Patent ID: 8096756
Filing Date: 2012-01-17
Classification: F01D,F04D,F05D

Abstract:
1. A method of using a plasma actuator for suppressing rotating stall inception of a compressor, the compressor including a casing having an inner surface surrounding a rotor assembly, the rotor assembly having a plurality of circumferentially spaced radially outwardly extending rotor blades, each blade having leading and trailing edges and a tip, the plasma actuator including a plurality of discrete independent circumferentially adjacent plasma actuator sections provided circumferentially around the casing near the blade tips of the rotor assembly, the method comprising: a) actuating the independent circumferentially adjacent plasma actuator sections in a substantially circumferentially uniform manner to suppress tip clearance flow features responsible for spike rotating stall inception; and then b) actuating the independent circumferentially adjacent plasma actuator sections in a substantially sinusoidal manner to introduce a substantially sinusoidal circumferential perturbation in pressure rise around the compressor to suppress modal stall inception.