Comparison of Harmonic and Time Marching Unsteady Computational Fluid Dynamics Solutions With Measurements for a Single-Stage High-Pressure Turbine

2013 ◽  
Vol 136 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Brian R. Green ◽  
Randall M. Mathison ◽  
Michael G. Dunn

The unsteady aerodynamics of a single-stage high-pressure turbine has been the subject of a study involving detailed measurements and computations. Data and predictions for this experiment have been presented previously, but the current study compares predictions obtained using the nonlinear harmonic simulation method to results obtained using a time-marching simulation with phase-lag boundary conditions. The experimental configuration consisted of a single-stage high-pressure turbine (HPT) and the adjacent, downstream, low-pressure turbine nozzle row (LPV) with an aerodynamic design that is typical to that of a commercial high-pressure ratio HPT and LPV. The flow path geometry was equivalent to engine hardware and operated at the proper design-corrected conditions to match cruise conditions. The high-pressure vane and blade were uncooled for these comparisons. All three blade rows are instrumented with flush-mounted, high-frequency response pressure transducers on the airfoil surfaces and the inner and outer flow path surfaces, which include the rotating blade platform and the stationary shroud above the rotating blade. Predictions of the time-dependent flow field for the turbine flow path were obtained using a three-dimensional, Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes computational fluid dynamics (CFD) code. Using a two blade row computational model of the turbine flow path, the unsteady surface pressure for the high-pressure vane and rotor was calculated using both unsteady methods. The two sets of predictions are then compared to the measurements looking at both time-averaged and time-accurate results, which show good correlation between the two methods and the measurements. This paper concentrates on the similarities and differences between the two unsteady methods, and how the predictions compare with the measurements since the faster harmonic solution could allow turbomachinery designers to incorporate unsteady calculations in the design process without sacrificing accuracy when compared to the phase-lag method.

Author(s):  
Brian R. Green ◽  
Randall M. Mathison ◽  
Michael G. Dunn

The unsteady aerodynamics of a single-stage high-pressure turbine has been the subject of a study involving detailed measurements and computations. Data and predictions for this experiment have been presented previously, but the current study compares predictions obtained using the nonlinear harmonic simulation method to results obtained using a time-marching simulation with phase-lag boundary conditions. The experimental configuration consisted of a single-stage high-pressure turbine (HPT) and the adjacent, downstream, low-pressure turbine nozzle row (LPV) with an aerodynamic design that is typical to that of a commercial high-pressure ratio HPT and LPV. The flow path geometry was equivalent to engine hardware, and operated at the proper design-corrected conditions to match cruise conditions. The high-pressure vane and blade were un-cooled for these comparisons. All three blade-rows are instrumented with flush-mounted, high frequency response pressure transducers on the airfoil surfaces, and the inner and outer flow path surfaces, which include the rotating blade platform and the stationary shroud above the rotating blade. Predictions of the time-dependent flow field for the turbine flow path were obtained using a three-dimensional, Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes CFD code. Using a two blade row computational model of the turbine flow path, the unsteady surface pressure for the high-pressure vane and rotor was calculated using both unsteady methods. The two sets of predictions are then compared to the measurements looking at both time-averaged and time-accurate results, which show good correlation between the two methods and the measurements. This paper concentrates on the similarities and differences between the two unsteady methods, and how the predictions compare with the measurements since the faster harmonic solution could allow turbomachinery designers to incorporate unsteady calculations in the design process without sacrificing accuracy when compared to the phase-lag method.


2014 ◽  
Vol 136 (8) ◽  
Author(s):  
James A. Tallman

This paper presents an industrial perspective on the potential use of multiple-airfoil row unsteady computational fluid dynamics (CFD) calculations in high-pressure turbine design cycles. A sliding-mesh unsteady CFD simulation is performed for a high-pressure turbine section of a modern aviation engine at conditions representative of engine take-off. The turbine consists of two stages plus a center-frame strut upstream of the low-pressure turbine. The airfoil counts per row are such that a half-annulus model domain must be simulated for periodicity. The total model domain size is 170 MM computational grid points and the solution requires approximately nine days of clock time on 6288 processing cores of a Cray XE6 supercomputer. Airfoil and endwall cooling flows are modeled via source term additions to the flow. The endwall flowpath cavities and their purge/leakage flows are resolved in the computational meshes to an extent. The time-averaged temperature profile solution is compared with static rake data taken in engine tests. The unsteady solution shows a considerable improvement in agreement with the rake data, compared with a steady-state solution using circumferential mixing planes. Passage-to-passage variations in the gas temperature prediction are present in the 2nd stage, due to nonperiodic alignment between the nozzle vanes and rotor blades. These passage-to-passage differences are quantified and contrasted.


