Research on Internal Instability Characteristics of Centrifugal Impeller Based on Dynamic Mode Decomposition

Nitrogen compression requires centrifugal compressors to operate under relatively high ambient pressure. However, the internal instability characteristics of compressors handling high-density working fluids remain unclear. Therefore, this study employs Dynamic Mode Decomposition (DMD) to investigate unsteady flow fluctuations within an isolated centrifugal impeller under both best efficiency and near-stall conditions at high ambient pressure. Results show that as the throttling process progresses, distinct unsteady phenomena emerge within the impeller. Under near-stall conditions, the frequency of the instability is 0.44 times the blade passage frequency (BPF), manifesting as periodic pressure fluctuations throughout the entire blade passage. This instability originates from periodic passage blockages caused by fluctuations in tip leakage flow. Additionally, the pressure fluctuations at the impeller inlet exhibit a noticeable lag compared to those in the latter half of the passage. Through DMD analysis, it is found that after the tip leakage vortex exits the blade, it interacts with the pressure surface of the adjacent blade, affecting the tip loading of the neighboring blade and forming a dynamic cycle. However, this vortex is not the primary flow structure responsible for the instability. These insights into the nature of unsteady disturbances provide valuable implications for future stall warning and instability prediction technologies.