COMPARISON OF ENDWALL LOSS REDUCTION TECHNIQUES IN A HIGH-LIFT TURBINE PASSAGE

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-25
Author(s):  
Christopher Marks ◽  
Nathan Fletcher ◽  
Rolf Sondergaard
Keyword(s):  
Flow Field ◽  
Secondary Flow ◽  
High Efficiency ◽  
Stereoscopic Particle Image Velocimetry ◽  
Loss Reduction ◽  
High Lift ◽  
Linear Cascade ◽  
Reduction Mechanisms ◽  
Research Profile ◽  
Secondary Flow Field

Abstract The development of techniques that reduce the losses in the endwall region is an important area of research as it supports an increase in the turbine design space through the use of higher lift blade designs while maintaining high efficiency. Several active and passive shape contouring methods that reduce losses generated by the secondary flow have been developed and investigated on a high-lift front-loaded LP turbine research profile in a low-speed linear cascade configuration. This paper summarizes and compares alterations to the three-dimensional secondary flow field by the application of three different techniques: blade profile contouring, optimized endwall shape contouring, and localized low mass coefficient jets. Each method was applied to identical research blade profiles and compared in the same linear cascade wind tunnel resulting in a unique perspective into the loss reduction mechanisms associated with each technique. The design strategy will be discussed along with a detailed description of changes to the secondary flow field using in- and out-of-passage total pressure loss measurements and high-speed stereoscopic particle image velocimetry. The key findings include the loss reduction mechanisms associated with each approach and the manipulation of key endwall flow structures such as the passage vortex and a strong suction surface corner separation.

Comparison of Endwall Loss Reduction Techniques in a High-Lift Turbine Passage

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher R. Marks ◽  
Nathan Fletcher ◽  
Rolf Sondergaard
Keyword(s):  
Flow Field ◽  
Secondary Flow ◽  
High Efficiency ◽  
Stereoscopic Particle Image Velocimetry ◽  
Loss Reduction ◽  
High Lift ◽  
Linear Cascade ◽  
Reduction Mechanisms ◽  
Research Profile ◽  
Secondary Flow Field

Abstract The development of techniques that reduce the losses in the endwall region is an important area of research as it supports an increase in the turbine design space through the use of higher lift blade designs while maintaining high efficiency. Several active and passive shape contouring methods that reduce losses generated by the secondary flow have been developed and investigated on a high-lift front-loaded LP turbine research profile in a low-speed linear cascade configuration. This paper summarizes and compares alterations to the three-dimensional secondary flow field by the application of three different techniques: blade profile contouring, optimized endwall shape contouring, and localized low mass coefficient jets. Each method was applied to identical research blade profiles and compared in the same linear cascade wind tunnel resulting in a unique perspective into the loss reduction mechanisms associated with each technique. The design strategy will be discussed along with a detailed description of changes to the secondary flow field using in- and out-of-passage total pressure loss measurements and high-speed stereoscopic particle image velocimetry. The key findings include the loss reduction mechanisms associated with each approach and the manipulation of key endwall flow structures such as the passage vortex and a strong suction surface corner separation.

End Wall Loss Reduction of High Lift Low Pressure Turbine Airfoils Using Profile Contouring—Part II: Validation

2014 ◽  
Vol 136 (8) ◽  
Author(s):  
Keith Sangston ◽  
Jesse Little ◽  
M. Eric Lyall ◽  
Rolf Sondergaard
Keyword(s):  
Flow Field ◽  
Low Pressure ◽  
Stereoscopic Particle Image Velocimetry ◽  
Loss Reduction ◽  
High Lift ◽  
Low Pressure Turbine ◽  
Wall Loss ◽  
Wall Flow ◽  
End Wall ◽  
Stagger Angle

The hypothesis, posed in Part I, that excessive end wall loss of high lift low pressure turbine (LPT) airfoils is due to the influence of high stagger angles on the end wall pressure distribution and not front loading is evaluated in a linear cascade at Re = 100,000 using both experimental and computational studies. A nominally high lift and high stagger angle front-loaded profile (L2F) with aspect ratio 3.5 is contoured at the end wall to reduce the stagger angle while maintaining the front loading. The contouring process effectively generates a fillet at the end wall, so the resulting airfoil is referred to as L2F-EF (end wall fillet). Although referred to as a fillet, this profile contouring process is novel in that it is designed to isolate the effect of stagger angle on end wall loss. Total pressure loss measurements downstream of the blade row indicate that the use of the lower stagger angle at the end wall reduces mixed out mass averaged end wall and passage losses approximately 23% and 10%, respectively. This is in good agreement with computational results used to design the contour which predict 18% and 7% loss reductions. The end wall flow field of the L2F and L2F-EF models is measured using stereoscopic particle image velocimetry (PIV) in the passage. These data are used to quantify changes in the end wall flow field due to the contouring. PIV results show that this loss reduction is characterized by reduced inlet boundary layer separation as well as a change in strength and location of the suction side horseshoe vortex (SHV) and passage vortex (PV). The end wall profile contouring also produces a reduction in all terms of the Reynolds stress tensor consistent with a decrease in deformation work and overall flow unsteadiness. These results confirm that the stagger angle has a significant effect on high-lift front-loaded LPT end wall loss. Low stagger profiling is successful in reducing end wall loss by limiting the development and migration of the low momentum fluid associated with the SHV and PV interaction.

