K.

Bammert
Professor.
Institute for Turbomachlnery and Gasdynamics
University of Hannover, Hannover
Germany

R. Staude
Head of Department for Mechanic and
Thermodynamic Design of Turbomachlnes.
Gutehoffnungshiitte Sterkrade AG., Oberhausen,
Germany

Optimization for Rotor Blades of

Tandem Design for Axial Flow
Compressors
The tandem cascades investigated consist of two retarding cascades closely arranged behind one another. The influences of the flow interference for the pressure distribution at
the profiles, for the losses and the outlet angle are discussed. Various cascade configurations are theoretically and experimentally investigated to find out the optimum range
of the axial spacing and for the displacement in circumferential direction. An example
shows how rotor blades of tandem design can be optimized for minimal profHe losses. The
aim is to find the optimum configuration for each of the design sections of the rotor blades.
A further condition is to avoid additional bending stresses due to centrifugal forces, so
that tandem rotor blades can run with relatively high speed.

Introduction
The energy transformation of axial flow compressors can be considerably increased by the selection of suitable tandem cascades.
Tandem cascades consist of two retarding cascades arranged closely
one behind another, cascade 1 and cascade 2 (Fig. 1).
The arrangement of two single cascades to form a tandem cascade
is fixed by the displacement, b, of the two cascades in circumferential
direction and by their axial spacing, a (Fig. 1). With infinitely large
cascade spacing, a, the two cascades behave as two independent
cascades. On the other hand a close configuration of the two cascades
cause influencing of the flow by both cascades. The influence of the
flow interference becomes greater on reduction of the spacing and
increase of the displacement.
Relatively high degrees of reaction between 80 and 100 percent
permit tandem cascades to be used to advantage in multi-stage axial
flow compressors. The energy transformation is considerably increased by the configuration of tandem cascade rotors and one row
stator blades. As against comparable axial flow compressors of conventional single cascade design, the number of blades with the tandem
cascade design with approximately the same aerodynamic loading for
the individual rotor blade profiles can be reduced to about 40 percent.
Further, with the tandem cascade design there is a reduction in the
length of the bladed part of the shaft of approximately 30 percent (Fig.
2). The shorter length and the reduced number of blades results basically from the fact that, as compared with the conventional signal
cascade design, over two stages a row of stator blades can be omitted

Contributed by the Gas Turbine Division and presented at the Gas Turbine
Conference and Exhibit and Solar Energy Conference, San Diego, California,
March 12-15, 1979 of THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF MECHANICAL ENGI-

NEERS. Manuscript received at ASME Headquarters December 26,1978. Paper

No. 79-G7-125.

(Fig. 2). The stator blades have smaller pitch ratios than the rotor
blades [1, 2, 3].
The tandem cascade rotor blades should have almost optimum
cascade configurations over their height in all radial sections. The
tandem configuration defined by a certain relative cascade spacing
a/i and a certain relative cascade displacement hit is optimum for
minimum profile losses. Using a theoretical calculation method, the
aim is to determine the optimum cascade configuration for any tandem cascade. The comparison of theoretically calculated values with
measurements on two-dimensional cascades shows the applicability
of the method for the optimization of compressor blading. For an
example it is finally shown how the tandem cascade rotor blades for

Fig. 1 References on tandem cascade: I pitch, <"-, chord length, a cascade

spacing, h cascade displacement, s gap width, /3 s 1 stagger angle, cascade
1, flS2 stagger angle, cascade 2, ji-\ inlet angle, /3 2 i outlet angle, cascade 1
and Inlet angle, cascade 2, p'2 outlet angle, w^ inlet velocity, e/21 outlet velocity, cascade 1 and inlet velocity, cascade 2, iv 2 outlet velocity, F^inlet area
gap, F 2 outlet area gap

