The Effect of Leading-Edge Geometry on Wake Interactions in Compressors

The effect of leading-edge geometry on the wake/boundary-layer interaction was studied in a low-speed single-stage HP compressor. Both a 3:1 elliptic and a circular leading edge were tested on a controlled diffusion aerofoil stator blade. Experiments were undertaken on the stator suction surface; these included hotwire boundary-layer traverses, surface hotfilm measurements, and high resolution leading-edge pressure measurements. Steady computational fluid dynamics (CFD) predictions were also performed to aid the interpretation of the results. The two leading-edge shapes gave rise to significantly different flows. For a blade with an elliptic leading edge (Blade A), the leading-edge boundary layer remained attached and laminar in the absence of wakes. The wake presence led to the formation of a thickened laminar boundary layer in which turbulent disturbances were observed to form. Measurements of the trailing-edge boundary layer indicated that the wake/leading-edge interaction for Blade A raised the suction-surface loss by 20%. For a blade with a circular leading edge (Blade B), the leading-edge boundary-layer exhibited a separation bubble, which was observed to reattach laminar in the absence of wakes. The presence of the wake moved the separation position forward while inducing a turbulent reattachment upstream of the leading-edge time-average reattachment position. This produced a region of very high momentum thickness at the leading edge. The suction-surface loss was found to be 38% higher for Blade B than for Blade A. Wake traverses downstream of the blades were used to determine the total profile loss of each blade. The profile loss of Blade B was measured to be 32% higher than that of Blade A.