Analysis and design of transonic cascades with splitter vanes

Abstract

A new computational method, MISES, is developed for turbomachinery design and analysis applications. The method is based on the fully coupled viscous /inviscid method, ISES, and is applicable to blade-to-blade analysis of axial fan and compressor stator or rotors with optional splitter vanes. Quasi-three dimensional effects for stream surface radius, streamtube thickness and wheel rotation may be included. The flow is modeled with the steady Euler equations and the integral boundary layer equations. A robust Newton-Raphson method is used to solve the coupled non-linear system of equations, requiring only several minutes for solution on a typical workstation. Design options are implemented for either single surface or camber redesign. The method is exercised by comparison with transonic cascade tests to validate the quasi-three-dimensional formulation. The results show excellent correlation to measured pressure distributions and loss levels. The multiple blade capability is demonstrated by comparison to test data for a supersonic cascade with splitter vane. New splitter vane configurations for improving the performance of the supersonic cascade are explored, resulting in large increases in turning and reduced loss.