ACTIVE FLOW CONTROL TO REDUCE THE TIP CLEARANCE

NOISE AND IMPROVE THE AERODYNAMIC PERFORMANCE OF

AXIAL TURBOMACHINES
PRESENTED AT FAN NOISE 2003

Lars NEUHAUS, Wolfgang NEISE

Deutsches Zentrum fr Luft- und Raumfahrt e.V., Institut fr Antriebstechnik, Abteilung
Turbulenzforschung, Mller-Breslau-Str. 8, 10623 Berlin, GERMANY

SUMMARY
This paper presents experimental results on active flow control in the impeller
blade tip region to reduce the tip clearance noise and improve the aerodynamic
performance of axial turbomachines. Air is injected steadily into the tip clearance
gap between the tip of the impeller blades and the casing. Slit nozzles are used to
inject different mass flow rates at different axial positions relative to the leading
edge of the impeller blades. Characteristic curves of the pressure rise, the
efficiency and the radiated sound pressure level in the in the outlet are measured.
To show the effect on the rotating instability and tip clearance noise, the sound
power spectra at the suction side of one impeller blade and in the outlet duct are
measured.

1 INTRODUCTION
Axial turbomachines have a radial gap between the casing and the rotor blades. The static
pressure difference between the suction and the pressure side of the impeller blades produces
a secondary flow over the tip of the rotor blades (Figure 1a). This tip clearance flow is
important for the aerodynamic and acoustic performance of the machine. The pressure rise
and efficiency drop and the usable range of the performance characteristic is diminished as
the rotor flow is stalled at higher flow rates than with a small tip clearance.
Previous work at DLR-Berlin[1]-[4] investigating the effects of varying tip clearances on
noise and performance showed the existence of a broad-band noise source for large tip-casing
clearances. This source appeared in the rotor wall pressure spectrum at about half the blade
passing frequency (BPF) and radiated a fluctuating tonal component into the far field, the tip
clearance noise (TCN). Interpretation of the spectra and circumferential mode analysis led to
the model of a rotating source mechanism, called rotating instability (RI), which moves
relative to the blade row at a fraction of the shaft speed, similar to the cells of rotating stall
(Kameier [1], Kameier and Neise [2]). The effect was also observed in the third stage of the
low-speed research compressor at the TU Dresden when the tip clearance was enlarged
(Mailach et al. [5]).
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Kameier [1] successfully reduced the tip clearance noise and increased the aerodynamic
performance by mounting a turbulence generator into the tip clearance gap (see also Kameier
and Neise [3]), compare Figure 1b. The aim of the present work is to reproduce and possibly
improve the effect achieved with the turbulence generator without modifications of the tip
clearance gap itself to adapt the method also to flow machines where the tip clearance gap is
changed, e.g., due to usage of different stagger angles of the impeller blades.

(a) (b)
Figure 1: Schematic view of the secondary flow driven by the pressure difference between the suction
and pressure side in the tip region (a) and of the tip clearance gap with the turbulence generator
inserted (b).
The investigation is supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft as part of the
Sonderforschungsbereich 557, Beeinflussung komplexer turbulenter Scherstrmungen
conducted at the Technical University of Berlin.

2 EXPERIMENTAL FACILITY
The test fan is a low-speed high-pressure axial fan with outlet guide vanes, the same as used
for the experiments in [1] [4]. The principal impeller dimensions are: impeller diameter
D = 452.4 mm; hub-to-tip ratio = 0.62; NACA 65 blade profile; blade number Z = 24; blade
chord length at the tip c = 43 mm; maximum bade thickness 3 mm; blade stagger angle at the
tip = 27. The design speed is n = 3000 rpm. The stator row comprises V = 17 non-profiled
vanes. The axial distance between rotor and stator at the outer circumference is
RS = x/c = 1.3. The tip clearance can be varied by exchanging casing segments while the
impeller diameter remains constant. Four casing segments are available to give the following
tip clearances: s = 0.3, 0.6, 1.2, and 2.4 mm ( = s/c = 0.7%, 1.4%, 2.8%, and 5.6%). All
experiments reported here were made with the 2.4 mm wide tip clearance gap
( = s/c =5.6%).
Figure 2 shows the experimental setup with its major dimensions. The measurement facility is
in accordance with the requirements of DIN 24136 [6] for measurement of the aerodynamic
fan performance. On the inlet side there is a short duct section with a bellmouth nozzle; there
are no flow straighteners or screens in the inlet duct. The anechoically terminated outlet duct
is in accordance with the international standard ISO/FDIS 5136 [7].
In the outlet duct a -inch microphone equipped with a turbulence screen is mounted in a
rotatable duct section to measure the circumferentially averaged sound pressure level at the
radial distance from the duct axis specified in [7]. To measure the unsteady blade pressure, a
miniature piezo-resistive pressure sensor is mounted on the suction side of one impeller blade

