AERODYNAMIC RESEARCH ON THE MCA - TYPE COMPRESSOR BLADE CASCADE

This paper deals with an analysis of the flow through a high cambered compressor blade cascade. The profiles of the blade cascade have been designed to be of MCA-type. The geometric and aerodynamic parameters of the cascade are presented here. The aerodynamic research was performed in a transonic wind tunnel. Optical methods were applied to obtain information on the flow structures taking place in the interblade channels when operating in a range of subsonic and transonic velocities and at various angles of incidence. The internal shock waves and the flow separation in the rear part of the cascade channel were observed and studied. Their influence on the loss coefficient and exit flow angle at subsonic and low transonic region was assessed. The thickness of the sidewall boundary layer in the interblade channel was measured in order to investigate the development of the axial velocity density ratio (AVDR), which plays an important role in the interpretation of the results.