Author(s):  
Brian R. Green ◽  
Randall M. Mathison ◽  
Michael G. Dunn

The effect of rotor purge flow on the unsteady aerodynamics of a high-pressure turbine stage operating at design corrected conditions has been investigated both experimentally and computationally. The experimental configuration consisted of a single-stage high-pressure turbine with a modern film-cooling configuration on the vane airfoil as well as the inner and outer end-wall surfaces. Purge flow was introduced into the cavity located between the high-pressure vane and the high-pressure disk. The high-pressure blades and the downstream low-pressure turbine nozzle row were not cooled. All hardware featured an aerodynamic design typical of a commercial high-pressure ratio turbine, and the flow path geometry was representative of the actual engine hardware. In addition to instrumentation in the main flow path, the stationary and rotating seals of the purge flow cavity were instrumented with high frequency response, flush-mounted pressure transducers and miniature thermocouples to measure flow field parameters above and below the angel wing. Predictions of the time-dependent flow field in the turbine flow path were obtained using FINE/Turbo, a three-dimensional, Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes CFD code that had the capability to perform both steady and unsteady analysis. The steady and unsteady flow fields throughout the turbine were predicted using a three blade-row computational model that incorporated the purge flow cavity between the high-pressure vane and disk. The predictions were performed in an effort to mimic the design process with no adjustment of boundary conditions to better match the experimental data. The time-accurate predictions were generated using the harmonic method. Part I of this paper concentrates on the comparison of the time-averaged and time-accurate predictions with measurements in and around the purge flow cavity. The degree of agreement between the measured and predicted parameters is described in detail, providing confidence in the predictions for flow field analysis that will be provided in Part II.


Author(s):  
Richard Celestina ◽  
Spencer Sperling ◽  
Louis Christensen ◽  
Randall Mathison ◽  
Hakan Aksoy ◽  
...  

Abstract This paper presents the development and implementation of a new generation of double-sided heat-flux gauges at The Ohio State University Gas Turbine Laboratory (GTL) along with heat transfer measurements for film-cooled airfoils in a single-stage high-pressure transonic turbine operating at design corrected conditions. Double-sided heat flux gauges are a critical part of turbine cooling studies, and the new generation improves upon the durability and stability of previous designs while also introducing high-density layouts that provide better spatial resolution. These new customizable high-density double-sided heat flux gauges allow for multiple heat transfer measurements in a small geometric area such as immediately downstream of a row of cooling holes on an airfoil. Two high-density designs are utilized: Type A consists of 9 gauges laid out within a 5 mm by 2.6 mm (0.20 inch by 0.10 inch) area on the pressure surface of an airfoil, and Type B consists of 7 gauges located at points of predicted interest on the suction surface. Both individual and high-density heat flux gauges are installed on the blades of a transonic turbine experiment for the second build of the High-Pressure Turbine Innovative Cooling program (HPTIC2). Run in a short duration facility, the single-stage high-pressure turbine operated at design-corrected conditions (matching corrected speed, flow function, and pressure ratio) with forward and aft purge flow and film-cooled blades. Gauges are placed at repeated locations across different cooling schemes in a rainbow rotor configuration. Airfoil film-cooling schemes include round, fan, and advanced shaped cooling holes in addition to uncooled airfoils. Both the pressure and suction surfaces of the airfoils are instrumented at multiple wetted distance locations and percent spans from roughly 10% to 90%. Results from these tests are presented as both time-average values and time-accurate ensemble averages in order to capture unsteady motion and heat transfer distribution created by strong secondary flows and cooling flows.


Author(s):  
M Hussain ◽  
B Shoukat ◽  
A A Wahid ◽  
S Shukrullah ◽  
M Anwar ◽  
...  

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