A Review of Nonsteady Flow Models for Compressor Stability

This paper presents a review of the different approaches to modeling the nonsteady fluid dynamics associated with two-dimensional compressor flow fields. These models are used to predict the time development of flow field disturbances and have been found useful in both the study of rotating stall and the development of active control. The opportunity to digest the earlier investigations has now made it possible to express the modeling ideas using only a very simple mathematical treatment. Here, the emphasis is on the underlying physical processes that the models simulate and how the assumptions within the models affect predictions. The purpose of this work is to produce, in a single document, a description of compressor modeling techniques, so that prospective users can assess which model is the most suitable for their application.