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Fan Noise 2003 3

at 36% of the chord length without changing the original outer blade contour. The radial
distance from the blade tip is 7% of the chord length.

Figure 2: Experimental setup (dimensions in mm).

To control the flow conditions in the tip clearance gap, air is injected into the gap through slit
nozzles mounted flush with the inner casing wall, as is shown in Figure 3. The axial position
of the slit nozzles can be varied by using different
distance segments. The following three axial
positions were used: upstream the leading edge of
the impeller blades (x = -0.3mm, = x/c = -0.7%),
maximum blade thickness (x = 7.2mm, = 16.6%)
and trailing edge of the impeller blade
(x = 24.2mm, = 56.3%). The nozzles can be
placed at up to Znoz = 24 uniformly distributed
circumferential positions. The angle between the
jet axis and the interior casing wall is 15. The slit
nozzles are pivoted in the casing wall in such a Figure 3: Schematic view of a slit nozzle at
the axial position = -0.7%.
way that the angle between the main flow direction
(dimensions in mm)
and the jets can be varied within 360.

3 RESULTS
The experiments were conducted at the design speed n = 3000 rpm of the impeller with steady
air injection using Znoz = Z = 24 nozzles which is equal to the number of impeller blades. The
nozzles were evenly distributed over the circumference. Experiments with reduced impeller
speed were reported by Neuhaus and Neise [8], [9], and results obtained with different
numbers of nozzles and nozzle distributions available in the paper by Neuhaus and Neise [8],
[9] and Neuhaus et al. [10].
The aerodynamic and acoustic performance curves at different axial nozzle positions are
shown in Figure 4, Figure 5 and Figure 6. The injected mass flow is given in percent of the
maximum mass flow delivered by the fan (i.e., at = 0.3).
With steady air injection at the axial positions = -0.7% and = 16.6%, pressure rise and
efficiency increase at low flow rates, and the stall point is shifted towards lower flow rates.
With the mass flow injection rates min 0.8% at the position = -0.7% and min 0.6% at the
position = 16.6%, the optimum efficiency is increased, while it is decreased slightly at
higher injection rates, compare Figure 4 and Figure 5.

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Comparing the results of the axial positions = -0.7% and = 16.6% at the injected mass
flow rate min = 0.8% shows that the shift of the stall point and the improvement of pressure
rise and efficiency are very similar. From an aerodynamic point of view both air injection
positions are similarly effective.
The effect of steady air injection at the trailing edge of the impeller blades ( = 56.3%) is
different from the other positions. The fan pressure rise is improved only for very high
injected mass flow rates min = 2.0% over the whole range of the flow coefficients. Contrary to
this, the efficiency decreases sharply. Hence this axial position is not recommendable
aerodynamically.
0.5 0.8

0.4 0.7
pressure rise

0.3 0.6

0.2 0.5

efficiency t
0.1 0.4

0.0 0.3
130 min = 0
0.2 min = 0.6 %
Lp, dB

120
min = 0.8 %
0.1
110 min = 1.5 %
0.0
100 0.10 0.15 0.20 0.25 0.30
0.10 0.15 0.20 0.25 0.30
flow coefficient flow coefficient
Figure 4: Pressure coefficient, efficiency, and sound pressure in the outlet duct as functions of the flow
coefficient for different steady air injection mass flows; n = 3000 rpm, Znoz = 24, = -0.7%, = 5.6%.

