Numerical Investigation of Aerothermal Characteristics of the Blade Tip and Near-Tip Regions of a Transonic Turbine Blade

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Arisi ◽  
S. Xue ◽  
W. F. Ng ◽  
H. K. Moon ◽  
L. Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Heat Transfer ◽  
Mach Number ◽  
Gas Turbine ◽  
Turbine Blade ◽  
Rotor Blade ◽  
Turbine Engines ◽  
Gas Turbine Engines ◽  
Tip Leakage Flow ◽  
Blade Tip ◽  
Exit Mach Number

In modern gas turbine engines, the blade tips and near-tip regions are exposed to high thermal loads caused by the tip leakage flow. The rotor blades are therefore carefully designed to achieve optimum work extraction at engine design conditions without failure. However, very often gas turbine engines operate outside these design conditions which might result in sudden rotor blade failure. Therefore, it is critical that the effect of such off-design turbine blade operation be understood to minimize the risk of failure and optimize rotor blade tip performance. In this study, the effect of varying the exit Mach number on the tip and near-tip heat transfer characteristics was numerically studied by solving the steady Reynolds Averaged Navier Stokes (RANS) equation. The study was carried out on a highly loaded flat tip rotor blade with 1% tip gap and at exit Mach numbers of Mexit = 0.85 (Reexit = 9.75 × 105) and Mexit = 1.0 (Reexit = 1.15 × 106) with high freestream turbulence (Tu = 12%). The exit Reynolds number was based on the rotor axial chord. The numerical results provided detailed insight into the flow structure and heat transfer distribution on the tip and near-tip surfaces. On the tip surface, the heat transfer was found to generally increase with exit Mach number due to high turbulence generation in the tip gap and flow reattachment. While increase in exit Mach number generally raises he heat transfer over the whole blade surface, the increase is significantly higher on the near-tip surfaces affected by leakage vortex. Increase in exit Mach number was found to also induce strong flow relaminarisation on the pressure side near-tip. On the other hand, the size of the suction surface near-tip region affected by leakage vortex was insensitive to changes in exit Mach number but significant increase in local heat transfer was noted in this region.

Numerical Investigation of Aerothermal Characteristics of the Blade Tip and Near-Tip Regions of a Transonic Turbine Blade

2015 ◽  
Vol 137 (9) ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Arisi ◽  
S. Xue ◽  
W. F. Ng ◽  
H. K. Moon ◽  
L. Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Heat Transfer ◽  
Mach Number ◽  
Gas Turbine ◽  
Turbine Blade ◽  
Rotor Blade ◽  
Turbine Engines ◽  
Gas Turbine Engines ◽  
Tip Leakage Flow ◽  
Blade Tip ◽  
Exit Mach Number

In modern gas turbine engines, the blade tips and near-tip regions are exposed to high thermal loads caused by the tip leakage flow. The rotor blades are therefore carefully designed to achieve optimum work extraction at engine design conditions without failure. However, very often gas turbine engines operate outside these design conditions which might result in sudden rotor blade failure. Therefore, it is critical that the effect of such off-design turbine blade operation be understood to minimize the risk of failure and optimize rotor blade tip performance. In this study, the effect of varying the exit Mach number on the tip and near-tip heat transfer characteristics was numerically studied by solving the steady Reynolds averaged Navier Stokes (RANS) equation. The study was carried out on a highly loaded flat tip rotor blade with 1% tip gap and at exit Mach numbers of Mexit = 0.85 (Reexit = 9.75 × 105) and Mexit = 1.0 (Reexit = 1.15 × 106) with high freestream turbulence (Tu = 12%). The exit Reynolds number was based on the rotor axial chord. The numerical results provided detailed insight into the flow structure and heat transfer distribution on the tip and near-tip surfaces. On the tip surface, the heat transfer was found to generally increase with exit Mach number due to high turbulence generation in the tip gap and flow reattachment. While increase in exit Mach number generally raises he heat transfer over the whole blade surface, the increase is significantly higher on the near-tip surfaces affected by leakage vortex. Increase in exit Mach number was found to also induce strong flow relaminarization on the pressure side near-tip. On the other hand, the size of the suction surface near-tip region affected by leakage vortex was insensitive to changes in exit Mach number but significant increase in local heat transfer was noted in this region.

