A Criterion for Axial Compressor Hub-Corner Stall

This paper presents a new criterion for estimating the size and strength of three-dimensional hub-corner stall in rotors and shrouded stators of multi-stage axial compressors. A simple, first-of-a-kind description for the formation of hub-corner stall is derived, consisting of (i) a stall indicator, which quantifies the extent of the reversed flow via the local blade loading and thus indicates whether corner stall occurs, and (ii) a diffusion parameter which defines the diffusion limit. The stall indicator can be cast in terms of a Zweifel loading coefficient. The diffusion parameter is based on preliminary design type flow variables and geometry. Computational simulations and single and multi-stage compressor data are used to show the applicability of the criterion over a range of blade design parameters. The criterion also enables determination of specific flow control actions needed to mitigate hub-corner stall. To illustrate the latter a flow control blade, designed using the ideas developed, is seen to achieve a substantial reduction in the flow non-uniformity associated with hub-corner stall.