Improved Delayed Detached Eddy Simulation of Compressor Cascade Tip Leakage Flow

Author(s):  
Jingfeng Wu
Entropy ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 21 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hui Li ◽  
Xinrong Su ◽  
Xin Yuan

In unshrouded turbine rotors, the tip leakage vortices develop and interact with the passage vortices. Such complex leakage flow causes the major loss in the turbine stage. Due to the complex turbulence characteristics of the tip leakage flow, the widely used Reynolds Averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) approach may fail to accurately predict the multi-scale turbulent flow and the related loss. In order to effectively improve the turbine efficiency, more insights into the loss mechanism are required. In this work, a Delayed Detached Eddy Simulation (DDES) study is conducted to simulate the flow inside a high pressure turbine blade, with emphasis on the tip region. DDES results are in good agreement with the experiment, and the comparison with RANS results verifies the advantages of DDES in resolving detailed flow structures of leakage flow, and also in capturing the complex turbulence characteristics. The snapshot Proper Orthogonal Decomposition (POD) method is used to extract the dominant flow features. The flow structures and the distribution of turbulent kinetic energy reveal the development of leakage flow and its interaction with the secondary flow. Meanwhile, it is found that the separation bubble (SB) is formed in tip clearance. The strong interactions between tip leakage vortex (TLV) and the up passage vortex (UPV) are the main source of unsteady effects which significantly enhance the turbulence intensity. Based on the DDES results, loss analysis of tip leakage flow is conducted based on entropy generation rates. It is found that the viscous dissipation loss is much stronger than heat transfer loss. The largest local loss occurs in the tip clearance, and the interaction between the leakage vortex and up passage vortex promotes the loss generation. The tip leakage flow vortex weakens the strength of up passage vortex, and loss of up passage flow is reduced. Comparing steady and unsteady effects to flow field, we found that unsteady effects of tip leakage flow have a large influence on flow loss distribution which cannot be ignored. To sum up, the current DDES study about the tip leakage flow provides helpful information about the loss generation mechanism and may guide the design of low-loss blade tip.


Author(s):  
Hui Li ◽  
Xiutao Bian ◽  
Xinrong Su ◽  
Xin Yuan

Abstract The complex leakage flow structure in the tip region of unshrouded rotor is a main source of turbine aerodynamic loss. Due to the complex turbulence characteristics of the tip leakage flow, the widely used Reynolds Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) approach may fail to accurately predict the multi-scale turbulent flow and the related loss. In order to effectively improve the turbine efficiency, more insights into the turbulence characteristics and the loss mechanism in the tip leakage flow are required. In this work, a Delayed Detached Eddy Simulation (DDES) study is conducted to simulate the flow inside a high pressure turbine blade, with emphasis on the tip region. DDES results are in good agreement with the experiment and the comparison with RANS results verifies the advantages of DDES in resolving finer flow structures of leakage flow, also in capturing the complex turbulence characteristics. The snapshot Proper Orthogonal Decomposition (POD) method is used to extract the dominant flow features. The flow structures and the distribution of Reynolds stress help to reveal the process of leakage flow and its interaction with the secondary flow. Meanwhile, it is found that the separation vortex (SV) forms from leading edge to trailing edge, and the strong interactions between tip leakage vortex (TLV) and passage secondary vortex (PSV) significantly enhance the turbulence intensity. Based on the DDES results, loss analysis of tip leakage flow is conducted based on entropy generation rates. For the leakage flow related loss, the largest local entropy generation rate occurs at 50 % of axial chord, and the interaction between the leakage vortex and up passage vortex promotes the loss generation. To sum up, the current DDES study about the tip leakage flow provides helpful information about the loss generation mechanism and may guide the design of low-loss blade tip.


Author(s):  
Chunwei Gu ◽  
Fan Feng ◽  
Xuesong Li ◽  
Meilan Chen

An attempt is made in the present paper to apply DES (Detached Eddy Simulation), which is based on S-A model of RANS, for investigating the flow field around a subsonic compressor rotor with a tip clearance of 2% blade height. Comparison of the results by DES and S-A model shows that DES model can capture more intensive vortex flow, such as tip leakage flow, double leakage flow, as well as interaction between the leakage flow and wake flow downstream of the rotor passage. DES model predicts more complicated flow at the separation region near the hub. DES simulation for different operation conditions also reveals interesting details. The shedding angle and strength of the tip leakage flow changes with the blade loading. The starting point of the leakage vortex moves towards the leading edge when the blade loading increases. Double leakage is observed only at the design and higher loading conditions, and is not at a lower loading condition. The tip leakage vortex splits into two branches downstream of the rotor blade due to interaction with the wake flow. Instantaneous results show unsteadiness of the tip leakage vortex. Alternating regions of higher and lower loss is found along the time-averaged leakage vortex trajectory. Obvious is also the unsteadiness in the separation region near the hub.


