
higher pressure drop per stage as compared
with compressors
• Therefore, a single turbine stage can drive
several stages of an axial compressor
 Axial Turbine
• Turbines can be either axial, radial or mixed
• Axial turbines can handle large mass flow rates
and are more efficient
• Axial turbine have same frontal area as that of
the compressor.
• They can also be used with a centrifugal
compressor.
• Efficiency of turbines higher than that of
compressors.
• Turbines are in general aerodynamically “easier”
to design
 Impulse turbines
• High energy flow is accelerated in a stator and
made to impinge on the rotor with high
momentum
• Flow takes a huge turn through the passage
between the blades
• The work transfer is through large angular
momentum change through the blades
• Entire pressure drop takes place in the nozzle.
• Rotor blades simply deflect the flow and hence
have symmetrical shape.
 Reaction turbines
• The flow is accelerated through the rotor blade
passage which is an converging curved nozzle
passage
• Jet effect creates a reaction force as per Newton’s
3rd law of motion
• This work is in addition to the work done by large
turning
• Pressure drop shared by the rotor and the stator
• The amount of pressure drop shared is given by
the degree of reaction.
Work and stage dynamics
 Work and stage dynamics
• Unlike compressors, boundary layers are
generally well behaved, except for local
pockets of separation
• The turbine work ratio is also often defined in
the following way:
Impulse turbine stage
50% Reaction turbine stage