Experimental Investigation of the Effects of Waveform Tip Injection in a Low Pressure Turbine Cascade

2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bayram Mercan ◽  
Eda Doğan ◽  
Yashar Ostovan ◽  
Oğuz Uzol
Keyword(s):  
Pressure Loss ◽  
Total Pressure ◽  
Flow Direction ◽  
Low Pressure ◽  
Total Pressure Loss ◽  
Wake Flow ◽  
Injection Technique ◽  
Low Pressure Turbine ◽  
Passage Vortex ◽  
Tip Injection

This paper presents the results of an experimental study that investigates the effects of uniform/waveform tip injection along the camberline on the total pressure loss and wake flow characteristics downstream of a row of Low Pressure Turbine (LPT) blades. The experiments are performed in a low speed cascade facility. This injection technique involves spanwise jets at the tip that are issued from a series of holes along the camber line normal to the freestream flow direction. The injection mass flow rate from each hole is individually controlled using computer driven solenoid valves and therefore the flow injection geometrical pattern at the tip can be adjusted to any desired waveform shape, and can be uniform as well as waveform along the camber. Measurements involve Kiel probe traverses for different injection scenarios 0.5 axial chords downstream of the blades as well as Time-Resolved Particle Image Velocimetry (Tr-PIV) measurements at different spanwise locations. Results show that tip injection significantly reduces the total pressure loss levels created by the leakage vortex. Highest overall loss reduction occurs in the case of reversed-triangular injection. The least effective waveform is triangular injection. Loss levels do not seem to get reduced significantly in the passage vortex zone. Velocity, vorticity and turbulence fields created by the passage and leakage vortices get influenced by tip injection. There is significant reduction in the extent of the low momentum zone of the leakage vortex with injection. This effect is much less pronounced for the passage vortex. On the other hand, complex flow patterns are observed within the passage vortex, especially in the case of reversed-triangular injection, such as a possible embedded vortical structure along the passage vortex core, which creates double peaks in the velocity and turbulent kinetic energy fields and complex patterns in Reynolds shear stress.

The Influence of Different Rim Seal Geometries on Hot-Gas Ingestion and Total Pressure Loss in a Low-Pressure Turbine

2010 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Schuler ◽  
W. Kurz ◽  
K. Dullenkopf ◽  
H.-J. Bauer
Keyword(s):  
Pressure Loss ◽  
Total Pressure ◽  
Gas Flow ◽  
Low Pressure ◽  
Total Pressure Loss ◽  
Pressure Loss Coefficient ◽  
Low Pressure Turbine ◽  
Hot Gas ◽  
Flow Through ◽  
Total Pressure Loss Coefficient

In order to prevent hot-gas ingestion into the rotating turbo machine’s inside, rim seals are used in the cavities located between stator- and rotor-disc. The sealing flow ejected through the rim seal interacts with the boundary layer of the main gas flow, thus playing a significant role in the formation of secondary flows which are a major contributor to aerodynamic losses in turbine passages. Investigations performed in the EU project MAGPI concentrate on the interaction between the sealing flow and the main gas flow and in particular on the influence of different rim seal geometries regarding the loss-mechanism in a low-pressure turbine passage. Within the CFD work reported in this paper static simulations of one typical low-pressure turbine passage were conducted containing two different rim seal geometries, respectively. The sealing flow through the rim seal had an azimuthal velocity component and its rate has been varied between 0–1% of the main gas flow. The modular design of the computational domain provided the easy exchange of the rim seal geometry without remeshing the main gas flow. This allowed assessing the appearing effects only to the change of rim seal geometry. The results of this work agree with well-known secondary flow phenomena inside a turbine passage and reveal the impact of the different rim seal geometries on hot-gas ingestion and aerodynamic losses quantified by a total pressure loss coefficient along the turbine blade. While the simple axial gap geometry suffers considerable hot-gas ingestion upstream the blade leading edge, the compound geometry implying an axial overlapping presents a more promising prevention against hot-gas ingestion. Furthermore, the effect of rim seals on the turbine passage flow field has been identified applying adequate flow visualisation techniques. As a result of the favourable conduction of sealing flow through the compound geometry, the boundary layer is less lifted by the ejected sealing flow, thus resulting in a comparatively reduced total pressure loss coefficient over the turbine blade.

