What is the difference between compressor surge and compressor stall?

A compressor stall is a local disruption of the airflow in the compressor of a gas turbine or turbocharger. A stall that results in the complete disruption of the airflow through the compressor is referred to as a compressor surge.

What is meant by compressor surge?

Compressor surge is a form of aerodynamic instability in axial compressors or centrifugal compressors. The term describes violent air flow oscillating in the axial direction of a compressor, which indicates the axial component of fluid velocity varies periodically and may even become negative.

What is stall and surge in axial flow compressors?

Compressor surge In the words of compressor expert Ivor Day, stall is a disturbance of compressor flow in the tangential direction, while surge is a disturbance in the axial direction.

What is stalling surging and choking in compressor?

The choking occurs in the compressor which operates at a low discharge pressure and maximum flow rate. Surge – Occur minimum flow rate, choking – at maximum flow rate. Stall – Localized fluid separation, Surge – complete fluid separation.

What happens when compressor surges?

Surging can cause the compressor to overheat to the point at which the maximum allowable temperature of the unit is exceeded. Also, surging can cause damage to the thrust bearing due to the rotor shifting back and forth from the active to the inactive side. This is defined as the surge cycle of the compressor.

How does a compressor stall happen?

A compressor stall occurs when there is an imbalance between the air flow supply and the airflow demand; in other words, a pressure ratio that is incompatible with the engine RPM. Compressor stalls cause the air flowing through the compressor to slow down or stagnate and sometimes result in reverse flow.

What happens during compressor surge?

What happens in a compressor stall?

Why does compressor surge happen?

Surge is a condition that occurs in compressors when the amount of gas they are trying to compress is insufficient for the size of the compressor and the blades lose their ability to transfer energy from the shaft to the fluid, causing a reverse flow of the gas.