The use of fluidic oscillators for active flow control applications is a proven and efficient concept. For the well-known highly loaded LP turbine profile T161, the total pressure losses could already reduced by 40% at low Reynolds numbers, were usually flow separation occurs. For further improvements of the active flow control concept, it is essential to understand the driving flow phenomena responsible for the loss reduction mechanism, which are discussed in this paper. The results presented are based on experimental investigations on a flat plate with pressure gradient, imposed with an aerodynamically highly loaded low pressure turbine suction side flow and equipped with active flow control. The analogy to the suction side of the T161 is shown and validated against former cascade measurements. Based on the T161 equivalent operating point of Re = 70,000 and a theoretical out flow Mach number of Ma2,th = 0.6, the focus is set on the interaction of the boundary layer flow with high frequency actuation. The chosen actuator, a high frequency coupled fluidic oscillator, is designed to independently adjust mass flow and frequency. The flat plate is equipped with an array of high frequency actuators to control the flow separation. For this study one oscillator operating point at 6.7kHz is presented and the influence on transition and loss reduction compared to the non-actuated case is discussed. This oscillator operating point was found to be most efficient and the steady and unsteady mixing behavior of the high frequency actuator impact and the low pressure turbine like suction side boundary layer flow is investigated in much detail. Depending on the measurement technique, the isentropic Mach number distribution, frequency spectra, standard deviation, skewness and kurtosis are evaluated. The most important results are on the one hand, that the chosen concept is more efficient compared to former studies in means of mass flow investment, which is mainly based on the chosen oscillator outlet position and frequency. On the other hand, in a transonic flow the mixing and interaction of the high frequency pulses and the boundary layer flow require about 10% of the surface length to even establish and about to 30% to be completed. These results of the mixing behavior between actuator and boundary layer for compressible flow conditions help to attain a fundamental understanding for future designs of active flow control concepts.

Stability issues are often restricting the design space of axial-flow compressors. Casing treatments have shown the ability to enhance stability on existing designs in a late design phase. Prior studies have identified the positioning of the casing treatment as an important parameter for both stability and overall efficiency. Particularly for axial casing treatments, the downstream position of the fluid removal was found to be relevant. Within the present study the focus is put on a tip blowing casing treatment consisting of an axially and circumferentially discrete bleed port connected to an upstream injection port. For this kind of casing treatment, an accurate positioning of the fluid removal has high importance. Therefore, in the present study a parametric variation of the bleed port's axial position is carried out at design speed. Minimizing losses at sufficient stall margin improvement requires recirculation mass flows dependent on operating point. In support of that goal of mass flow self-regulation criteria for the fluid removal port position are derived. The analysis of the flow field, of the pressure distribution and of the shock-vortex-interaction help to identify an ideal position. The study is carried out on the isolated rotor of a 1.5 stage research compressor arrangement. NomenclatureCT = casing treatment TBCT = recirculating tip blowing CT CSCT = circumferential-slot CT ASCT = axial-slot CT CTDI = CT duct inlet CTDO = CT duct outlet SC = smooth casing DP = design point operating condition PE = peak efficiency operating condition NS = near stall operating condition SM = stall margin (V)IGV = (variable) inlet guide vane (U)RANS = (unsteady) reynolds averaged navier-stokes y + [-] = non-dimensional wall distance [Pa] = static pressure [Pa] = total pressure ̇ [ / ] = recirculation mass flow rate Π [-] = total pressure ratio [K] = total temperature Ma [-] = Mach number [-] = heat capacity ratio [m²] = nozzle cross section R [J/kg/K] = gas constant Downloaded by UNIVERSITY OF QUEENSLAND on July 30, 2015 | http://arc.aiaa.org |

High frequency fluidic oscillators have been of scientific interest for many decades. Especially over the last couple of years fluidic oscillators became more important for active flow control applications. At the Institute of Jet Propulsion of the University of the German Federal Armed Forces Munich studies on different kinds of flow control methods were carried out on aerodynamically highly loaded low pressure turbine blades. On the basis of these studies, the most efficient way to trigger transition at low Reynolds numbers was found to be with fluidic oscillators at frequencies up to 10 kHz. Still, it is an open issue whether it is most efficient to trigger Tollmien-Schlichting waves, stimulate Kelvin-Helmholtz instabilities or simply induce a frequency independent disturbance in form of a periodic impulse for boundary layer control on aero-dynamically highly loaded low pressure turbine blades. To find an answer to these questions, a high frequency master-slave fluidic oscillator is introduced with an independent frequency and mass flow characteristic. Any frequency from the master oscillator’s characteristic can be chosen and the mass flow rate can be controlled with the slave oscillator. Contrary to concepts with fast switching valves or piezo actuators, this actuator is based on a working principle without the necessity of any moving and life limited parts. Based on experimental results, the characteristics of the master as well as the coupled oscillator are shown. The predictable operation of the coupled device is demonstrated in detail for a constant overall mass flow rate at discrete frequencies of 5 and 6 kHz. In addition, it is also shown that the mass flow can be varied with one master-slave arrangement by a factor of six while keeping the frequency constant at 5 or 6 kHz, respectively. Besides proof of concept these investigations focus on relevant parameters for active boundary layer and transition control. The frequency and velocity spectra of the coupled device are presented for constant frequency and constant mass flow operating points. Based on these results the improvement potential of the coupled oscillator for fundamental research on this topic is discussed.

Detailed investigations of high frequency pulsed blowing and the interaction with the boundary layer at high speed test conditions were performed on a flat plate with pressure gradient. This experimental testbed features the imposed suction side flow of an aerodynamically highly loaded low pressure turbine profile. For actuation, a newly developed coupled fluidic oscillator with an independent mass flow and frequency characteristic was tested successfully. Several oscillator operating points were investigated at one turbine profile equivalent operating point with Reynolds number of 70,000, theoretical outflow Mach number of 0.6, and an inflow free stream turbulence level of 4%. The examined frequency range was between 6.5 and 7.5 kHz and the actuation mass flow rates were varied between 0.68% and 1.32% of the overall passage mass flow. As a result, the flow separation and transition can be controlled and the suction side profile losses even halved. Differences in the interaction with the boundary layer of the different oscillator operating points are also presented and discussed.

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