Numerical and Experimental Analysis of the Flow in an Aggressive Intermediate Turbine Duct

2009 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter B. V. Johansson ◽  
Lars-Uno Axelsson
Keyword(s):  
Numerical Simulations ◽  
Total Pressure ◽  
Jet Engines ◽  
Complex Flow ◽  
Turbofan Engines ◽  
Intermediate Turbine Duct ◽  
Low Pressure Turbine ◽  
Swirl Angle ◽  
Pressure Profiles ◽  
Insight Into

Multi-spool turbofan engines have intermediate ducts connecting the high-pressure turbine with the low-pressure turbine. The demands for more efficient and environmentally friendly jet engines force future turbofan engines to have higher by-pass ratios. This leads to that the radial off-set between the turbine stages increases and therefore the radial off-set of the intermediate duct has to increase. In order to save fuel consumption it is desirable to decrease engine weight and thus the duct should be made as short as possible. The flow in the intermediate duct is complex, so safely shortening the duct requires a thorough understanding of the flow physics in order to be able to accomplish this in a controlled manner. The present investigation focus on a joint experimental and numerical investigation of an intermediate duct configuration. The main purpose of the numerical simulation is to obtain an insight into the current capabilities of numerical simulations for these kinds of complex flow. The conclusion is that the numerical simulations manage fairly well to capture the total pressure and swirl angle profile from about 20% to 80% span. Also, the hub and shroud pressure profiles are well predicted while the total pressure loss is overpredicted in the numerical simulations.

Experimental Investigation of the Time-Averaged Flow in an Intermediate Turbine Duct

2008 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lars-Uno Axelsson ◽  
T. Gunnar Johansson
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Investigation ◽  
High Pressure ◽  
Low Pressure ◽  
Jet Engines ◽  
Mean Flow ◽  
Complex Flow ◽  
Turbofan Engines ◽  
Intermediate Turbine Duct ◽  
Static Pressure Distribution ◽  
Complex Flow Structure

Intermediate turbine ducts are used in modern multi-spool jet engines to connect the high pressure turbine with the low-pressure turbine. The trend towards turbofan engines with larger by-pass ratios requires the radial off-set between the high-pressure and low-pressure turbines to increase with a corresponding increase in radial off-set for the intermediate turbine ducts. Other improvements of the ducts is to make them shorter and more diffusing but this strive towards more aggressive design increases the risk for separation. This paper deals with an experimental investigation of the time-averaged mean flow field and turbulence development in an aggressive intermediate turbine duct (downstream a rotating turbine stage) using a 5-hole probe and 2-component hot-wire anemometry. In addition the duct endwall static pressure distribution is discussed. The investigation revealed the complex flow structure development within the duct, where co-rotating vortices emanating from the break-up of the tip gap shear-layer dominates the flow pattern.

The effect of inlet distortion on low bypass ratio turbofan engines

2020 ◽  
Vol 234 (8) ◽  
pp. 1395-1413
Author(s):  
Vishwas Verma ◽  
Gursharanjit Singh ◽  
AM Pradeep
Keyword(s):  
Total Pressure ◽  
Stability Margin ◽  
Leading Edge ◽  
Axial Fan ◽  
Turbofan Engines ◽  
Inlet Distortion ◽  
Pressure Profiles ◽  
History Of ◽  
The Stability ◽  
Bypass Ratio

Inlet flow non-uniformity, commonly known as inflow distortion, has been a long-standing problem in the history of gas turbine engines. Distortion can be present in the form of total pressure, total temperature or inflow incidence or any combinations of these. The search for better and robust performance requires engines that can sustain a large amount of inlet distortion without considerable loss in the thrust. In the present paper, the effect of total pressure distortion on a single-stage compressor and low bypass ratio fans are studied. Distortion near hub and tip in the form of step radial total pressure profiles is imposed at far upstream of the rotor leading edge. A systematic approach to qualitatively predict the performance maps in the presence of these distortions is discussed. Further, two extents of total pressure distortion are explored for constant inlet distortion intensity. Hub distortion is found to increase the stability margin, whereas tip distortion reduces it. On extending the distortion extent, hub distortion drastically reduces the stability margin, whereas a comparatively lower reduction in stability margin with tip distortion is observed. The critical distortion limit is observed by varying the inlet distortion extent. Also, it is found that downstream ducts in the bypass axial fan do not interact with the upstream fan. This can be exploited to perform independent simulations of the core engine from low bypass ratio fans. Hub distortion is found to drastically affect the duct performance owing to the presence of thicker upstream inlet boundary layer.

