Effect of forward sweep on the performance and stall margin of a low speed axial compressor

The paper presents the experimental study of forward sweep on the performance and stall margin of a low speed axial flow compressor. The performance and three-dimensional flow behind 10° forward sweep and 20° forward sweep rotors are compared with baseline unswept rotor. Tip-chord-line sweep is employed for the current investigation. The results indicate that low sweep angle could improve the performance in terms of pressure rise, whereas an increase in sweep angle brings down the pressure rise from the rotor. The peak efficiency of forward swept rotors is more than the unswept rotor and well away from the stall to be ideal for practical applications. The rotor exit flow measurements revealed that the forward sweep causes the flow to shift towards the hub. ©Freund Publishing House Ltd.