CALCULATION OF TIP CLEARANCE SIZE EFFECTS FOR THE NASA ROTOR 37 COMPRESSOR BLADE

Compressors often operate with a tip clearance larger than aerodynamically desired basically due to the changes of tip clearance during operations as well as manufacturing limitations. To assess the effects of tip gap size on the performance of an axial transonic compressor, the through flow in the tip gap region of NASA Rotor 37 compressor blade is numerically studied and compared to aerodynamic probe and laser anemometer data. The computations show a good agreement. Results discuss how increasing the tip gap size degrades the efficiency, the pressure ratio and the overall performance of axial transonic compressors.