University of Notre Dame, USA

Gas-turbine engines for aero-propulsion or land-based power require compression of the working gas prior to combustion. This is often accomplished with a multi-stage axial compressor. The aerodynamics of axial compressors is highly complex, three-dimensional, and unsteady. An important attribute of compressor design and operation is phenomenon known as "stall". This occurs when a compressor is operated at a mass flow rate that is much lower than it was designed for. This talk will discuss the basic physics of how compressors stall, what happens once a compressor is stalled, and what is currently known about how to control stall. 

 

Dr. Morris is currently directing multiple research projects involving turbomachinery and acoustics. He started and currently directs the Notre Dame Turbomachinery Laboratory. The laboratory has active programs with all of the major engine manufacturers and several U.S. government agencies. The focus has been to develop and use high-quality experimental facilities to simulate conditions that are relevant to the fullscale application in order to obtain correct scaling of the fluid dynamic phenomena. This allows for both fundamental and applied research to have an immediate impact on future technology. He has written two invited papers in the Annual Review of Fluid Mechanics, and is currently working with Cambridge University Press on a new graduate-level textbook on fluid mechanics. He has served on the advisory board for the journal Measurement Science and Technology for the last four years.