APRIL 1980, VOL. 102 / 369

Journal of Engineering for Power

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single cascade design

tandem cascade design

velocity diagram

dependent on the particular influence point and its distance from the
considered fixed points. The profile contour (Fig. 3) is given by
x = x

(ip),

(1)
y = y (*>)

It is assumed that the fractions x (ip) and y (ip) for profiles with a
sharpened trailing edge must be explained in an open interval
0 < <p < 2 IT.
With the exception of the trailing edge point the derivations x (>p) and
y ((p) may not be simultaneously equal to zero at any point. The
transformed vortex strength y (<p) is defined by the equation
y(<p) = w (<p)- Vx2((p)

stator
/s

f
} ...

; '

stator JJ

i~

1
?(*)

2N-1

2iV
1

K(l,,k)

A ?i

42V-2

K(2,,k)+

'2iV f c 5w

Fig. 2

(2)

and corresponds to the vortex distribution on the contour, w (ip) is the

velocity distribution to be ascertained. For the desired function y (<p)
in [4] the following equation system is given

length
saved

rotor

+y2(<p)

y(l,) Y(fe)

2T

(3)

y(2,) y(k)

2u>i[z(l, ) sin ft - y (1, ) cos ft] = 1, 2 , . . . 2N - 1/

Comparison of single cascade and tandem cascade design

22V-1

E K(4,,k)+y(l,)
2N *=i

y(k)

Y W - ~
1

42V-2

2TT

K(3,,k)+y(2,)

(4)

y(k)

2Nk=2N
2u>i[x(2, ) sin ft - y(2, ) cos ft] = 2N,..AN

-2.,

The range from 1 to 2-N 1 indicates the points of cascade 1; the

range from 2-N to 4-N 2 belongs to the points of cascade 2 (Fig. 3).
With the functions K (2, , k) and K (4, , k) the fixed points and
influence points are at different cascades. The indices 1 and 2 in the
derivations of x and y indicate the cascades 1 and 2. For the stagnation
point at the trailing edge the vortex strength is fixed as zero. If in the
equation system (3) and (4) the equations for = 2 N - 1 and = 4
JV 2 are replaced by the conditions
7 (2JV

- 1) = - 7 ( 1 )

(5)

and
Fig. 3

Determination of the fixed points

a multi-stage test compressor were optimized throughout the blade

height for the smallest profile losses.
Optimization Method
The cascade investigations published up to now have shown that
for the relative cascade spacing al\ and the relative cascade displacement hit of the optimum cascade configurations no generally
valid values can be given.
This is due to fact that the optimum cascade configuration via the
geometry of the gap depends on the profile form and on the stagger
angles fti and fe of the cascades 1 and 2 (Fig. 1). The stagger angles
ft are influenced by the flow coefficient, the degree of reaction and
the chosen vortex distribution of the blading to be designed. To take
into account these different influences a potential theory method for
calculation of the static pressure distributions with incompressible
flow for any tandem cascade is chosen [4], The influence of the flow
interference is also taken into consideration for various spacings and
displacements of the cascades.
The determination of the pressure distribution is followed by a
boundary layer calculation for ascertaining the profile losses [5].
Pressure Distributions
The method chosen is based on a continuous vortex distribution
of the profile contour. The basis of this is the consideration that the
vortex strength applied to the profile contour induces certain velocities on each of the fixed points of the profile. These velocities are

370 / VOL. 102, APRIL 1980

7 (4JV

- 2) =

-y(2N)

(6)

one gets a linear independent equation system for the unknown vortex
strength y().
As per equation (2) the pressure distribution for the profiles of the
tandem cascades can then be given according to the equation
(7)

with the dimensionless pressure coefficient cp.