Endwall Loss Reduction of High Lift Low Pressure Turbine Airfoils Using Profile Contouring: Part II — Validation

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keith Sangston ◽  
Jesse Little ◽  
M. Eric Lyall ◽  
Rolf Sondergaard
Keyword(s):  
Flow Field ◽  
Suction Side ◽  
Boundary Layer Separation ◽  
Horseshoe Vortex ◽  
Low Pressure ◽  
Stereoscopic Particle Image Velocimetry ◽  
Loss Reduction ◽  
High Lift ◽  
Low Pressure Turbine ◽  
Stagger Angle

The hypothesis, posed in Part I [1], that excessive endwall loss of high lift low pressure turbine (LPT) airfoils is due to the influence of high stagger angles on the endwall pressure distribution and not front-loading is evaluated in a linear cascade at Re = 100,000 using both experimental and computational studies. A nominally high lift and high stagger angle front-loaded profile (L2F) with aspect ratio 3.5 is contoured at the endwall to reduce the stagger angle while maintaining the front loading. The contouring process effectively generates a fillet at the endwall, so the resulting airfoil is referred to as L2F-EF (Endwall Fillet). Although referred to as a fillet, this profile contouring process is novel in that it is designed to isolate the effect of stagger angle on endwall loss. Total pressure loss measurements downstream of the blade row indicate that the use of the lower stagger angle at the endwall reduces mixed out mass averaged endwall and passage losses approximately 23% and 10% respectively. This is in good agreement with computational results used to design the contour which predict 18% and 7% loss reductions. The endwall flow field of the L2F and L2F-EF models is measured using stereoscopic particle image velocimetry (PIV) in the passage. These data are used to quantify changes in the endwall flow field due to the contouring. PIV results show that this loss reduction is characterized by reduced inlet boundary layer separation as well as a change in strength and location of the suction side horseshoe vortex (SHV) and passage vortex (PV). The endwall profile contouring also produces a reduction in all terms of the Reynolds stress tensor consistent with a decrease in deformation work and overall flow unsteadiness. These results confirm that the stagger angle has a significant effect on high-lift front-loaded LPT endwall loss. Low stagger profiling is successful in reducing endwall loss by limiting the development and migration of the low momentum fluid associated with the SHV and PV interaction.

scholarly journals Incidence Angle and Pitch-Chord Effects on Secondary Flows Downstream of a Turbine Cascade

1992 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Perdichizzi ◽  
V. Dossena
Keyword(s):  
Flow Field ◽  
Secondary Flow ◽  
Incidence Angle ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Secondary Flows ◽  
Pressure Probe ◽  
Turbine Cascade ◽  
Oil Flow ◽  
Secondary Velocity ◽  
Secondary Flow Field

This paper describes the results of an experimental investigation of the three-dimensional flow downstream of a linear turbine cascade at off-design conditions. The tests have been carried out for five incidence angles from −60 to +35 degrees, and for three pitch-chord ratios: s/c = 0.58,0.73,0.87. Data include blade pressure distributions, oil flow visualizations, and pressure probe measurements. The secondary flow field has been obtained by traversing a miniature five hole probe in a plane located at 50% of an axial chord downstream of the trailing edge. The distributions of local energy loss coefficients, together with vorticity and secondary velocity plots show in detail how much the secondary flow field is modified both by incidence and cascade solidity variations. The level of secondary vorticity and the intensity of the crossflow at the endwall have been found to be strictly related to the blade loading occurring in the blade entrance region. Heavy changes occur in the spanwise distributions of the pitch averaged loss and of the deviation angle, when incidence or pitch-chord ratio is varied.

