Dust-Induced Deterioration of Compressor First Stage Blades in Supersonic Cascade Erosion Wind Tunnel

摘要

Turbomachinery operating in areas where the atmosphere is polluted by small solid particles is said to operate under "particulate two-phase flow" conditions, where the gas and particles experience different degrees of turning as they flow through the system. This investigation was performed to test new/modified compressor blades when exposed to particulate flow conditions at supersonic velocities. Different blades were tested in the cascade wind tunnel at a particle flow velocity from 750 ft/sec to 1,500 ft/sec at ambient temperatures and a blade impact angle of 20°. In order to achieve the most realistic simulation, three blades were tested each time, but only the center blade was measured (chord and weight) and documented via digital photography. For example, one of the blades placed in the cascade center was exposed to 500 grams of erosive particles. The blade was tested a total of seven times, for a total erosive media mass of 3.5 kg. The blade weight loss during the seven tests was only 250 mg, which is a very small amount. The blade chord measurements likewise showed only a small change in size that totaled less than 1 mm.