Airfoil embodying mixed loading conventions

摘要

A high-lift airfoil (10) embodying a combination of loading conventions in a single design specifically to reduce and control total pressure losses that occur in the flow channels between airfoils (10) employed in turbomachinery applications is disclosed herein. The mixed-loading high-lift airfoil designs embody and exhibit the best total profile and secondary loss characteristics possessed by both aft-loaded airfoil and front-loaded airfoil conventions through controlling the development and interaction of boundary layers forming along the surfaces of the airfoils and the endwalls in such applications. The mixed-loading high-lift airfoil may be utilized in both rotating and non-rotating turbomachinery applications. The airfoil comprises a root section (12) comprising a first loading convention, a midspan section (14) comprising a second loading convention, a tip section (16) comprising a third loading convention, wherein a spanwise distribution of said first loading convention, said second loading convention and said third loading convention across a span of said airfoil comprises a mixed-loading convention and a Zweifel load coefficient equal to about or greater than about 1.2.