Numerical Study on the Effects of Blade Leading Edge Shape to the Performance of Supersonic Rotor

Author(s):  
Kicheol Park

Recently, it is required to design a fan and compressor with higher stage pressure ratio while maintaining adiabatic efficiency high also. To increase the stage pressure ratio, blade rotational speed or diffusion factor should be increased. In the case of increased rotational speed, relative speed of flow at blade leading edge is well supersonic. With supersonic rotor blade, total pressure loss is mainly due to leading edge shock waves and the thickness should be thin enough to minimize this. As a result, the blade is like to be week in terms of mechanical strength and the manufacturing cost would be increased because high-precision NC machining is required. Furthermore, it is one of the biggest hurdles to maintain proper level of thickness while one making small stages. In this paper, aerodynamic performance of supersonic rotor blades with different leading edge thickness and shapes are calculated using the finite volume method. The effects of blade leading edge shape and thickness to the performance are investigated especially in terms of total pressure loss and the already known loss correlations of leading edge thickness are examined. Subsequently this will be verified by performance test on rig.

2001 ◽  
Author(s):  
Weili Yang ◽  
Peter Grant ◽  
James Hitt

Abstract Our principle goal of this study is to develop a CFD based analysis procedure that could be used to analyze the geometric tradeoffs in scroll geometry when space is limited. In the study, a full centrifugal compressor stage at four different operating points from near surge to near choke is analyzed using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and laboratory measurement. The study concentrates on scroll performance and its interaction with a vaneless diffuser and impeller. The numerical results show good agreement with test data in scroll circumferential pressure distribution at different ΛAR, total pressure loss coefficient, and pressure distortion at the tongue. The CFD analysis also predicts a reasonable choke point of the stage. The numerical results provide overall flow field in the scroll and diffuser at different operating points. From examining the flow fields, one can have a much better understanding of rather complicated flow behavior such as jet-wake mixing, and choke. One can examine total pressure loss in detail to provide crucial direction for scroll design improvement in areas such as volute tongue, volute cross-section geometry and exit conical diffuser.


Author(s):  
Xiaojun Fan ◽  
Liang Li ◽  
Jiefeng Wang ◽  
Fan Wu

Abstract A new double-wall cooling configuration combined with the vortex cooling is established to study the cooling behavior for the gas turbine blade leading edge. This configuration consists of multiple nozzles, a curved inner cooling passage, a row of bridge holes and a curved outer cooling passage with 4 kinds of disturbing objects (namely smooth wall, pin-fins, dimples and protrusions). Numerical simulations are performed based on the 3D viscous steady Reynolds Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) equations and the k-ω turbulence model. The cooling behavior of the Double-wall/vortex cooling configuration is compared with the Double-wall/impingement cooling configuration at the same conditions. Generally, the Double-wall/vortex cooling configuration has a better cooling performance. It is found the Nusselt number of the inner surface for the Double-wall/vortex cooling configuration is 46.7% higher. However, the Double-wall/impingement cooling configuration has a smaller friction coefficient and a total pressure loss. Different disturbing objects have significant influences on the heat transfer performance of the outer surface. The Nusselt number of disturbing objects (pin-fins, dimples and protrusions) is much higher than the smooth wall, and the value is 1.27–2.22 times larger. Configuration with protrusions has the highest globally-averaged Nusselt number. For the heat transfer performance of the inner surface and the total pressure loss coefficient, disturbing objects have no obvious influence. As bridge holes row increases, the overall cooling performance is improved. The globally-averaged Nusselt number of the outer target is enhanced while the total pressure loss is reduced.


Author(s):  
Oliver Reutter ◽  
Stefan Hemmert-Pottmann ◽  
Alexander Hergt ◽  
Eberhard Nicke

The following paper deals with the development of an optimized fillet and an endwall contour for reducing the total pressure loss and for homogenizing the outflow of a highly loaded cascade with a low aspect ratio. The NACA-65 K48 cascade profile without a fillet and without endwall contouring is used as a basis. Optimizations are performed using the DLR in-house tool AutoOpti and the RANS-solver TRACE. Three operating points at an inflow Mach number of 0.67 with different inflow angles are used to secure a wide operating range of the optimized design. At first only a fillet is optimized. The optimized fillet is small at the leading edge and rather high, wide and thick towards the trailing edge. It reduces the total pressure loss and homogenizes the outflow up to a blade height of 20 %. Following this a combined optimization of the endwall and the fillet is performed. The optimized contour leads to the development of a vortex, which changes the secondary flow in such a way, that the corner separation is reduced, which in turn significantly reduces the total pressure loss up to 16 % in the design operating point. The contour in the outflow region leads to a significant homogenization of the outflow in the near wall region.