With the relations
7T 2 2 V - 1

4AT-2

(8), (9)
ri = - E 7 W J 2 = E
yW
JV e=i
JV e=zN
for the circulation Pi and Y-i of the cascades 1 and 2 the outlet angle
of the homogeneous flow downstream of both cascades can be determined. For the outlet angle fti downstream the cascade 1, with the
symbols per Fig. 1
ctg fti

+ ctg ft
tw\ sin ft

(10)

is obtained.
The outlet angle ft of the tandem cascade is thus
ctg ft =

1
. I + ctg ft.
twi sin ft

(ID

Profile Losses
The profile losses are determined on the basis of a boundary layer

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calculation per Truckenbrodt [5]. The method is used for single as for
tandem cascades. The pressure distributions determined as per the
potential theory method are used as a basis. As the boundary layer
calculation to Truckenbrodt can generally be assurned to be known,
a detailed representation of the calculating procedure is not being
given. Further information and addenda for determining the transition point as well as the separation losses can be fotfhd in [3].
With the calculated boundary layers the values for the displacement
thickness b\HK and for the momentum thickness IHK at the trailing
edges (index HK) of the profiles are given.
For the dimensionless displacement thickness A* and the dimensionless momentum thickness 6 at the trailing edge as per [6] the
following abbreviations are used

1
cascade 1

i
J cascade

1
0.8

t sin ft2
$HK,S + $HK,D
t sin /3'2

<y^

1 - fl - A*
~ (1 - A*) 2 '

(14)

Herein the indices S and D refer to the suction, and pressure sides of
the profile. /3'2 is the outlet angle in the trailing edge plane. According
to Schlichting and Scholz [6] it can be equated in the mean with the
outlet angleft,-dof the potential flow. The outlet angle ftjd was previously determined with the calculation for the pressure distribution
of the tandem cascade configuration. The profile losses can be calculated by the application of the impulse theorem to the upstream
flow. The loss coefficient is given by
2A* - A*2
- 2( x - 1) sin2 ft;d - (x2 - 1) cos2 ftid. (15)
' (i-A*)2

r=

On determination of the loss coefficient the trailing edge loss is

considered by adding in equation (12) the thickness of the trailing
edge analogously to the displacement thicknesses at the trailing edge.
Instead of equation (12) the equation
?>WK,S + &HK.D + SHK

t sin fi'i

(16)

is now used.
For the single cascades 1 and 2 of the tandem cascade the loss
coefficients fi and f2 as per equation (15) were determined. These
loss coefficients are defined by
ri,s

Agl,2

(17)

<721,2(d

with the differences of the total pressures Agi and Ag2 for cascade 1
and cascade 2. q^ud and <72jd represent the dynamic pressures of the
nonviscous outlet flow of the two cascades. However, it is usual for
retarding cascades to refer the loss coefficient to the dynamic pressure
of the inlet flow. Therefore the loss coefficients fi and f 2 are converted as per the relations
fi = f i sin ft

(18)
isin fe,
/sin ft \2
(19)
6 = ft Isin 182/ '
Thus the loss coefficients fi and fe correspond to the definition
Agl,2
h.2 = <7i

(20)

This further has the advantage that from the loss coefficients thus
determined for both cascades, as per the relation

r-ft + fc

(21)

the loss coefficient for the tandem cascade can be easily ascertained.
Taking into consideration the friction the outlet angle fed ascertained by the potential theory method alters. For the cascades 1 and

Journal of Engineering for Power

"*;

h. 'fl
1 i

O.L

0.3

(12)
(13)

0.2

:..._!.__

\ \

----

/
/

\
. \
^ ^
\ u

elated chord length x/f

1HK, S+ <>l

' i

0.9

related chord length

x/f

without interference influence (a/P, =50.0

h /t =0.730 I
with interference influence
(a/f, =-0.026 h/t =0.730 )

Fig. 4

Pressure distribution for the examined tandem cascade

Reference

Tabie 1

Design data tandem cascade

Dimension

cascade 1

cascade 2

mm

55.5

57.0

mm

62.7

62.7

t/t
d/

B , , B21

deg

155.5

146.5

B 2 1 , IJ2

deg

146.5

127.8

Z)B,, A&2

deg

9.0

18.7

0.75

21/w1

Vw21
s
Ail
w 2 /w.

