Study of particle transport and adhesion mechanisms in a multi-stage transonic compressor based on the Eulerian method

Particle ingestion in aircraft engines can lead to particle adhesion within compressors, which deteriorates flow-field characteristics and degrades aerodynamic performance. To address this problem, a multiphase computational fluid dynamics (CFD) framework employing the Euler–Euler method was developed to investigate particle transport and adhesion mechanisms in a multi-stage compressor. Results show that, as particle size increases, particle motion shifts from flow-dominated to inertia-driven behavior, modifying adhesion trends across stages from progressive growth to gradual reduction. The particle distribution at the outlet evolves from uniform to localized concentrations near the tip and root regions. Increasing particle concentration further enhances total adhesion and particle transport fluxes while maintaining similar spatial distribution patterns. Under high-concentration conditions, intensified interactions between particles and the flow lead to severe accumulation in the corner regions of the final compressor stages. Specifically, particle adhesion on the last rotor (R3) and stator (S3) increases by approximately 350% and 500%, respectively, compared to the clean case. This accumulation expands the recirculation zone and reduces the effective flow passage, ultimately resulting in a 1.9% increase in the total pressure ratio at the exit of the last stator.