Bifurcation Analysis of Surge and Rotating Stall in Axial Flow Compressors

• Published in: Journal of turbomachinery 1993-10, Vol.115 (4), p.817-824
• Main Authors: Abed, E. H, Houpt, P. K, Hosny, W. M
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 20 FOSSIL-FUELED POWER PLANTS; 200104 - Fossil-Fueled Power Plants- Components; Applied sciences; CALCULATION METHODS; COMPRESSORS; Exact sciences and technology; INSTABILITY; MATHEMATICAL MODELS; Mechanical engineering. Machine design; Pump and compressors (turbocompressors, fans, etc.); STAGNATION; SURGES
• ISSN: 0889-504X; 1528-8900
• DOI: 10.1115/1.2929320

The surge and rotating stall post-instability behaviors of axial flow compressors are investigated from a bifurcation-theoretic perspective, using a model and system data presented by Greitzer (1976a). For this model, a sequence of local and global bifurcations of the nonliner system dynamics is uncovered. This includes a global bifurcation of a pair of large-amplitude periodic solutions. Resulting from this bifurcation are a stable oscillation (“surge”) and an unstable oscillation (“anti-surge”). The latter oscillation is found to have a deciding significance regarding the particular post-instability behavior experienced by the compressor. These results are used to reconstruct Greitzer’s (1976b) findings regarding the manner in which post-instability behavior depends on system parameters. Although the model does not directly reflect nonaxisymmetric dynamics, use of a steady-state compressor characteristic approximating the measured characteristic of Greitzer (1976a) is found to result in conclusions that compare well with observation. Thus, the paper gives a convenient and simple explanation of the boundary between surge and rotating stall behaviors, without the use of more intricate models and analyses including nonaxisymmetric flow dynamics.