1.13

1.10

0.088

0.088

deg

0.70

147.1

deg

133.3
27 .7
0 .525

2 of the tandem cascade the actual outlet angle fe resp. ft is calculated using equation (14) with the relation
Ctg 021,2 = Ctg ftl,2WX-

(22)

ftud and ftid represent the outlet angle for both cascades with potential flow.
Results
The optimization calculations were carried out by a FORTRAN
computer program for the incompressible flow. The influence of the
boundary layers on the pressure distributions remains unconsidered.
This is admissible as long as the boundary layers at the profiles are
relatively thin and the flow has not separated. Moreover, an influencing of the boundary layer development at the cascade 2 by the
wake zone of cascade 1 was not acquired. It only occurs with a few
configurations with positive cascade spacing a, which has, however,
not been further investigated here.
The influence of flow interference on the tandem cascades, pressure
distributions were compared with that of single cascades 1 and 2 which
are marked by an infinitely large cascade spacing from each other. In
this case mutual influencing of the flow by cascades 1 and 2 can no
longer occur. Fig. 4 shows the pressure distributions for the chosen
tandem cascade, determined by calculation both with and without
flow interference. The investigated tandem cascade corresponds with
the mean section of the tandem cascade rotor blade of a test compressor (Table 1). The pressure distributions were each calculated
with 20 fixed points on the suction and pressure side of the profiles.
For the case without the influence of interference the pressure distributions were determined with the relative cascade spacing a/i of
50.0. This value is large enough since on the basis of several calculations, influences of interference by the potential theory method were
found only for relative cascade spacings al\ up to 0.8. Thus the
pressure distributions calculated with the relative cascade spacing

APRIL 1980, VOL. 102 / 371

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1
cascade 2

1.2
1.1

i. .
/p//,=+0.076
/a/t,=0.024
/a//, =-0.104

f^\^

1.0

0.9
"OA

0.5
relative

0.6
0.7
0.8
cascade displacement

0.9
h /t

^J

1.0

3*""

