A Quasi-One Dimensional Model for Axial Compressors

The object of the present paper is to present a fast and reliable CFD tool that is able to simulate
stationary and transient operations of multistage axial compressors. The computational domain is the compressor flow path, using a row-by-row, quasi-one-dimensional representation of the machine at mid-span. This analysis tool is based on an adapted version of the Euler equations solved by a time-marching, finite-volume method. The basic Euler equations have been extended by including source terms expressing the blade-flow interactions. The source terms are determined using the velocity triangles for each blade row, at mid-span. The losses and
deviations undergone by the fluid in each blade row are supplied by correlations.
The resulting flow solver is a performance prediction tool based only on compressor geometry. It
offers the possibility of exploring the entire characteristic map of a compressor before its
construction. Its efficiency in terms of CPU time makes it possible to use it as a fast design tool by coupling it to an optimization algorithm. In this paper, this CFD tool (called Quads hereafter)
has been applied to two test-cases. Calculated characteristic curves are presented and compared to experimental ones. A correlation tuning process is described for an undocumented family of blade profiles.