Experimental Investigation of Total Pressure Loss Development in a Highly Loaded Low-Pressure Turbine Cascade

2017 ◽  
Vol 140 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Philip Bear ◽  
Mitch Wolff ◽  
Andreas Gross ◽  
Christopher R. Marks ◽  
Rolf Sondergaard
Keyword(s):  
Flow Field ◽  
Secondary Flow ◽  
Pressure Loss ◽  
Total Pressure ◽  
Low Pressure ◽  
Total Pressure Loss ◽  
Low Pressure Turbine ◽  
Pressure Transport ◽  
Secondary Flow Field ◽  
Highly Loaded

Improvements in turbine design methods have resulted in the development of blade profiles with both high lift and good Reynolds lapse characteristics. An increase in aerodynamic loading of blades in the low-pressure turbine (LPT) section of aircraft gas turbine engines has the potential to reduce engine weight or increase power extraction. Increased blade loading means larger pressure gradients and increased secondary losses near the endwall. Prior work has emphasized the importance of reducing these losses if highly loaded blades are to be utilized. The present study analyzes the secondary flow field of the front-loaded low-pressure turbine blade designated L2F with and without blade profile contouring at the junction of the blade and endwall. The current work explores the loss production mechanisms inside the LPT cascade. Stereoscopic particle image velocimetry (SPIV) data and total pressure loss data are used to describe the secondary flow field. The flow is analyzed in terms of total pressure loss, vorticity, Q-Criterion, turbulent kinetic energy, and turbulence production. The flow description is then expanded upon using an implicit large eddy simulation (ILES) of the flow field. The Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) momentum equations contain terms with pressure derivatives. With some manipulation, these equations can be rearranged to form an equation for the change in total pressure along a streamline as a function of velocity only. After simplifying for the flow field in question, the equation can be interpreted as the total pressure transport along a streamline. A comparison of the total pressure transport calculated from the velocity components and the total pressure loss is presented and discussed. Peak values of total pressure transport overlap peak values of total pressure loss through and downstream of the passage suggesting that the total pressure transport is a useful tool for localizing and predicting loss origins and loss development using velocity data which can be obtained nonintrusively.

Influence of a Novel 3D Leading Edge Geometry on the Aerodynamic Performance of Low Pressure Turbine Blade Cascade Vanes

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Asghar ◽  
W. D. E. Allan ◽  
M. LaViolette ◽  
R. Woodason
Keyword(s):  
Turbine Blade ◽  
Pressure Loss ◽  
Total Pressure ◽  
Separated Flow ◽  
Leading Edge ◽  
Low Pressure ◽  
Aerodynamic Performance ◽  
Total Pressure Loss ◽  
Low Pressure Turbine ◽  
Edge Geometry

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.

Secondary Flow Loss Reduction Through Blowing for a High-Lift Front-Loaded Low Pressure Turbine Cascade

2012 ◽  
Vol 135 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Stuart I. Benton ◽  
Jeffrey P. Bons ◽  
Rolf Sondergaard
Keyword(s):  
Reynolds Number ◽  
Pressure Loss ◽  
Total Pressure ◽  
Control Method ◽  
Low Pressure ◽  
Total Pressure Loss ◽  
Suction Surface ◽  
High Lift ◽  
Blade Loading ◽  
Low Pressure Turbine

Efforts to increase individual blade loading in the low pressure turbine have resulted in blade geometries optimized for midspan performance. Many researchers have shown that increased blade loading and a front-loaded pressure distribution each separately contribute to increased losses in the endwall region. A detailed investigation of the baseline endwall flow of the L2F profile, which is a high-lift front loaded profile, is performed. In-plane velocity vectors and total pressure loss maps are obtained in five planes oriented normal to the blade surface for three Reynolds numbers. A row of pitched and skewed jets are introduced near the endwall on the suction surface of the blade. The flow control method is evaluated for four momentum coefficients at the high Reynolds number, with a maximum reduction of 42% in the area averaged total pressure loss coefficient. The same blade is also fitted with midspan vortex-generator jets and is tested at a Reynolds number of 20,000, resulting in a 21% reduction in the area averaged total pressure loss.

