Stator Averaged, Rotor Blade-to-Blade near Wall Flow in a Multistage Axial Compressor with Tip Clearance Variation

Presented at the International Gas Turbine and Aeroengine Congress and Exposition Orlando, FL June 3-6, 1991This paper describes the effect of tip clearance changes on the pressure at the case wall of a second stage rotor. Wall shear distributions under the rotor tip are also presented. The results show low pressure areas extending along the rotor suction side but lying away from the blade. Pressure contours indicate the tangential loading at the tip is lower than predicted by two dimensional calculations, however, the predicted loading is observed between the lowest pressure’s path in the passage and the blade pressure side. The results suggest a viscous or shearing layer, due to blade-to-wall relative motion, is generated on the blade side of the tip gap which modifies the inviscid relative flow field and produces an unloading on the blade tip.Naval Air Systems Comman