Author(s):  
A. Asghar ◽  
W. D. E. Allan ◽  
M. LaViolette ◽  
R. Woodason

This paper addresses the issue of aerodynamic performance of a novel 3D leading edge modification to a reference low pressure turbine blade. An analysis of tubercles found in nature and used in some engineering applications was employed to synthesize new leading edge geometry. A sinusoidal wave-like geometry characterized by wavelength and amplitude was used to modify the leading edge along the span of a 2D profile, rendering a 3D blade shape. The rationale behind using the sinusoidal leading edge was that they induce streamwise vortices at the leading edge which influence the separation behaviour downstream. Surface pressure and total pressure measurements were made in experiments on a cascade rig. These were complemented with computational fluid dynamics studies where flow visualization was also made from numerical results. The tests were carried out at low Reynolds number of 5.5 × 104 on a well-researched profile representative of conventional low pressure turbine profiles. The performance of the new 3D leading edge geometries was compared against the reference blade revealing a downstream shift in separated flow for the LE tubercle blades; however, total pressure loss reduction was not conclusively substantiated for the blade with leading edge tubercles when compared with the performance of the baseline blade. Factors contributing to the total pressure loss are discussed.


Author(s):  
Abdur Rahim ◽  
Dhirgham Alkhafagiy ◽  
Prabal Talukdar

In a gas turbine combustor, it is necessary to use a diffuser to decelerate the high velocity air stream delivered by the compressor and thus avoid high total pressure loss. The interaction between the diffuser and combustor external flows plays a key role in controlling the pressure loss, air flow distribution around the combustor liner. Flow through casing-liner annulus is crucial as it feeds air to the primary, secondary and dilution holes. It is important that the annulus flow has sufficient static pressure to achieve adequate penetration of the jets. Moreover, the correct proportion of air enters the combustor liner through the dome and the various ports to maintain stable operation and good quality outlet condition. Length of combustor can be reduced if a provision is made for sufficient diffusion in the dump region. In the present numerical study, three can-combustor models of different geometry with a constant dump-gap have been analyzed with emphasis on the flow through annulus. A comparison has been made amongst the three models in terms of flow uniformity, static pressure recovery and total pressure loss. It is observed that flow uniformity in the annulus region is improved if a small divergence in length and a curved shape step height casing is made.


2020 ◽  
Vol 37 (3) ◽  
pp. 295-303 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tu Baofeng ◽  
Zhang Kai ◽  
Hu Jun

AbstractIn order to improve compressor performance using a new design method, which originates from the fins on a humpback whale, experimental tests and numerical simulations were undertaken to investigate the influence of the tubercle leading edge on the aerodynamic performance of a linear compressor cascade with a NACA 65–010 airfoil. The results demonstrate that the tubercle leading edge can improve the aerodynamic performance of the cascade in the post-stall region by reducing total pressure loss, with a slight increase in total pressure loss in the pre-stall region. The tubercles on the leading edge of the blades cause the flow to migrate from the peak to the valley on the blade surface around the tubercle leading edge by the butterfly flow. The tubercle leading edge generates the vortices similar to those created by vortex generators, splitting the large-scale separation region into multiple smaller regions.


2007 ◽  
Vol 2007 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Li Yang ◽  
Ouyang Hua ◽  
Du Zhao-Hui

This paper presents an experimental study of the optimization of blade skew in low pressure axial fan. Using back propagation (BP) neural network and genetic algorithm (GA), the optimization was performed for a radial blade. An optimized blade is obtained through blade forward skew. Measurement of the two blades was carried out in aerodynamic and aeroacoustic performance. Compared to the radial blade, the optimized blade demonstrated improvements in efficiency, total pressure ratio, stable operating range, and aerodynamic noise. Detailed flow measurement was performed in outlet flow field for investigating the responsible flow mechanisms. The optimized blade can cause a spanwise redistribution of flow toward the blade midspan and reduce tip loading. This results in reduced significantly total pressure loss near hub and shroud endwall region, despite the slight increase of total pressure loss at midspan. In addition, the measured spectrums show that the broadband noise of the impeller is dominant.


