Effects of downstream distance on turbulence decay for the compressor research facility low conditioning system

The turbulence decay of the 304.8 cm (120 in) diameter flow conditioning system for the Air Force Aero Propulsion Laboratory's Compressor Research Facility was investigated in a 25.4 cm (10 in) diameter channel to predict turbulence levels that can be expected at the entrance to compressors being tested in the facility. Results of this experimentation show that the flow conditioning system will meet the design goal of reducing the expected incoming turbulence level of 30-40% to less than 1% at the entrance to a test compressor. Further, the turbulence decay associated with the full-flow conditioning system and its individual components possesses initial period of decay characteristics throughout the 600 cm decay length investigated. It is concluded that these decay characteristics are due to the large scale of turbulence incoming and exiting the flow conditioning system of the Compressor Research Facility.