Test of an Axial Compressor Stage Designed for a Total Pressure Ratio of Three to One

Abstract : Complete experimental results are presented from tests of a supersonic axial-compressor stage designed for a tip speed of 1600 ft/sec, a stage total pressure ratio of 3.0 and an inlet hub/tip radius ratio of 0.75. At design speed, the compressor passed 70 percent of design flow, achieved a stage total pressure ratio of 2.25, and achieved isentropic efficiencies of 0.74 for the rotor and 0.61 for the stage. This poor performance was attributed to an excessive increase of rotor deviation angle as rotor incidence increased at part speed. A proposed solution to this problem is described.