0.5 0.8

0.4 0.7
pressure rise

0.3 0.6
efficiency t

0.2 0.5

0.1 0.4

0.0 0.3
130
min = 0
125 0.2
120 min = 0,3 %
Lp, dB

115 min = 0,6 %

0.1
110 min = 0,8 %
105 0.0
100 0.10 0.15 0.20 0.25 0.30
0.10 0.15 0.20 0.25 0.30 flow coefficient
flow coefficient

Figure 5: Pressure coefficient, efficiency, and sound pressure in the outlet duct as functions of the flow
coefficient for different steady air injection mass flows; n = 3000 rpm, Znoz = 24, = 16.6%,
= 5.6%.
The sound pressure characteristic in Figure 4 to Figure 6 fore the case with no air injection
exhibits marked peaks near = 0.2 which is due to the occurrence of tip clearance noise
(TCN). Injecting air at = -0.7% or = 16.6% reduces the TCN-spectral components; this is
true for all air injection rates tested, compare Figure 4 and Figure 5. Hence, at operating

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points around = 0.2, where TCN occurs without flow control, the sound pressure level in
the outlet duct is always lowered by the air injection. However, level increases are observed at
flow coefficients where TCN is not predominant, i.e. = 0.19 and = 0.21, depending on the
air injection rate. In the case of the injection rate min = 0.8% at = -0.7%, the sound pressure
level is reduced over the whole range of the performance characteristics (Figure 4).
In the case of air injection at the blade trailing edges ( = 56.3%, Figure 6) reduction of TCN
is observed only at the highest air injection rate min = 2.0%; at operating points > 0.21, the
sound pressure level is increased.
0.5 0.8

0.4 0.7
pressure rise

0.3 0.6

efficiency t
0.2 0.5

0.1 0.4

0.0 0.3
130
125 0.2
120 min = 0
Lp, dB

115 0.1 min = 0,7 %

110 min = 2,0 %
105 0.0
100 0.10 0.15 0.20 0.25 0.30
0.10 0.15 0.20 0.25 0.30 flow coefficient
flow coefficient
Figure 6: Pressure coefficient, efficiency, and sound pressure in the outlet duct as functions of the flow
coefficient for different steady air injection mass flows; n = 3000 rpm, Znoz = 24, = 56.3%,
= 5.6%.
120
Outlet duct BPF 90 Impeller blade suction side BPF
TCN
110 RI
LW, dB (not calibrated)

80
100
LW, dB

70
90
60
80
50
70
0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400
f, Hz f, Hz
min=0, =0.364, t=0.727 min=0.6%, =0.383, t=0.739
min=0.7%, =0.389, t=0.740 min=0.8%, =0.389, t=0.735
Figure 7: Spectra of sound power in the fan outlet duct and wall pressure on the rotor blade suction
side for different steady air injection rates; n = 3000 rpm, Znoz = 24, = -0.7%, = 5.6%, = 0.2.
The sound power spectra in the fan outlet duct and wall pressure spectra on the suction side of
one impeller blade are shown in Figure 7, Figure 8 and Figure 9. If the injected air flow is lower
than min = 0.8% at = -0.7% (Figure 7) and min = 0.6% at = 16.6% (Figure 8), rotating
instability (RI) is visible in the blade wall pressure spectrum and TCN in the sound pressure
spectrum. When the injected mass flow rates are min = 0.8% at = -0.7% and min = 0.6% at
= 16.6%, RI and TCN disappear. In this case at the air injection position upstream the
leading edge of the impeller blades ( = -0.7%), the jet flow Mach number is Ma = 0.18.
When only half of the injection nozzles are used, the injected mass flow necessary to make RI
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and TCN disappear, is min = 0.4%. In this case the jet velocity is the same as before ([8], [9]
and [10]).
90
Outlet duct Impeller blade suction side BPF
110 TCN BPF RI
80
100
70

