Development of an Experimental Test Section for Forcing Unsteady Flow in a Linear Compressor Cascade Using Circular Rods

Upstream propagating waves impinging on a cascade of compressor blades were examined in an effort to better understand the infuence of downstream components on high cycle fatigue in turbine engines. An array of cylinders was used to simulate the unsteady field generated by a rotor downstream of a set of stators. The unsteady flow upstream of a single cylinder and an array of cylinders, with and without an upstream cascade, was examined experimentally and computationally. Computational results indicate that the cylinders would only shed coherently when placed downstream of a set of blades.