A probabilistic methodology to quantify the impact of geometric variability on compressor aerodynamic performance is presented. High-fidelity probabilistic models of geometric variability are derived using a principal-component analysis of blade surface measurements. This probabilistic blade geometry model is then combined with a compressible, viscous blade-passage analysis to estimate the impact on the passage loss and turning using a Monte Carlo simulation. Finally, a mean-line multistage compressor model, with probabilistic loss and turning models from the blade-passage analysis, is developed to quantify the impact of the blade variability on overall compressor efficiency and pressure ratio. The methodology is applied to a flank-milled integrally bladed rotor. Results demonstrate that overall compressor efficiency can be reduced by approximately 1% due to blade-passage effects arising from representative manufacturing variability.

1.
Lykins, C., Thompson, D., and Pomfret, C., 1994, “The Air Force’s Application of Probabilistics to Gas Turbine Engines,” AIAA paper 94-1440-CP.
2.
Preisendorfer, R. W., 1988, Principal Component Analysis in Meteorology and Oceanography, Elsevier, Amsterdam.
3.
Jolliffe, I. T., 1986, Principal Component Analysis, Springer Verlag, New York.
4.
Trefethen, L. N., and Bau, D., 1997, Numerical Linear Algebra, Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics, Philadelphia, PA.
5.
Drela, M., and Youngren, H., 2001, XFOIL 6.9 User Guide, Dept. of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge MA 02139.
6.
Ross, S., A First Course in Probability, 1997, Fifth Ed., Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, NJ.
7.
Drela, M., and Youngren, H., 1998, A User’s Guide to MISES 2.53, Dept. of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 70 Vassar ST, Cambridge MA 02139.
8.
Drela, M., 1985, “Two-Dimensional Transonic Aerodynamic Design and Analysis Using the Euler Equations,” Ph.D. thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
9.
Youngren, H., 1991, “Analysis and Design of Transonic Cascades With Splitter Vanes,” Masters thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
10.
Denton
,
J. D.
,
1993
, “
The 1998 IGTI Scholar Lecture: Loss Mechanisms in Turbomachines
,”
ASME J. Turbomach.
,
115
, pp.
621
656
.
11.
Hammersley, J. M., and Handscomb, D. C., 1965, Monte Carlo Methods, Methuen & Co., London, England.
12.
Thompson, James R., 2000, Simulation: A Modeler’s Approach, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York.
13.
Fishman, George S., 1996, Monte Carlo: Concepts, Algorithms and Applications, Springer Verlag, New York.
14.
Garzon, V. E., and Darmofal, D. L., 2001, “Using Computational Fluid Dynamics in Probabilistic Engineering Design,” AIAA paper 2001-2526.
15.
Drela, M., 1997, A User’s Guide to MTFLOW 1.2, Dept. of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 70 Vassar ST, Cambridge MA 02139.
16.
Merchant, A., 1999, “Design and Analysis of Axial Aspirated Compressor Stages,” Ph.D. thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge MA 02139.
17.
Garzon, V. E., 2003, “Probabilistics Aerothermal Design of Compressor Airfoils,” Ph.D. thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
18.
Cumpsty, N. A., 1989, Compressor Aerodynamics, Longman, London.
19.
Wu
,
C. Y.
,
1995
, “
Arbitrary Surface Flank Milling of Fan, Compressor and Impeller Blades
,”
ASME J. Eng. Gas Turbines Power
,
117
, pp.
534
539
.
You do not currently have access to this content.