Experimental Investigation of Total Pressure Loss Development in a Highly Loaded Low Pressure Turbine Cascade

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Philip Bear ◽  
Mitch Wolff ◽  
Andreas Gross ◽  
Christopher R. Marks ◽  
Rolf Sondergaard
Keyword(s):  
Flow Field ◽  
Pressure Loss ◽  
Total Pressure ◽  
Low Pressure ◽  
Total Pressure Loss ◽  
Turbine Cascade ◽  
Low Pressure Turbine ◽  
Pressure Transport ◽  
Secondary Flow Field ◽  
Highly Loaded

Improvements in turbine design methods have resulted in the development of blade profiles with both high lift and good Reynolds lapse characteristics. An increase in aerodynamic loading of blades in the low pressure turbine section of aircraft gas turbine engines has the potential to reduce engine weight or increase power extraction. Increased blade loading means larger pressure gradients and increased secondary losses near the endwall. Prior work has emphasized the importance of reducing these losses if highly loaded blades are to be utilized. The present study analyzes the secondary flow field of the front-loaded low-pressure turbine blade designated L2F with and without blade profile contouring at the junction of the blade and endwall. The current work explores the loss production mechanisms inside the low pressure turbine cascade. Stereoscopic particle image velocimetry data and total pressure loss data are used to describe the secondary flow field. The flow is analyzed in terms of total pressure loss, vorticity, Q-Criterion, turbulent kinetic energy and turbulence production. The flow description is then expanded upon using an Implicit Large Eddy Simulation of the flow field. The RANS momentum equations contain terms with pressure derivatives. With some manipulation these equations can be rearranged to form an equation for the change in total pressure along a streamline as a function of velocity only. After simplifying for the flow field in question the equation can be interpreted as the total pressure transport along a streamline. A comparison of the total pressure transport calculated from the velocity components and the total pressure loss is presented and discussed. Peak values of total pressure transport overlap peak values of total pressure loss through and downstream of the passage suggesting that total pressure transport is a useful tool for localizing and predicting loss origins and loss development using velocity data which can be obtained non-intrusively.

Secondary Flow Loss Reduction Through Blowing for a High-Lift Front-Loaded Low Pressure Turbine Cascade

2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stuart Benton ◽  
Jeffrey P. Bons ◽  
Rolf Sondergaard
Keyword(s):  
Reynolds Number ◽  
Pressure Loss ◽  
Total Pressure ◽  
Control Method ◽  
Low Pressure ◽  
Total Pressure Loss ◽  
Suction Surface ◽  
High Lift ◽  
Blade Loading ◽  
Low Pressure Turbine

Efforts to increase individual blade loading in the low pressure turbine have resulted in blade geometries optimized for midspan performance. Many researchers have shown that increased blade loading and a front-loaded pressure distribution each contribute separately to increased losses in the endwall region. A detailed investigation is performed of the baseline endwall flow of the L2F profile, a high-lift, front loaded profile. In-plane velocity vectors and total pressure loss maps are obtained in five planes oriented normal to the blade surface, for three Reynolds numbers. A row of pitched and skewed jets are introduced near the endwall on the suction surface of the blade. The flow control method is evaluated for four momentum coefficients at the high Reynolds number, with a maximum reduction of 42% in the area averaged total pressure loss coefficient. The same blade is also fitted with midspan vortex-generator jets and is tested at a Reynolds number of 20,000, resulting in a 21% reduction in area averaged total pressure loss.

Conjugate Heat Transfer Characteristics of Double Wall Cooling With Gradient Diameter of Film and Impingement Holes

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juan He ◽  
Qinghua Deng ◽  
Zhenping Feng
Keyword(s):  
Heat Transfer ◽  
Pressure Loss ◽  
Total Pressure ◽  
Flow Direction ◽  
Turbine Blades ◽  
Total Pressure Loss ◽  
Advanced Technique ◽  
Cooling Effectiveness ◽  
Uniform Pattern ◽  
Double Wall

Abstract Double wall cooling, consisting of internal impingement cooling and external film cooling, is believed to be the most advanced technique in modern turbine blades cooling. In this paper, to improve the uniformity of temperature distribution, a flat plate double wall cooling model with gradient diameter of film and impingement holes was proposed, and the heat transfer and flow characteristics were investigated by solving steady three-dimensional Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) equations with SST k-ω turbulence model. The influence of gradient diameter on overall cooling effectiveness and total pressure loss was studied by comparing with the uniform pattern at the blowing ratios ranging from 0.5 to 2. For gradient diameter of film hole patterns, results show that −10% film pattern always has the lowest film flow non-uniformity coefficient. The laterally averaged overall cooling effectiveness of uniform pattern lies between that of +10% and −10% film patterns, but the intersection of three patterns moves upstream from the middle of flow direction with the increase of blowing ratio. Therefore, the −10% film pattern exerts the highest area averaged cooling effectiveness, which is improved by up to 1.6% and 1% at BR = 0.5 and 1 respectively compared with a uniform pattern. However, at higher blowing ratios, the +10% film pattern maintains higher cooling effectiveness and lower total pressure loss. For gradient diameter of impingement hole patterns, the intersection of laterally averaged overall cooling effectiveness in three patterns is located near the middle of flow direction under all blowing ratios. The uniform pattern has the highest area averaged cooling effectiveness and the smallest non-uniform coefficient, but the −10% jet pattern has advantages of reducing pressure loss, especially in the laminated loss.

