Date of Award

Spring 2014

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science in Aeronautics and Astronautics

Department

Aeronautics and Astronautics

First Advisor

Nicole L. Key

Committee Chair

Nicole L. Key

Committee Member 1

Stephen D. Heister

Committee Member 2

Pavlos P. Vlachos

Abstract

The objective of this research is twofold. Firstly, the design, development, and construction of a test facility for a Honeywell APU-style centrifugal compressor was implemented, as well as the design and construction of an inlet flow experiment. Secondly, the aeromechanical response of an embedded stage in the Purdue 3-Stage axial research compressor was analyzed through a suite of different measurement techniques in the fulfillment of the end of the GUIde IV Consortium contract. ^ The purpose of the first phase of Honeywell work was to comprehensively measure the flow field of an APU-style centrifugal compressor inlet through the use of Laser Doppler Velocimetry (LDV). A portion of a Honeywell supplied inlet was modified to provide optical access to the elbow, and a gas ejector system was designed and constructed to provide the same suction to the inlet that it would see during operation with the compressor. A performance and health monitoring electronics system was designed and purchased to support the testing of the Honeywell inlet ejector system and eventually it will be used for testing with a centrifugal compressor. ^ Additionally, a secondary air and oil system has been designed and is currently being constructed in the test cell in preparation for the arrival of the Honeywell compressor this summer. ^ An embedded rotor stage in the Purdue 3-stage compressor, with a Campbell diagram crossing of the 1T vibratory mode was analyzed with a suite of measurement systems. In addition to steady state compressor performance measurements, other types of measurements were used to characterize the aerodynamic forcing function for this forced response condition including: NSMS, high-frequency pressure transducers mounted in the casing and in a downstream stator, and cross-film thermal anemometry. Rotor geometry was measured by Aerodyne using an in-situ laser scanning technique. Vibrometry testing was performed at WPAFB to characterize safe operating speeds for stator vibrations. ^ Several unsteady data processing techniques were developed to analyze the fast-response pressure and hot film data. Since it was unsafe to operate the compressor at R2 resonance, slow sweeps through the resonance were utilized, thus complicating the data processing strategy. After significant analysis, there is evidence of the R2 vibration in the fast-response pressure measurements using frequency and time-based analysis methods. Although not used in final data acquisition, the 3D hotwire calibration facility and data processing techniques have been improved. The overall purpose of the work is to create a detailed dataset centered on the forced response of R2 at the 1T Campbell diagram crossing to help further the development and validation of predictive aeromechanic simulations of axial compressors.

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