An experimental study of the three-dimensional flow field inside the tip region of a low-speed

large-scale axial-flow compressor rotor has been completed.With the help of a rotating four-coordinate probe traverse mechanism

the measurements were conducted with a five-hole conical probe in both design condition and near stall condition.The results indicate that the tip leakage vortex plays a decisive role in the tip region flow in the design condition

leading to substantial flow loss and blockage in the passage.In near stall condition

flow separation occurs on the blade suction surface while radial migration of the boundary layer on the suction surface is strong

which makes more low-energy fluid accumulate at the corner between the casing annual wall and the suction surface.A corner vortex is induced by the tip leakage flow

and the low-energy fluid migrates to the pressure side due to the effect of the leakage vortex.Strong flow mixing among the corner vortex

the leakage vortex

the boundary layer on the casing wall and the main flow occurs at median part of the passage

which leads to substantial deficiencies of relative total pressure and relative velocity.