\^-

0.1

1.8

0.2

OA

related

chord

0.6
length

0.8
x

/t
theoretically

OA
chord

determined

measured

1.6

0.2
related

0.6
length

0.8

1.0

x/f

values

values

Fig. 6 Comparison of measured and calculated pressure distributions for

the examined tandem cascade, a/(\m\ = 0.024, h/t = 0,73

U
a/t,=--0.101,
/a//,- -0.021,

1.2
/a/fi
5

00

1.0

0.8

0.55
0.6
OA

0.60

065

relative

0.5
relative

0.6
cascade

0.7

0.8

displacement

0.9

1.0

0.70

cascade

0.75

0.80

displacement

0.85

h /t

0.023

h/t

Fig. 5 Deflection and loss coefficient as a function of the relative cascade

displacement for the examined tandem cascade, Ret = 3,5 * 10s

a/i of 50.0 correspond to the pressure distributions with an infinitely

large cascade spacing.
From Fig. 4 it can be seen that the static pressure on the pressure
side of the first cascade is, as a result of the stagnation effect of the
second cascade, at first above the static pressure with relatively large
spacing if they behave like two single cascades without mutual influence.
With the investigated tandem cascades in close configuration the
static pressure in the vicinity of the trailing edge was reduced somewhat as a result of the slight acceleration of flow in the gap which
shows the channel geometry of a nozzle. This causes reduction of the
boundary layer on the pressure side of the profiles of cascade 1 thus
resulting in smaller losses for the cascade 1. Contrary to this for the
second cascade a relatively great influence of interference was determined on the suction side of the profile. This effects a reduction
in the maximum velocities on the suction side of the cascade 2 and
thus a reduction in the aerodynamic load for this cascade.
It can be seen from Fig. 4 that the static pressure distributions of
the tandem cascade with close configuration differ considerably from
the pressure distributions of a tandem cascade with very large cascade
spacing. This shows that the influence of interference may not be
neglected for the design of the tandem cascade.
Fig. 5 shows the results of pressure distribution and boundary layer
calculations for the examined tandem cascade which for various
cascade configurations basically supply the outlet angle 182 and/or the
deflection A/3 and the loss coefficient f. The calculations were carried
out for inlet Reynolds numbers of 3.5 X 105. Fig. 5 gives the related
deflection A/3/A/? and the related loss coefficient f/f as a function
of the relative cascade displacement h/t with the relative cascade
spacing a/^i as a parameter. The flow deflection A/3, thus results
according to the relation
A/3 = Aft + Aft

(23)

as the sum of the deflections Aft and Aft for the cascades 1 and 2 with
an infinitely large cascade spacing, f, is then with the equation

372 / VOL. 102, APRIL 1980

0.018
0.55

0.60
relative

0.65

0.70

cascade
theoretically

o o

measured

0.75

0.80

displacement

h/t

determined

values

0.85

values

Fig. 7 Comparison of measured and calculated values for the deflection and
loss coefficient of the examined tandem cascade, Ret = 4.21 * 105, ft = 155.5
deg, aA1min = - 0,024

f- = f1 + f2

(24)

the sum of the loss coefficients of both noninfluenced cascades 1 and

2. Thus the quotients A/3/A/3*, and f/f represent the values (index.,)
related to the theoretically infinitely large cascade spacing a for the
deflection A/3 and for the coefficient of the profile losses f. For numerical reasons the variables for the infinitely large cascade spacing
were calculated again with a maximum relative cascade spacing al\
of 50.0. The upper part of the graph shows that the influence of the
tandem cascade configuration on the deflection A/3 in the range of
optimum relative cascade displacements is relatively small. From Fig.
5 it can further be seen that the profile losses within a range of differing relative displacements h/t can be minimized. Fig. 5 also shows
that the profile losses with the optimum tandem cascade configuration
can be approximately 10 to 18 percent below the values of the corresponding single cascades without interference influence. This result
was confirmed by measurements by Ihlenfeld [7] and Pal [4] which

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were carried out on similar tandem cascades with comparable close

cascade configuration.
In Pig. 5 curves exist only in the range of the relative cascade displacement h/t and of the relative cascade spacing a/i, in which the
profiles of the cascades 1 and 2 do not touch. Fig. 5 further shows that
the losses of the tandem cascades outside the optimum range, in
particular towards smaller relative cascade displacements h/t, increase considerably and can in principle exceed the losses of the corresponding single cascades (a/ = <=). Depending on the cascade
spacing and displacement, losses can reach up to 100 percent.
As could be expected, the influence of the flow interference on the
deflection and on the losses of tandem cascades increases when the
cascade spacing becomes smaller and the cascade displacement
greater (Fig. 5).
Comparison with Measuring Results
Measurements with quasi-incompressible flow for the tandem
cascade were compared with the theoretically determined values. In
addition to the general boundary layer data and the cascade parameters, the Reynolds number Rei known from the tests and the investigated inlet angle /?i were used in the calculation.
In Fig. 6 the measured and the calculated static pressure distributions for the examined tandem cascade are shown. It can be seen
that the calculation correctly reproduces the influencing of the static
pressure distribution which is caused in the case of close tandem
configurations by flow interference basically on the pressure side of
cascade 1 and on the suction side of the tandem cascade 2. It can be
concluded from this that the pressure distribution of the tandem
cascades for the investigated range of the cascade spacings and cascade displacements can be acquired with the above procedure to the
potential theory method.
Fig. 7 shows for the examined tandem cascade the curves of the
calculated and measured values for the deflection A/3 and for the loss
coefficient f as a function of the relative cascade displacement h/t.