The Application of Flow Control to an Aft-Loaded Low Pressure Turbine Cascade With Unsteady Wakes

2008 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeffrey P. Bons ◽  
Jon Pluim ◽  
Kyle Gompertz ◽  
Matthew Bloxham ◽  
John P. Clark
Keyword(s):  
Reynolds Number ◽  
Flow Control ◽  
Shear Layer ◽  
Pressure Loss ◽  
Total Pressure ◽  
Separation Zone ◽  
Total Pressure Loss ◽  
Separation Control ◽  
Low Pressure Turbine ◽  
Separated Shear Layer

The synchronous application of flow control in the presence of unsteady wakes was studied on a highly-loaded low pressure turbine blade. The L1A blade has a design Zweifel coefficient of 1.34 and a suction peak at 58% axial chord, making it an aft-loaded pressure distribution. Velocity and pressure data were acquired at Rec = 20,000 with 3% incoming freestream turbulence. Unsteady wakes from an upstream vane row are simulated with a moving row of bars at a flow coefficient of 0.76. At this Reynolds number, the blade exhibits a non-reattaching separation bubble beginning at 57% axial chord under steady flow conditions without upstream wakes. The separation zone is modified substantially by the presence of unsteady wakes, producing a smaller separation zone and reducing the area-averaged wake total pressure loss by more than 50%. The wake disturbance accelerates transition in the separated shear layer but stops short of reattaching the flow. Rather, a new time-averaged equilibrium location is established for the separated shear layer, further downstream than without wakes. The focus of this study was the application of pulsed flow control using two spanwise rows of discrete vortex generator jets (VGJs). The VGJs were located at 59% Cx, approximately the peak cp location, and at 72% Cx. The most effective separation control was achieved at the 59% Cx location. Wake total pressure loss decreased 60% from the wake only level and the cp distribution fully recovered its high Reynolds number (attached flow) performance. The VGJ disturbance dominates the dynamics of the separated shear layer, with the wake disturbance assuming a secondary role only. When the pulsed jet actuation (30% duty cycle) was initiated at the 72% Cx location, synchronization with the wake passing frequency (10.6Hz) was key to producing the most effective separation control. A 25% improvement in effectiveness was obtained by aligning the jet actuation between wake events. Evidence suggests that flow control using VGJs will be effective in the highly unsteady LPT environment of an operating gas turbine, provided the VGJ location and amplitude are adapted for the specific blade profile.

Optimization of a Large Injection System for Steam Turbines

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leonardo Nettis ◽  
Enzo Imparato ◽  
Lorenzo Cosi
Keyword(s):  
Pressure Loss ◽  
Total Pressure ◽  
Flow Distribution ◽  
Low Pressure ◽  
Total Pressure Loss ◽  
Injection System ◽  
Steam Turbines ◽  
Original Design ◽  
Design And Optimization ◽  
Large Injection

Steam turbines are applied in production plants characterized by very large injections of low pressure steam. For this reason the design and optimization of the injection section is fundamental to obtain an adequate level of turbine efficiency and ensure uniform flow at the inlet of the low pressure stages downstream the injection. This paper illustrate the optimization performed on a Steam Turbine injection system for a unit in which injection flow is 80% of the total outlet mass flow. Optimization was performed varying the shape of the original steam guide with the twofold objective of minimizing the total pressure loss and uniform the circumferential flow distribution. The analysis has been performed using RANS 2D and 3D CFD solver. The design process has been structured in 3 different steps: i) Axisymmetric CFD screening based on DOE ii) 3D-CFD verification of the profile shape previously obtained with the additional estimation of the flow uniformity on 360° iii) 3D-CFD of the injection module including the reaction stage upstream and the first LP stage downstream, with the stator modeled on 360°. The main outcomes are presented in terms of total pressure loss and uniformity of circumferential flow, both strongly reduced with respect to the original design. Moreover in order to characterize the excitation associated with flow non-uniformity an analysis in the frequency domain of the flow distribution has been performed.

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