LW, dB
LW, dB

90
60
80
50
70
40
0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400
f, Hz f, Hz
min = 0 , = 0.365, t = 0.741 min = 0.3 %, = 0.374, t = 0.743
min = 0.6 %, = 0.381, t = 0.748 min = 0.8 %, = 0.386, t = 0.738
Figure 8: Spectra of sound power in the fan outlet duct and wall pressure on the rotor blade suction
side for different steady air injection rates; n = 3000 rpm, Znoz = 24, = -0.7%, = 16.6%, = 0.2.
The level of the BPF in the outlet duct is found to increase with the injected air flow which is
due to the interaction between the jets from the nozzles and the impeller blades. Despite the
increase in BPF-level, the overall sound pressure level is reduced, e.g., at min = 0.8% and = -
0.7% from 123 dB to 113 dB, where the BPF-level increases from 101 dB to 109 dB, or at
min = 0.6% and = 16.6% from 120 dB to 113 dB, where the BPF-level increases from
103 dB to 111 dB.
Multiples of the rotor frequency (50 Hz) including the blade passing frequency are also
visible in the impeller blade wall pressure spectra of Figure 7 and Figure 8. These are due to the
interaction of the rotor blade with the 24 jets which seem to be distributed slightly unevenly
circumferentially.
From the aerodynamic and acoustic point of view, the position of the air injection at the
maximum blade thickness ( = 16.6%) is more effective than the position upstream the
impeller blades ( = -0.7%) because the necessary injected mass flow to suppress RI and TCN
is lower at this position.
90
Outlet duct Impeller blade suction side RI BPF
110 TCN BPF
80
100
70
LW, dB
LW, dB

90
60
80
50
70
40
0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400
f, Hz f, Hz
min = 0, = 0.359, = 0.721 min = 0.7 %, = 0.353, = 0.693
min = 2.0 %, = 0.393, = 0.568
Figure 9: Spectra of sound power in the fan outlet duct and wall pressure on the rotor blade suction
side for different steady air injection rates; n = 3000 rpm, Znoz = 24, = -0.7%, = 53.3%, = 0.2.
With air injection at the impeller blade trailing edges ( = 56.3%), the sound power spectra in
the fan outlet duct and wall pressure spectra on the suction side of one impeller blade (Figure
9) show that RI and TCN are reduced, if the injected mass flow is increased to min = 2.0%, but
this mass flow rate is still to low to completely suppress RI and TCN.
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At the air injection rate min = 0.7%, the BPF-level decreases from 98 dB to 96 dB. With the
injected mass flow rate min = 2.0% the BPF-level increases to 104 dB. The overall pressure
level decrease from 122 dB to 113 dB even though RI is not fully suppressed. If the injected
mass flow is increased further until RI is suppressed the overall level could be lower
compared to the other axial positions. Yet, the necessary injected mass flow rate is very high.
However this position for the air injection is not practical due to the aerodynamic effects and
the very high injected mass flow rates.

4 CONCLUSION
The present experiments have shown, that it is possible to improve the aerodynamic and
acoustic performance of axial turbomachines with steady air injection into the tip clearance
gap between the impeller blades and the fan casing. Slit nozzles mounted flush with the inner
casing wall are used for the present experiments.
With steady air injection directly upstream the impeller or at the position of the maximum
blade thickness it is possible to achieve with small injected mass flow rates a significant
reduction of the radiated noise level together with small improvements of the aerodynamic
performance or with high injected mass flow rates significant improvements of the
aerodynamic performance at the expense of a strong increase of the radiated noise level at
flow coefficients where TCN is not predominant.
Rotating blade flow instability and tip clearance noise disappear from the spectrum when
steady air injection is applied at both positions. For the fan design speed n = 3000 rpm the
required injected mass rate is min = 0.8% at the position directly upstream of the impeller
blades and min = 0.6% at the position of the maximum blade thickness. The position at the
maximum blade thickness of the impeller blades is even more effective in suppressing
rotating instability and tip clearance noise.
The observed increase of the radiated noise level at high injected mass flow rates and flow
coefficients where TCN is not predominant is caused by the strong increase of the blade
passing frequency level. This is due to the interaction between the injected jets with the
impeller blades. With an optimised air injection configuration the increase in tonelevel can be
avoided while the positive effects on aerodynamic performance and tip clearance noise in the
presented experiments are maintained.
The third position at the trailing edge of the impeller blades is proven to be less effective in
improving the aerodynamic and acoustic performance with air injection.