2021 ◽  
pp. 1-400
Author(s):  
Xiao He ◽  
Fanzhou Zhao ◽  
Mehdi Vahdati

Abstract Detached Eddy Simulation (DES) and its variants are emerging tools for turbomachinery simulations. In this paper, the state-of-the-art upgrades of DES are reviewed, and their capabilities in predicting compressor tip leakage flow are discussed. The upgrade with the best potential is identified as the Delayed DES (DDES) method with the grid spacing FKHΔhyb, which unlocks the physics of the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability in compressor tip leakage flow. The upgraded grid spacing FKHΔhyb is compared against the widely used default one Δmax in a backward-facing step and a low-speed axial compressor rotor. Results show that the DDES method with FKHΔhyb predicts both the main flow field and the turbulence field with reasonably good accuracy. However, the original DDES method with Δmax predicts a delayed transition to turbulence, which leads to an inaccurate prediction of the main flow field when using a coarse mesh. The findings in this paper highlight the future opportunities for using the DDES-FKHΔhyb method to predict tip-driven compressor stall and generate a turbulence database for turbulence model development.


Energies ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 954 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiangyu Su ◽  
Xiaodong Ren ◽  
Xuesong Li ◽  
Chunwei Gu

Tip leakage vortex (TLV) in a transonic compressor rotor was investigated numerically using detached-eddy simulation (DES) method at different working conditions. Strong unsteadiness was found at the tip region, causing a considerable fluctuation in total pressure distribution and flow angle distribution above 80% span. The unsteadiness at near choke point and peak efficiency point is not obvious. DES method can resolve more detailed flow patterns than RANS (Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes) results, and detailed structures of the tip leakage flow were captured. A spiral-type breakdown structure of the TLV was successfully observed at the near stall point when the TLV passed through the bow shock. The breakdown of TLV contributed to the unsteadiness and the blockage effect at the tip region.


2021 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
pp. 39-49
Author(s):  
Koch Régis ◽  
Sanjosé Marlène ◽  
Moreau Stéphane

The flow in a linear compressor cascade with tip gap is simulated using a wall-resolved compressible Large-Eddy Simulation. The cascade is based on the Virginia Tech Low Speed Cascade Wind Tunnel. The Reynolds number based on the chord is 3.88 x 10⁵ and the Mach number is 0.07. The gap considered in this study is 4.0 mm (2.9% of axial chord). An aerodynamic analysis of the tip-leakage flow allow us identifying the main mechanisms responsible for the development and the convection of the tip-leakage vortex downstream of the cascade. A region of high turbulence and vorticity levels is located along an ellipse that borders the top of the tip-leakage vortex. The influence of the airfoil suction side boundary layer development on the tip-leakage vortex is highlighted by tripping the flow. A tripped boundary layer induces a stronger and larger tip-leakage vortex that tends to move further away from the airfoil suction side and from the endwall compared with an untripped flow. The boundary layer turbulent state influences the tip-leakage flow development.


Author(s):  
Yun Gong ◽  
Shaowen Chen ◽  
Haipeng Zheng ◽  
Songtao Wang

Abstract Tip leakage flow is one of the main sources of flow losses in an axial compressor, and the understanding of the tip leakage flow helps to explore better flow control methods and design more advanced compressors. Therefore, the vortex structures and loss mechanisms were analyzed in a compressor cascade with tip clearance in the present paper. Large eddy simulation was used to better resolve the vortices with more accurate numerical results. The iso-surface of Q criterion in the compressor cascade is captured for recognizing and analyzing the vortex structures. The horse shoe vortices, tip leakage vortex, induced vortex, tip separation vortex and passage vortex were well captured and their interactions were interpreted. Fast Fourier Transformation was also applied to analyze the frequency signal in the flow field. Afterwards, the case with an upstream bleeding slot was also calculated and compared with the original case without a bleeding slot. The bleeding rate is 2.8% of the mass flow rate at inlet. The removal of the inlet boundary layer resulting from the bleeding leads a 42.4% reduction of the total pressure loss coefficient compared with that of the case without the bleeding slot. In the case with the bleeding slot, the size of the passage vortex is greatly reduced, and the mixing between the tip leakage vortex and passage vortex is postponed. Better performance is achieved with the bleeding slot accordingly.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiao He ◽  
Fanzhou Zhao ◽  
Mehdi Vahdati

Abstract Detached Eddy Simulation (DES) and its variants are emerging tools for turbomachinery simulations. In this paper, the state-of-the-art upgrades of DES are reviewed, and their capabilities in predicting compressor tip leakage flow are discussed. The upgrade with the best potential is identified as the Delayed DES (DDES) method with the grid spacing FKHΔhyb, which unlocks the physics of the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability in compressor tip leakage flow. The upgraded grid spacing FKHΔhyb is compared against the widely used default one Δmax in a backward-facing step and a low-speed axial compressor rotor. Results show that the DDES method with FKHΔhyb predicts both the main flow field and the turbulence field with reasonably good accuracy. However, the original DDES method with Δmax predicts a delayed transition to turbulence, which leads to an inaccurate prediction of the main flow field when using a coarse mesh. The findings in this paper highlight the future opportunities for using the DDES-FKHΔhyb method to predict tip-driven compressor stall and generate a turbulence database for turbulence model development.


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