Numerical investigation of aerodynamic characteristics in tandem cascades with various curving strategies

Tandem configurations with curved blades can improve the flow field in compressor cascades. This study conducts a numerical investigation into the impact of various curving strategies on the losses and flow structures within tandem cascades. Curving strategies of three distinct configurations (curving both blades, solely the rear blade, and solely the front blade) along with three curved angles (5°, 10°, and 15°) are compared. Four primary vortex structures are causing losses in the tandem cascades. Loss weight coefficients, derived from each vortex, are adopted to quantify the proportion of losses. All curving strategies mitigate the accumulation of low-energy fluid near the endwalls, weakening the passage vortex. Various curving strategies have different effects on losses of the endwall spanwise vortex and trailing edge shedding vortices. The influence of curved angles on the three configurations indicates that curving both blades at 5° and curving the front blade at 5° or 10° can mitigate losses. An increasing loss is observed when the rear blade curves at any angle alone. Curving both blades or only the front blade mitigates the corner separation while the curved rear blade exacerbates it. The novelty of this study lies in applying topology analysis to establish correlations between losses, vortices, and topological configurations. This approach is a pivotal research methodology for elucidating the underlying mechanisms of loss generation and vortex dynamics within curved tandem cascades.