Numerical Modeling of Heat Transfer and Pressure Losses for Uncooled Gas Turbine Blade Tip: Effect of Tip Clearance and Tip Geometry

2007 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lamyaa A. El-Gabry
Keyword(s):  
Heat Transfer ◽  
Mach Number ◽  
Gas Turbine ◽  
Computational Study ◽  
Numerical Models ◽  
Pressure Ratio ◽  
Tip Clearance ◽  
Pressure Losses ◽  
Blade Tip ◽  
Exit Mach Number

A computational study has been performed to predict the heat transfer distribution on the blade tip surface for a representative gas turbine first stage blade. CFD predictions of blade tip heat transfer are compared to test measurements taken in a linear cascade, when available. The blade geometry has an inlet Mach number of 0.3 and an exit Mach number of 0.75, pressure ratio of 1.5, exit Reynolds number based on axial chord of 2.57×106, and total turning of 110 deg. Three blade tip configurations were considered; they are flat tip, a full perimeter squealer, and an offset squealer where the rim is offset to the interior of the tip perimeter. These three tip geometries were modeled at three tip clearances of 1.25, 2.0, and 2.75% of blade span. The tip heat transfer results of the numerical models agree fairly well with the data and are comparable to other CFD predictions in the open literature.

scholarly journals Effects of Tip Clearance Gap and Exit Mach Number on Turbine Blade Tip and Near-Tip Heat Transfer

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Anto ◽  
S. Xue ◽  
W. F. Ng ◽  
L. J. Zhang ◽  
H. K. Moon
Keyword(s):  
Heat Transfer ◽  
Mach Number ◽  
Turbine Blade ◽  
Leading Edge ◽  
Suction Side ◽  
Tip Clearance ◽  
Pressure Side ◽  
Engine Blade ◽  
Blade Tip ◽  
Exit Mach Number

This study focuses on local heat transfer characteristics on the tip and near-tip regions of a turbine blade with a flat tip, tested under transonic conditions in a stationary, 2-D linear cascade with high freestream turbulence. The experiments were conducted at the Virginia Tech transonic blow-down wind tunnel facility. The effects of tip clearance and exit Mach number on heat transfer distribution were investigated on the tip surface using a transient infrared thermography technique. In addition, thin film gages were used to study similar effects in heat transfer on the near-tip regions at 94% height based on engine blade span of the pressure and suction sides. Surface oil flow visualizations on the blade tip region were carried-out to shed some light on the leakage flow structure. Experiments were performed at three exit Mach numbers of 0.7, 0.85, and 1.05 for two different tip clearances of 0.9% and 1.8% based on turbine blade span. The exit Mach numbers tested correspond to exit Reynolds numbers of 7.6 × 105, 9.0 × 105, and 1.1 × 106 based on blade true chord. The tests were performed with a high freestream turbulence intensity of 12% at the cascade inlet. Results at 0.85 exit Mach showed that an increase in the tip gap clearance from 0.9% to 1.8% translates into a 3% increase in the average heat transfer coefficients on the blade tip surface. At 0.9% tip clearance, an increase in exit Mach number from 0.85 to 1.05 led to a 39% increase in average heat transfer on the tip. High heat transfer was observed on the blade tip surface near the leading edge, and an increase in the tip clearance gap and exit Mach number augmented this near-leading edge tip heat transfer. At 94% of engine blade height on the suction side near the tip, a peak in heat transfer was observed in all test cases at s/C = 0.66, due to the onset of a downstream leakage vortex, originating from the pressure side. An increase in both the tip gap and exit Mach number resulted in an increase, followed by a decrease in the near-tip suction side heat transfer. On the near-tip pressure side, a slight increase in heat transfer was observed with increased tip gap and exit Mach number. In general, the suction side heat transfer is greater than the pressure side heat transfer, as a result of the suction side leakage vortices.

scholarly journals Heat Transfer and Pressure Distributions on a Gas Turbine Blade Tip

2000 ◽  
Vol 122 (4) ◽  
pp. 717-724 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gm. S. Azad ◽  
Je-Chin Han ◽  
Shuye Teng ◽  
Robert J. Boyle
Keyword(s):  
Heat Transfer ◽  
Heat Transfer Coefficient ◽  
Transfer Coefficient ◽  
Gas Turbine ◽  
Turbine Blade ◽  
Turbulence Intensity ◽  
Rotor Blade ◽  
Static Pressure ◽  
Pressure Distributions ◽  
Blade Tip

Heat transfer coefficient and static pressure distributions are experimentally investigated on a gas turbine blade tip in a five-bladed stationary linear cascade. The blade is a two-dimensional model of a first-stage gas turbine rotor blade with a blade tip profile of a GE-E3 aircraft gas turbine engine rotor blade. The flow condition in the test cascade corresponds to an overall pressure ratio of 1.32 and exit Reynolds number based on axial chord of 1.1×106. The middle 3-blade has a variable tip gap clearance. All measurements are made at three different tip gap clearances of about 1, 1.5, and 2.5 percent of the blade span. Heat transfer measurements are also made at two different turbulence intensity levels of 6.1 and 9.7 percent at the cascade inlet. Static pressure measurements are made in the midspan and the near-tip regions as well as on the shroud surface, opposite the blade tip surface. Detailed heat transfer coefficient distributions on the plane tip surface are measured using a transient liquid crystal technique. Results show various regions of high and low heat transfer coefficient on the tip surface. Tip clearance has a significant influence on local tip heat transfer coefficient distribution. Heat transfer coefficient also increases about 15–20 percent along the leakage flow path at higher turbulence intensity level of 9.7 over 6.1 percent. [S0889-504X(00)00404-9]

