The Influence of Inlet Fogging for the Stable Range in a Transonic Compressor Stage

Abstract

The inlet fogging effects on the stable range of a NASA transonic compressor stage, Stage 35, are numerically simulated and analyzed in this paper. The 3D two-phase flow fields in the compressor stage are investigated under different operating flow conditions with varying levels of the injected water flow rates and the fogging droplets sizes. The special attention is given to the stall and the choking operating points to investigate changes in the stable operating range of the compressor stage as a result of different wet compression conditions. The preliminary results indicate that the inlet fogging has different effects on either the stall and/or the choking range. The change in the stable range of this transonic compressor stage depends on the fogging flow rate and droplets diameters.