Compared with the calculation the measurements have shown that

" with increasing relative cascade displacement h/t the deflection of
the tandem cascades decreases slightly. This is due to the influencing
of the boundary layers increasing with the cascade displacement, at
the suction sides of the profiles of cascade 2 on account of the wakes
of cascade 1. The calculated deflections are on average 1.0 to 2.0 deg
greater than the measured values (Fig. 7). These deviations are due
to the fact that the reduced deflection caused by friction was not
completely reproduced by the calculation.
In all, four different tandem cascades with deflections A0 between
19.6 and 48.3 degrees were recalculated. The comparison of the
measurements with the calculated values shows that the method of
calculation used correctly reproduces the curve of the measured loss
coefficients f and the minimum of losses as a function of the cascade
configuration. This method is thus suitable to be applied for the
aerodynamic optimization of tandem cascade blades.
Optimization of a Tandem Cascade Rotor Blade
It is shown how a tandem cascade rotor blade for a multi-stage axial
flow compressor can be optimized with the above method of calculation over the entire blade height for the smallest possible profile losses.
The method is applied to the radial sections of the tandem cascade
rotor blade.
Compressor Stage
The tandem cascade axial flow compressor used is designed for a

12

deg 21.

20

16

12

deflection angle Afl,, Afil

Fig. 10
Table 2
Sections

Fig. 8 Tandem cascade compressor: a = inlet casing, b = stator blade

carrier, c = outlet casing, d = journal bearing, e = labyrinth seal, f = co-rotational transmitter, g = receiving antenna, h = locking cap, k = stator blade,
I = shroud, m = diffuser, n = double thrust bearing, p = coupling, q = collar
for monitoring axial play, r = measuring coil, t = rotor with rotor blades, E =
plane blading Inlet, A = plane blading outlet

mm

mm

21

4.,

<*.

1.0

1.2 T.4

1.6

1.8 2.0

Layout nomogram

114.5

127.0

139.5

152.0

164,5

34.25

38.0

41.8

45.4

49.25

35.0

36,0

37.0

38.0

39.0

0.978

1.056

1.130

1.19S

1.Z63

155.S

156.7

158.6

deg

141.0

143.8

146.5

148.6

150.5

deg

14.5

11.Z

9.0

8.1

8.1

0.71

0.68

0.72

deg

1 .06
144.0
0,100

0.81
145.4
0.094

147.1
0.088

148.8
0.032

150.6
0.076

Profile and cascade data tandem cascade rotor blade cascade 2

Dimension

164.S

mm

127.0

139.5

152.0

mm

34.25

38.0

41 .8

45.4

49.25

mm

35.0

36.5

38.0

39.5

41.0

114.5

0.978

1 .041

1.100

1.150

1.201

deg

141 .0

143.8

146.5

148.6

150.5

deg

109.0

119.4

127.8

134.1

139.0

4. 2

deg

32.0

24.4

18.7

14.5

11.5

21

s
at

Journal of Engineering for Power

0.8

liff coefficient ca

155.0

til

Compressor stage

0.6

15S.S

Sections

O.i

deg

d/t

Table 3

Fig. 9

Dimension

<

0.2

Profile and cascade data tandem cascade rotor blade cascade 1

t/(

angle at incidence 6

deg

"

