Abstract
In order to improve the efficiency of modern turbomachinery, the simulation setups in design processes become increasingly detailed, and thus computationally more expensive. This paper aims to quantify the numerical influence of squealer tips on the performance of a 4½-stage axial compressor. For this purpose, the performance map, obtained by steady-state calculations using the k-w SST turbulence model and the TRACE flow solver, is simulated for two setups: the reference setup and a setup with squealer tips added. The inclusion of squealer tips enhances the stage-wise compressor performance by reducing secondary flow and flow separation at the casing. This improvement results from the change in blade-tip geometry. The stage total-pressure ratio is thus improved by up to 0:28%. However, a deterioration of the fourth-stage flow as a result of the squealer tips prevents these improvements from enhancing the overall compressor performance. NOMENCLATUR