Impact of a Collector Box on the Pressure Recovery of an Exhaust Diffuser System

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bryan C. Bernier ◽  
Mark Ricklick ◽  
J. S. Kapat
Keyword(s):  
Pressure Loss ◽  
Total Pressure ◽  
Experimental Tests ◽  
Total Pressure Loss ◽  
Pressure Recovery ◽  
Computational Domain ◽  
Complex Flow ◽  
Local Pressure ◽  
3 Dimensional ◽  
Pressure Profiles

The effects of an industrial gas turbine’s Exhaust Collector Box (ECB) geometry on static pressure recovery and total pressure loss were investigated in this study. This study aims to further understand how exit boundary conditions affect the performance of a diffuser system. In this investigation, the exhaust diffuser remained constant through each test, with collector box geometries being varied. The same uniform velocity profile was maintained at the diffuser inlet for all geometries considered. The local pressure recovery through the diffuser with 4 axial ports at 4 circumferential locations was reported along with 14 locations in the accompanying ECB. A system performance analysis for each geometry was conducted using the total pressure loss from inlet to exit of the model. Velocity and total pressure profiles obtained with a hotwire anemometer and Kiel probe at the exit of the diffuser and at the exit of the ECB are also presented in this study. Three (3) different ECB geometries are investigated at a Reynolds number of 60,000. Results obtained from these experimental tests are used to validate the accuracy of a 3-dimensional RANS with realizable k-ε turbulence CFD model from the commercial software package Star-CCM+. The study confirms the existence of two strong counter-rotating helical vortices at the exit of the ECB which significantly affect the flow within the diffuser. Evidence of a strong recirculation zone within the ECB was found to force separation within the exhaust diffuser. Extending the length of the ECB proved to decrease the total pressure loss of the system by up to 19% experimentally. Additionally, the realizable k-ε turbulence was able to accurately represent the total pressure loss of the system within 5%. Despite the extremely complex flow field within the ECB, the computational domain reasonably represented the system in both magnitude and trends.

Numerical Simulation of ITD Flows in the Presence of HP Blade and LP Vane

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jie Gao ◽  
Xuezheng Liu ◽  
Weiyan Xiao ◽  
Weiliang Fu ◽  
Fusheng Meng ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Numerical Simulations ◽  
Secondary Flows ◽  
Fast Fourier Transformation ◽  
Complex Flow ◽  
Flow Physics ◽  
High Loss ◽  
Intermediate Turbine Duct ◽  
Flow Interactions ◽  
Amplifying Effect ◽  
Loss Mechanisms

Flows in an intermediate turbine duct (ITD) connecting high-pressure turbines (HPT) and low-pressure turbines (LPT) are highly complex, influenced by the upstream HP turbine flow structures. Non-uniformities originating from the duct with struts of different sizes also affect the LPT inflow conditions, resulting in reduced efficiency. The goal of this paper is to provide detailed understanding of the flow physics and loss mechanisms within the ITDs for highly efficient ITD designs. Steady and unsteady numerical simulations of flows through the ITDs in the presence of HP blade and LP vane were conducted. Effects of upstream HP blade on flow fields and loss characteristics within the ITDs are explored. The generation and propagation of wake and secondary flows through the whole configuration is described, including the fast Fourier transformation (FFT) analyses of the flow in the ITD. Results from the numerical simulations show complex flow patterns resulted from blade-strut-vane flow interactions in a high-endwall-angle duct, which are not obtainable from ITD-only simulations. Moreover, the ITD has a strong amplifying effect on the distorted inflow, and the inflow with the upstream wake and secondary flows introduces a high loss area along the casing at ITD exit. Detailed results are presented and discussed for the flow physics and loss mechanisms within the ITD.

Design of an Intermediate Turbine Duct Downstream of a High Pressure Turbine

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chaoshan Hou ◽  
Hu Wu
Keyword(s):  
High Pressure ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Low Pressure ◽  
Aerodynamic Load ◽  
Duct Flow ◽  
Original Design ◽  
High Pressure Turbine ◽  
Intermediate Turbine Duct ◽  
Low Pressure Turbine ◽  
Inlet Conditions

The flow leaving the high pressure turbine should be guided to the low pressure turbine by an annular diffuser, which is called as the intermediate turbine duct. Flow separation, which would result in secondary flow and cause great flow loss, is easily induced by the negative pressure gradient inside the duct. And such non-uniform flow field would also affect the inlet conditions of the low pressure turbine, resulting in efficiency reduction of low pressure turbine. Highly efficient intermediate turbine duct cannot be designed without considering the effects of the rotating row of the high pressure turbine. A typical turbine model is simulated by commercial computational fluid dynamics method. This model is used to validate the accuracy and reliability of the selected numerical method by comparing the numerical results with the experimental results. An intermediate turbine duct with eight struts has been designed initially downstream of an existing high pressure turbine. On the basis of the original design, the main purpose of this paper is to reduce the net aerodynamic load on the strut surface and thus minimize the overall duct loss. Full three-dimensional inverse method is applied to the redesign of the struts. It is revealed that the duct with new struts after inverse design has an improved performance as compared with the original one.