2.12
1Z1 .6
0.100

1.70
128.0
0.094

1 .37
133.3
0.088

1.11
137.6
0.08 2

0.92
141.0
0.076

APRIL 1980, VOL. 102 / 373

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degree of reaction of 100 percent (Fig. 8). For the axial flow compressor
designed a homogeneous blading based on the free vortex was selected.
The compressor stages each consist of a tandem cascade rotor and a
single cascade stator (Fig. 9). The axial flow compressor for which the
optimization of a tandem cascade rotor blade is represented has been
designed for the fluid air. The data for the design point are: pressure
ratio irtot = 2.5, mass flow rate m = 6.6 kg/s, speed n = 11,000 rpm,
number of stages z = 4.
The tandem cascade rotor blade to be optimized was designed with
five radial sections (Fig. 9). The curve of the flow angle as a function
of the blade height is fixed on the basis of the thermodynamic design
of the compressor with a multi-section method [3]. NACA 65 profiles
were selected. For the given flow angle the layout nomogram (Fig. 10)
with the pitch ratio t/ supplies the lift coefficient ca* and the stagger
angle ft (Tables 2 and 3). The layout nomogram is based on numerous
cascade measurements on NACA profiles [8].
Optimum Cascade Configurations
For an optimum tandem cascade rotor blade if possible all radial
sections must show optimum tandem cascade configurations over the
blade height. The task of optimization is to determine the relative
cascade spacing a/i and the relative cascade displacement h/t for
the sections 1 to 5 (Fig. 9) such that the resultant tandem cascade
configurations give the smallest possible profile losses. The following
condition should apply here that the center of gravity for the profiles
of any radial section of both cascades must lie on the radial vectors
to avoid additional bending stresses in the blade as a result of centrifugal forces.
Optimizaiton of the tandem cascade rotor blade is started at the
lowest section of the blade, section 1. For section 1 the optimum
cascade configuration is determined using the calculation method.
With the corresponding profile and cascade data (Tables 2 and 3)
section 1 of the tandem cascade rotor blade can be drawn. To fulfil
the above condition all the centers of gravity for the profiles of the
cascades 1 and 2 must be on radial vectors. They run through the
centerline of the rotor (Fig. 11). For optimization of the blade sections
2 and 5 it must be considered that the displacement h of the cascades
1 and 2 in the circumferential direction alters due to the arrangement
of the profile centers of gravity on radial vectors and due to the twist
of the blades over the blade height. It is recommended that firstly the
optimum tandem cascade configuration is to be determined for the
tip section, section 5. As the stagger angles ft have been fixed by the
profile layout the optimum cascade displacement h/topt can only be
achieved for section 5 if one chooses greater chord lengths as compared
with the hub section. In this case the chord lengths increase lineally
for both cascades from the hub to the tip section. The values for the
cascade spacings a can be seen from the drawings for sections 2 to 4.
With the relative cascade spacings al\ thus determined the pressure
distribution and boundary layer calculations are carried out for each
section using the above described method. The results of these optimization calculations for all five sections of the tandem cascade rotor
blade can be seen from Fig. 12. Here the related deflection A0/A&.
and the related loss coefficient f/f for the above determined cascade
spacings allm;m of sections 1 to 5 are shown as a function of the relative displacement hit. The optimization calculation is based on a
Reynolds number of 3.5 X 10B. In the lower part of Fig. 12 the connection between the radial sections and the relative cascade displacement hit is given. For the radial sections it can be seen from the
diagram for the related loss coefficient f/f that all sections give optimum cascade arrangements with minimum losses. The reduction
of the profile losses if compared with single cascades decreases from
section 1 with 24 to section 5 to 12 percent.
Since it has been shown that larger gaps rather than smaller ones
are of advantage, for section 1 of the tandem cascade rotor blade an
optimum relative displacement h/topt was selected which compared
with the corresponding value determined from Fig. 12 is 5 percent
points smaller.
Optimization has shown that for the selection of the optimum
tandem cascade configurations for the hub and the tip sections the
tandem cascades of all sections between them are also optimum. Si-