Author(s):  
Mohammad Mojaddam ◽  
Ali Hajilouy-Benisi ◽  
Mohammad Reza Movahhedy

In this research the design methods of radial flow compressor volutes are reviewed and the main criterions in volute primary designs are recognized and most effective ones are selected. The effective parameters i.e. spiral cross section area, circumferential area distribution, exit cone and tongue area of the compressor volute are parametrically studied to identifythe optimum values. A numerical model is prepared and verified through experimental data which are obtained from the designed turbocharger test rig. Different volutes are modeled and numerically evaluated using the same impeller and vane-less diffuser. For each model, the volute total pressure ratio, static pressure recovery and total pressure loss coefficients and the radial force on the impeller are calculated for different mass flow rates at design point and off-design conditions. The volute which shows better performanceand causes lower the net radial force on the impeller, at desiredmass flow rates is selected as an optimal one. The results show the volute design approach differences at the design point and off-design conditions. Improving the pressure ratio and reducing total pressure loss at design point, may result inthe worse conditions at off-design conditions as well as increasing radial force on the impeller.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gang Zhao ◽  
Shuiting Ding ◽  
Tian Qiu ◽  
Shenghui Zhang

Abstract Pre-swirl nozzles are often used in gas turbines to deliver the cooling air to the turbine blades. The static axial nozzles swirl the cooling air in the direction of rotation of the turbine disk, thereby reducing the relative total temperature of the air. Most studies about nozzles focus on its shape, radial location, tangential angle to reduce the pressure loss and increase the temperature drop of the pre-swirl system, but few of them consider the benefit of a radial angle of nozzles. This paper investigated numerically the performance of a pre-swirl system whose pre-swirl nozzles have a radial angle. Six radial angles are selected to study the flow dynamics of a direct-transfer pre-swirl system in terms of the total pressure loss coefficient of the pre-swirl cavity, the discharge coefficient of the receiver holes, and the adiabatic effectiveness. It is shown that the nozzles with radial angles can adjust the tangential velocity and radial velocity and thus can influence the performance of a pre-swirl system. There is a lowerest value of total pressure loss in pre-swirl cavity, that is α = 90°, which can hardly be influenced by the radial angle of nozzle and pressure ratio π. For a specific swirl ratio β∞, there exists an optimal αopt where the discharge coefficient of receiver hole is maximum. Moreover, αopt decreases as pressure ratio π increases. And so is the adiabatic effectiveness Θad.


Author(s):  
Masashi Yoshikawa ◽  
Hiroyuki Toyoda ◽  
Hisashi Daisaka

Abstract We developed a high-efficiency half-ducted propeller fan to reduce the electric power consumption of the outdoor unit of air conditioner by using computational fluid dynamics (CFD). Total pressure loss coefficient on the cylindrical surface of blade tip started increasing at the middle of the blade, and the region of high total pressure loss coefficient was formed after trailing edge. Therefore, we assumed that decreasing this region helped increasing static pressure efficiency. Limiting stream lines on the pressure surface showed that the flow from leading edge leaked at the middle of the blade tip, so it was assumed that the region of the high total pressure loss coefficient arose from the leakage at the middle of the blade tip. We confirmed that static pressure at the middle of blade tip, which was the leakage point, was low. We assumed that low inward force to the flow caused the leakage. On the other hand, static pressure at trailing edge of the blade tip was high. Therefore, it was found that the inward force could be increased by making the static pressure higher at the meddle of the blade tip. In order to make the static pressure higher at the middle of the blade tip, we attempted to move the maximum camber position of the blade tip from trailing edge side to leading edge side. Calculation results showed leakage at the blade tip decreased and the static pressure efficiency increased by 0.5%. Experimental results showed that the static pressure efficiency increased by 1.7 % and sound pressure level was almost the same. For the above reasons, we found leakage of flow from leading edge could be decreased by adjusting the maximum camber position of the blade tip. Decreasing leakage contributed to increasing static pressure efficiency and decreasing electric power consumption.


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