Total Pressure Correction of a Sub-Miniature Five-Hole Probe in Areas of Pressure Gradients

2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Town ◽  
A. Akturk ◽  
C. Camcı
Keyword(s):  
Pressure Measurement ◽  
Measurement Errors ◽  
Total Pressure ◽  
Pressure Gradients ◽  
Pressure Data ◽  
Flow Conditions ◽  
Complex Flow ◽  
Ducted Fan ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Best Fit

Five-hole probes, being a dependable and accurate aerodynamic tools, are excellent choices for measuring complex flow fields. However, total pressure gradients can induce measurement errors. The combined effect of the different flow conditions on the ports causes the measured total pressure to be prone to a greater error. This paper proposes a way to correct the total pressure measurement. The correction is based on the difference between the measured total pressure data of a Kiel probe and a sub-miniature prism-type five-hole probe. By comparing them in a ducted fan related flow field, a line of best fit was constructed. The line of best fit is dependent on the slope of the line in a total pressure versus span and difference in total pressure between the probes at the same location. A computer program, performs the comparison and creates the correction equation. The equation is subsequently applied to the five-hole probe total pressure measurement, and the other dependent values are adjusted. The validity of the correction is then tested by placing the Kiel probe and the five-hole probe in ducted fans with a variety of different tip clearances.

scholarly journals Flow Visualization in a Simulated Brush Seal

1990 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. J. Braun ◽  
R. C. Hendricks ◽  
V. Canacci
Keyword(s):  
Flow Visualization ◽  
Flow Fields ◽  
Inlet Pressure ◽  
Complex Flow ◽  
Axial Pressure ◽  
Interface Motion ◽  
Pressure Profiles ◽  
Brush Seal ◽  
Brush Seals

A method to visualize and characterize the complex flow fields in simulated brush seals is presented. The brush seal configuration was tested in a water and then in an oil tunnel. The visualization procedure revealed typical regions that are rivering, jetting, vortical or lateral flows and exist upstream, downstream or within the seal. Such flows are engendered by variations in fiber void that are spatial and temporal and affect changes in seal leakage and stability. While the effects of interface motion for linear or cylindrical configurations have not been considered herein, it is believed that the observed flow fields characterize flow phenomenology in both circular and linear brush seals. The axial pressure profiles upstream, across and downstream of the brush in the oil tunnel have been measured under a variety of inlet pressure conditions and the ensuing pressure maps are presented and discussed.

Effects of Cavity Purge Flow on Intermediate Turbine Duct Flowfield

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jun Liu ◽  
Qiang Du ◽  
Guang Liu ◽  
Pei Wang ◽  
Hongrui Liu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Flow Field ◽  
Flow Rate ◽  
Design Criterion ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Duct Flow ◽  
Intermediate Turbine Duct ◽  
Low Pressure Turbine ◽  
Cavity Structure ◽  
Flow Mechanisms ◽  
Purge Flow

To increase the power output without adding additional stages, ultra-high bypass ratio engine, which has larger diameter low pressure turbine, attracts more and more attention because of its huge advantage. This tendency will lead to aggressive (high diffusion) intermediate turbine duct design. Much work has been done to investigate flow mechanisms in this kind of duct as well as its design criterion with numerical and experimental methods. Usually intermediate turbine duct simplified from real engine structure was adopted with upstream and downstream blades. However, cavity purge mass flow exists to disturb the duct flow field in real engine to change its performance. Naturally, the wall vortex pairs would develop in different ways. In addition to that, purge flow rate changes at different engine representative operating conditions. This paper deals with the influence of turbine purge flow on the aerodynamic performance of an aggressive intermediate turbine duct. The objective is to reveal the physical mechanism of purge flow ejected from the wheel-space and its effects on the duct flow field. Ten cases with and without cavity are simulated simultaneously. On one hand, the influence of cavity structure without purge flow on the flow field inside duct could be discussed. On the other hand, the effect of purge flow rate on flow field could be analyzed to investigate the mechanisms at different engine operating conditions. According to this paper, cavity structure is beneficial for pressure loss. And the influence concentrates near hub and duct inlet.