Volumetric Velocimetry Measurements of Purge–Mainstream Interaction in a One-Stage Turbine

2021 ◽  
Vol 143 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
A. J. Carvalho Figueiredo ◽  
B. D. J. Schreiner ◽  
A. W. Mesny ◽  
O. J. Pountney ◽  
J. A. Scobie ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Flow Field ◽  
Secondary Flow ◽  
Gas Turbines ◽  
Suction Side ◽  
Secondary Flows ◽  
Blade Passage ◽  
One Stage ◽  
Passage Vortex ◽  
Purge Flow ◽  
Secondary Flow Field

Abstract Air-cooled gas turbines employ bleed air from the compressor to cool vulnerable components in the turbine. The cooling flow, commonly known as purge air, is introduced at low radius, before exiting through the rim-seal at the periphery of the turbine discs. The purge flow interacts with the mainstream gas path, creating an unsteady and complex flowfield. Of particular interest to the designer is the effect of purge on the secondary-flow structures within the blade passage, the extent of which directly affects the aerodynamic loss in the stage. This paper presents a combined experimental and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) investigation into the effect of purge flow on the secondary flows in the blade passage of an optically accessible one-stage turbine rig. The experimental campaign was conducted using volumetric velocimetry (VV) measurements to assess the three-dimensional inter-blade velocity field; the complementary CFD campaign was carried out using unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (URANS) computations. The implementation of VV within a rotating environment is a world first and offers an unparalleled level of experimental detail. The baseline flow-field, in the absence of purge flow, demonstrated a classical secondary flow-field: the rollup of a horseshoe vortex, with subsequent downstream convection of a pressure-side and suction-side leg, the former transitioning in to the passage vortex. The introduction of purge, at 1.7% of the mainstream flowrate, was shown to modify the secondary flow-field by enhancing the passage vortex, in both strength and span-wise migration. The computational predictions were in agreement with the enhancement revealed by the experiments.

Experimental Investigations and Numerical Validation of an Outlet Guide Vane With an Engine Mount Recess

2008 ◽  
Author(s):  
Johan Hja¨rne ◽  
Valery Chernoray ◽  
Jonas Larsson
Keyword(s):  
Flow Field ◽  
Secondary Flow ◽  
Guide Vane ◽  
Test Facility ◽  
Experimental Investigations ◽  
Flow Angle ◽  
Sst Model ◽  
Engine Mount ◽  
Inlet Conditions ◽  
Secondary Flow Field

This paper presents experiments and CFD calculations of a Low Pressure Turbine/Outlet Guide Vane (LPT/OGV) equipped with an engine mount recess (a bump) tested in the Chalmers linear LPT/OGV cascade. The investigated characteristics include performance for the design point in terms of total pressure loss and turning as well as a detailed description of the downstream development of the secondary flow field. The numerical simulations are performed for the same inlet conditions as in the test-facility with engine-like properties in terms of Reynolds number, boundary-layer thickness and inlet flow angle. The objective is to validate how accurately and reliably the secondary flow field and losses can be predicted for an LPT/OGV equipped with a bump. Three different turbulent models as implemented in FLUENT, the k-ε realizable model, the kω-SST model and the RSM are validated against detailed measurements. From these results it can be concluded that the kω-SST model predicts both the secondary flow field and the losses most accurately.

Vortex-Wake-Blade Interaction in a Shrouded Axial Turbine

2005 ◽  
Vol 127 (4) ◽  
pp. 699-707 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Schlienger ◽  
A. I. Kalfas ◽  
R. S. Abhari
Keyword(s):  
Flow Field ◽  
Secondary Flow ◽  
Surprising Result ◽  
Rotor Wake ◽  
Time Resolved ◽  
Axial Turbine ◽  
Passage Vortex ◽  
Blade Row ◽  
Stator Blade ◽  
Secondary Flow Field

This paper presents time-resolved flow field measurements at the exit of the first rotor blade row of a two stage shrouded axial turbine. The observed unsteady interaction mechanism between the secondary flow vortices, the rotor wake and the adjacent blading at the exit plane of the first turbine stage is of prime interest and analyzed in detail. The results indicate that the unsteady secondary flows are primarily dominated by the rotor hub passage vortex and the shed secondary flow field from the upstream stator blade row. The analysis of the results revealed a roll-up mechanism of the rotor wake layer into the rotor indigenous passage vortex close to the hub endwall. This interesting mechanism is described in a flow schematic within this paper. In a second measurement campaign the first stator blade row is clocked by half a blade pitch relative to the second stator in order to shift the relative position of both stator indigenous secondary flow fields. The comparison of the time-resolved data for both clocking cases showed a surprising result. The steady flow profiles for both cases are nearly identical. The analysis of the probe pressure signal indicates a high level of unsteadiness that is due to the periodic occurrence of the shed first stator secondary flow field.