5 BIBLIOGRAPHY
[1] F. Kameier Experimentelle Untersuchungen zur Entstehung und Minderung des Blattspitzen-
Wirbellrms axialer Strmungsmaschinen. PhD-Dissertation, Fortschr.-Ber. VDI Reihe 7 Nr. 243,
VDI-Verlag, Dsseldorf, 1994
[2] F. Kameier, W. Neise, Rotating blade flow instability as a source of noise in axial
turbomachines. Journal of Sound and Vibration, Vol. 203, p. 833-853, 1997.
[3] F. Kameier, W. Neise Experimental study of tip clearance losses and noise in axial
turbomachinery and their reduction. ASME Journal of Turbomachinery, Vol. 119, p. 460 471, 1997
[4] J. Mrz., Ch. Hah, W. Neise An Experimental and Nnumerical Investigation Into the
Mechanisms of Rotating Instability. ASME Journal of Turbomachinery, Vol. 124, p. 367 374, 2002

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Fan Noise 2003 8

[5] R. Mailach, I. Lehmann, K. Vogeler Rotating Instability in an Axial Comprossor Originating

From the Fluctuating Blade Tip Vortex. ASME Journal of Turbomachinery, Vol. 123, p. 453 460,
2001
[6] DIN 24163 Ventilatoren, Teil 1 - 3 Leistungsmessung. Deutsche Norm, Deutsches Institut fr
Normung e.V., Berlin, 1985.
[7] ISO/FDIS 5136 Acoustics Determination of sound power radiated into a duct by fan and
other air-moving devices In-duct method (Revision of (ISO 5136:1990). International Organization
for Standardization, Geneva, 2001.
[8] L. Neuhaus, W. Neise Active Control of Aerodynamic and Acoustic Performance of Axial
Turbomachines. AIAA-2002-2499, 8th AIAA/CEAS Aeroacoustics Conference, 17.-19. June,
Breckenridge, Colorado, USA, 2002.
[9] L. Neuhaus, W. Neise Active Flow Control to Improve the Aerodynamic and Acoustic
Performance of Axial Turbomachines. AIAA-2002-2948, 1st Flow Control Conference, 24.-27. June,
St. Louis, Missouri, USA, 2002.
[10] L. Neuhaus, J. Schulz, W. Neise, M. Mser Active Control of Aerodynamic Performance and
Tonal Noise of Axial Turbomachines. Proceedings of 5th European Conference on Turbomachinery,
Fluid Dynamics and Thermodynamics, Paper No. 195, 17-22 March, Prague, Czech Republic, 2003

6 APPENDIX: SYMBOLS AND ACRONYMS

A cross sectional area (A0 = 1 m2) V = 17 number of stator vanes (non-
AFan cross sectional area of the Fan profiled)
a0 speed of sound Q volume flow (Q0 = 1 m3/s)
c = 43 mm; blade chord x axial nozzle position relative to the
d duct diameter leading edge of the impeller blades
D = 452.4 mm; impeller diameter Z = 24 (NACA 65); number of impeller
f frequency blades
Lp pressure level Znoz up to 24; number of nozzles
LW sound power level
min injected mass flow in percent of the mass = 0.62; hub-to-tip ratio
flow delivered by the fan at = s/c; non-dimensional tip clearance
= 0.3 t = pt Q/(Pel + Pin) approximate total fan
MJets jet mass flow efficiency
Ma = u/a0; flow Mach number = 27; blade stagger angle
Main = uin/a0; jet exit flow Mach number 0 air density
n impeller speed = 4Q/(D2U); flow coefficient
pstat static fan pressure opt flow coefficient at the design point
x axial distance between rotor and stator = x/c ; non-dimensional axial nozzle
pt total fan pressure (pt0 = 1 Pa) position relative to the leading edge of
Pel electric power input to drive motor the impeller blades
Pin = Minuin2; aerodynamic power of injected RS = x/c = 1.3; non-dimensional axial
air flow distance between rotor and stator
s tip clearance = 2pt/(0 U2); pressure coefficient
u flow velocity
u mean flow in the cross section area AFan BPF blade passing frequency
U impeller tip speed TCN tip clearance noise
uin jet exit flow velocity calculated at RI rotating instability
ambient pressure

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