Investigation of Variated Unsteady Inflow Boundary Conditions on the Transition Behavior of a Low Pressure Turbine Cascade Family

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Franz F. Blaim ◽  
Roland E. Brachmanski ◽  
Reinhard Niehuis
Keyword(s):  
Boundary Condition ◽  
Transport Equation ◽  
Flow Separation ◽  
Total Pressure ◽  
Low Pressure ◽  
Test Facility ◽  
Number Range ◽  
Pressure Losses ◽  
Low Pressure Turbine ◽  
Transition Behavior

The objective of this paper is to analyze the influence of incoming periodic wakes, considering the variable width, on the integral total pressure loss for two low pressure turbine (LPT) airfoils. In order to reduce the overall weight of a LPT, the pitch to chord ratio was continuously increased, during the past decades. However, this increase encourages the development of the transition phenomena or even flow separation on the suction side of the blade. At low Reynolds numbers, large separation bubbles can occur there, which are linked with high total pressure losses. The incoming wakes of the upstream blades are known to trigger early transition, leading to a reduced risk of flow separation and hence minor integral total pressure losses caused by separation. For the further investigation of these effects, different widths of the incoming wakes will be examined in detail, here. This variation is carried out by using the numerical Unsteady Reynolds Averaged Solver TRACE developed by the DLR Cologne in collaboration with MTU Aero Engines AG. For the variation of the width of the wakes, a variable boundary condition was modeled, which includes the wake vorticity parameters. The width of the incoming wakes was used as the relevant variable parameter. The implemented boundary condition models the unsteady behavior of the incoming wakes by the variation of the velocity profile, using a prescribed frequenc. TRACE can use two different transition models; the main focus here is set to the γ–Reθt transition model, which uses local variables in a transport equation, to trigger the transition within the turbulence transport equation system. The experimental results were conducted at the high speed cascade open loop test facility at the Institute for Jet Propulsion at the University of the German Federal Armed Forces in Munich. For the investigation presented here, two LPT profiles — which were designed with a similar inlet angle, turning, and pitch are analyzed. However, with a common exit Mach number and a similar Reynolds number range between 40k and 400k, one profile is front loaded and the other one is aft loaded. Numerical unsteady results are in good agreement with the conducted measurements. The influence of the width of the wake on the time resolved transition behavior, represented by friction coefficient plots and momentum loss thickness will be analyzed in this paper.

Experimental Study on the Effect of Clocking on the Propagation of Inflow Pressure Distortions in a Low Pressure Turbine Stage

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Simonassi ◽  
M. Zenz ◽  
P. Bruckner ◽  
S. Pramstrahler ◽  
F. Heitmeir ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Study ◽  
Flow Field ◽  
Total Pressure ◽  
Low Pressure ◽  
Vibration Characteristics ◽  
Test Facility ◽  
Turbine Stage ◽  
Rotor Vibration ◽  
Low Pressure Turbine ◽  
The Impact

Abstract The design of modern aero engines enhances the interaction between components and facilitates the propagation of circumferential distortions of total pressure and temperature. As a consequence, the inlet conditions of a real turbine have significant spatial non-uniformities, which have direct consequences on both its aerodynamic and vibration characteristics. This work presents the results of an experimental study on the effects of different inlet total pressure distortion-stator clocking positions on the propagation of total pressure inflow disturbances through a low pressure turbine stage, with a particular focus on both the aerodynamic and aeroelastic performance. Measurements at a stable engine relevant operating condition and during transient operation were carried out in a one and a half stage subsonic turbine test facility at the Institute of Thermal Turbomachinery and Machine Dynamics at Graz University of Technology. A localised total pressure distortion was generated upstream of the stage in three different azimuthal positions relative to the stator vanes. The locations were chosen in order to align the distortion directly with a vane leading edge, suction side and pressure side. Additionally, a setup with clean inflow was used as reference. Steady and unsteady aerodynamic measurements were taken downstream of the investigated stage by means of a five-hole-probe (5HP) and a fast response aerodynamic pressure probe (FRAPP) respectively. Strain gauges applied on different blades were used in combination with a telemetry system to acquire the rotor vibration data. The aerodynamic interactions between the stator and rotor rows and the circumferential perturbation were studied through the identification of the main structures constituting the flow field. This showed that the steady and unsteady alterations created by the distortion in the flow field lead to modifications of the rotor vibration characteristics. Moreover, the importance of the impact that the pressure distortion azimuthal position has on the LPT stage aerodynamics and vibrations was highlighted.

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