Investigation of the Vortex Dynamic Mechanism of the Flow Losses on a Transonic Compressor Stator

For a transonic axial-flow compressor, the numerical simulations, verified against experimental data, were used to study the inherent correlation between the evolutionary process of the vortex structures and the flow loss in a compressor stator passage during the throttling process. The flow loss was divided accurately and quantitatively, based on the evolutionary process of the vortex structures. According to the position of the singular points of the vortex structures, the influence of the evolution of the vortex structures on the generation and development of the flow loss was analyzed on a microscale scale. Thereafter, this paper provided the vortex dynamic mechanism of the flow loss, which was important to enrich the theoretical system of the flow field in the compressor. The results show that: the flow loss at the top of the stator tip is caused by the low-energy fluid clusters, which are transported and accumulated by the vortices from the endwall; the transport effect of the pressure separation vortex at the upper half-height only migrates the position of the flow losses, but there is new flow loss generated by its shear action to the endwall. The dominant flow loss during the throttling process concentrates upon the closed separation bubble around the middle of the suction side of the stator.