Optimization of Non-Axisymmetric End Wall Contours for the Rotor of a Low Speed, 1 1/2 Stage Research Turbine With Unshrouded Blades

2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonathan Bergh ◽  
Glen Snedden ◽  
Christiaan Meyer
Keyword(s):  
Flow Field ◽  
Secondary Flow ◽  
Recent Work ◽  
Specific Design ◽  
Established Method ◽  
Linear Cascade ◽  
Low Speed ◽  
End Wall

Non-axisymmetric end wall contouring has become an established method for the reduction of the losses associated with secondary flow. To date, the majority of designs have been produced by the aeroengine manufacturing community and as a result access to specific design and methodological details is often limited [1]. In contrast, whilst the details of non-embargoed work are more freely available, much of this work has been carried out in simplified environments, with the most common of these being 2-dimensional, linear cascades, and therefore do not include a number of features which are present in the flow field of a real turbine [2]. Recent work by Snedden et al [3] involved the introduction of “generic”, non-axisymmetric end wall contours, originally designed for a linear cascade (the so-called Durham cascade), into the rotor row of a low speed, 1 1/2 stage research turbine. While an increase in rotor performance was noted, a detailed inspection of the flow results suggested that even greater improvements could be obtained through the design of custom end walls for the turbine. This investigation therefore covers the design of custom non-axisymmetric end wall contours for the rotor row of an annular turbine rig with unshrouded blades (the same rig as that used by Snedden), using a modified version of an end wall design routine originally developed for the production of non-axisymmetric end walls for a linear cascade environment.

Endwall Effusion Cooling System Behaviour Within a High-Pressure Turbine Cascade: Part 1—Aerodynamic Measurements

2010 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marco Sacchi ◽  
Daniele Simoni ◽  
Marina Ubaldi ◽  
Pietro Zunino ◽  
Stefano Zecchi
Keyword(s):  
High Pressure ◽  
Flow Field ◽  
Secondary Flow ◽  
Measurement Techniques ◽  
Secondary Flows ◽  
Turbine Cascade ◽  
High Pressure Turbine ◽  
Tangential Plane ◽  
Cooling Effects ◽  
Secondary Flow Field

The secondary flow field in a large-scale high-pressure turbine cascade with micro-holed endwall cooling has been investigated at the Genova Laboratory of Aerodynamics and Turbomachinery in cooperation with Avio S.p.A in the framework of the European Project AITEB-2. The experimental investigation has been performed for the baseline configuration, with a smooth solid endwall installed, and for the cooled configuration with a micro-holed endwall providing micro-jets ejection from the wall. Two different cooling flow rates were investigated and the experimental results are reported in the paper. Different measurement techniques have been employed to analyze the secondary flow field along the channel and in a downstream tangential plane. Particle Image Velocimetry has been utilized to quantify the blade-to-blade velocity components in a plane located close to the endwall and in the midspan plane. Hot-wire measurements have been performed in a tangential plane downstream of the blade trailing edges in order to survey the micro-jets effects on the secondary flows behavior. The total pressure distributions, for the different blowing conditions, have been measured in the downstream tangential plane by means of a Kiel pneumatic probe. The results, represented in color plots of velocity, pressure loss coefficient and turbulent kinetic energy distributions, allow the identification of the endwall effusion cooling effects on location and strength of the secondary vortical structures. The thermal investigation of the effusion system is discussed in Part 2 of the paper.

Incidence Angle and Pitch–Chord Effects on Secondary Flows Downstream of a Turbine Cascade

1993 ◽  
Vol 115 (3) ◽  
pp. 383-391 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Perdichizzi ◽  
V. Dossena
Keyword(s):  
Flow Field ◽  
Secondary Flow ◽  
Incidence Angle ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Secondary Flows ◽  
Pressure Probe ◽  
Turbine Cascade ◽  
Oil Flow ◽  
Secondary Velocity ◽  
Secondary Flow Field

This paper describes the results of an experimental investigation of the three-dimensional flow downstream of a linear turbine cascade at off-design conditions. The tests have been carried out for five incidence angles from −60 to +35 deg, and for three pitch-chord ratios: s/c = 0.58, 0.73, 0.87. Data include blade pressure distributions, oil flow visualizations, and pressure probe measurements. The secondary flow field has been obtained by traversing a miniature five-hole probe in a plane located at 50 percent of an axial chord downstream of the trailing edge. The distributions of local energy loss coefficients, together with vorticity and secondary velocity plots, show in detail how much the secondary flow field is modified both by incidence and by cascade solidity variations. The level of secondary vorticity and the intensity of the crossflow at the endwall have been found to be strictly related to the blade loading occurring in the blade entrance region. Heavy changes occur in the spanwise distributions of the pitch-averaged loss and of the deviation angle, when incidence or pitch–chord ratio is varied.

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