374 / VOL. 102, APRIL 1980

( "r^js

re

\ \

ft-

11
|

/ ^ j U.6

11

H^-

-\

rotor

center

line

partition

joint
measures in mm

Fig. 11

Tandem cascade rotor blade

"3
1.1

sect/ on 5

Y/3

1.0

"5 0.9

' 0.55

<j//; =00

0.60

0.65

relative
8

0.70

cascade

0.75

0.80

displacement

0.85

h/t

1.1

section 5

a//, = 00

/A

1.0

I
^

0.9

^l
~y=rr^
--} .
I
!
i I I
I I
I

0.8
O
CO

0.7
0.55

0.60
0.65
0.70
0.75
0.80
relative cascade displacement
h/t

0.85

1.0

I
0.55

0.60

0.65

0J0

0.75

0.80

0.85

relative
cascade displacement
h/t
Fig. 12 Optimum cascade configurations for a tandem cascade rotor blade:
section 1) a/, mi = - 0 . 0 7 1 , section 2) ali mi = -0.047, section 3) al
-0.024, section 4) a/, ml = -0.008, section 5) al\ mln = 0

Transactions of the ASME

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Fig. 13

Rotor of tandem cascade compressor

multaneously the condition for the centers of gravity of all profiles

to lie on radial vectors could be fulfilled. Thus tandem cascade rotor
blades can also run with relatively high circumferential speed.
The chosen tandem cascade rotor blade was optimized with the
above method for the smallest possible profile losses. Since pel' Ihlenfeld [7] in addition to the profile losses the secondary and wall
boundary layer losses which occur in the area of the casing wall and
in the vicinity of the hub are favorably influenced by the optimum
tandem cascade configuration.
The last two Figs. 13 and 14 show the rotor and the above optimized
tandem cascade rotor blade of the test compressor. This compressor
Wi\S designed and investigated by the Institute for Turbomachinery
Hannover University in Germany. It was manufactured by GHH
Sterkrade, Germany.

Summary
A procedure is presented to determine the pressure distribution,
profile losses and outlet angles for different configurations of tandem
cascades for axial flow compressors. The pressure distributions and
profile losses of tandem cascade with close configurations differ
considerably from the flow through tandem cascades with large axial
spacing. It was found that the interference effect should not be neglected for the design of tandem cascades. Using an example it is
shown how the tandem rotor blades for a multi-stage test compressor
were optimized over the height for minimum profile losses.

References
1 Bammert, K., and Staude, R "Experimentelle Untersuchungen an ebenen
vel'ziigernden Tandemgittern," VDI-Berichte No. 2Q,4, 1976, pp. 81/89.
2 Bammert, K. and Ahmadi, B., "Investigations on Impulse Blade Cascades
with Medium Deflection," ASME JOURNAL OF ENGINEERING POWER, Paper
No. 78-GT-12.
3 Staude, R, "Zur Optimierung von ebenen verziigernden Tandemgittern,"

Journal of Engineering for Power

Fig. 14

Rotor blade of tandem design

Diss. TU Hannover, 1975.

4 Pal, P., "Untersuchungen uber den Interferenzeinflu{3 bei Striimungen
durch Tandem-Schaufelgitter," Ing.-Archiu 34, No.3, 1965, pp. 173/193.
5 Truckenbrodt, E., "Ein Quadraturverfahren zur Berechnung del' laminaren und turbulenten Reibungsschicht bei ebener und rotationssymmetrischer
Striimung," Ing.-Archiu 20, No.4, 1952, pp. 211/228.
6 Schlichting, H. and Scholz, N., "Uber die theoretische Berechnung del'
Striimungsverluste eines ebenen Schaufelgitters," Ing.-Archiu 19, No.1, 1951,
pp.42/65.
.
7 Ihlellfeld, H., "Striimullgsvorgiinge all stark verziigernden Spaltfliigelgittern," Maschinenbautechnik 14, No. 7/8, 1965, pp. 361/65 and 420/424.
8 Herrig, L. J.; Emery, J. C. and Erwin, J. R, "Systematic Two-Dimensional
Cascade Tests of NACA 65-Series Compressor Blades at Low Speeds," NACA
TN 3916, 1957.

APRIL 1980, VOL. 102 / 375

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