Numerical Modeling of Heat Transfer and Pressure Losses for an Uncooled Gas Turbine Blade Tip: Effect of Tip Clearance and Tip Geometry

2009 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lamyaa A. El-Gabry
Keyword(s):  
Heat Transfer ◽  
Mach Number ◽  
Gas Turbine ◽  
Computational Study ◽  
Numerical Models ◽  
Pressure Ratio ◽  
Tip Clearance ◽  
Pressure Losses ◽  
Blade Tip ◽  
Exit Mach Number

A computational study has been performed to predict the heat transfer distribution on the blade tip surface for a representative gas turbine first stage blade. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) predictions of blade tip heat transfer are compared with test measurements taken in a linear cascade, when available. The blade geometry has an inlet Mach number of 0.3 and an exit Mach number of 0.75, pressure ratio of 1.5, exit Reynolds number based on axial chord of 2.57×106, and total turning of 110 deg. Three blade tip configurations were considered; a flat tip, a full perimeter squealer, and an offset squealer where the rim is offset to the interior of the tip perimeter. These three tip geometries were modeled at three tip clearances of 1.25%, 2.0%, and 2.75% of the blade span. The tip heat transfer results of the numerical models agree well with data. For the case in which side-by-side comparison with test measurements in the open literature is possible, the magnitude of the heat transfer coefficient in the “sweet spot” matches data exactly and shows 20–50% better agreement with experiment than prior CFD predictions of this same case.

Computational Modelling of Tip Heat Transfer to a Super-Scale Model of an Unshrouded Gas Turbine Blade

2008 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brian M. T. Tang ◽  
Pepe Palafox ◽  
David R. H. Gillespie ◽  
Martin L. G. Oldfield ◽  
Brian C. Y. Cheong
Keyword(s):  
Heat Transfer ◽  
Experimental Data ◽  
Nusselt Number ◽  
Gas Turbine ◽  
Turbine Blade ◽  
Computational Study ◽  
Turbulence Models ◽  
Scale Model ◽  
Tip Leakage Flow ◽  
Blade Tip

Control of over-tip leakage flow between turbine blade tips and the stationary shroud is one of the major challenges facing gas turbine designers today. The flow imposes large thermal loads on unshrouded high pressure turbine blades and is significantly detrimental to turbine blade life. This paper presents results from a computational study performed to investigate the detailed blade tip heat transfer on a sharp-edged, flat tip HP turbine blade. The tip gap is engine representative at 1.5% of the blade chord. Nusselt number distributions on the blade tip surface have been obtained from steady flow simulations and are compared to experimental data carried out in a super-scale cascade, which allows detailed flow and heat transfer measurements in stationary and engine representative conditions. Fully structured, multiblock hexahedral meshes were used in the simulations, performed in the commercial solver Fluent. Seven industry-standard turbulence models, and a number of different tip gridding strategies are compared, varying in complexity from the one-equation Spalart-Allmaras model to a seven-equation Reynolds Stress model. Of the turbulence models examined, the standard k-ω model gave the closest agreement to the experimental data. The discrepancy in Nusselt number observed was just 5%. However, the size of the separation on the pressure side rim was underpredicted, causing the position of reattachment to occur too close to the edge. Other turbulence models tested typically underpredicted Nusselt numbers by around 35%, although locating the position of peak heat flux correctly. The effect of the blade to casing motion was also simulated successfully, qualitatively producing the same changes in secondary flow features as were previously observed experimentally, with associated changes in heat transfer to the blade tip.

Computational Modeling of Tip Heat Transfer to a Superscale Model of an Unshrouded Gas Turbine Blade

2010 ◽  
Vol 132 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Brian M. T. Tang ◽  
Pepe Palafox ◽  
Brian C. Y. Cheong ◽  
Martin L. G. Oldfield ◽  
David R. H. Gillespie
Keyword(s):  
Heat Transfer ◽  
Experimental Data ◽  
Nusselt Number ◽  
Gas Turbine ◽  
Turbine Blade ◽  
Computational Study ◽  
Turbine Blades ◽  
Turbulence Models ◽  
Tip Leakage Flow ◽  
Blade Tip

Control of over-tip leakage flow between turbine blade tips and the stationary shroud is one of the major challenges facing gas turbine designers today. The flow imposes large thermal loads on unshrouded high pressure (HP) turbine blades and is significantly detrimental to turbine blade life. This paper presents results from a computational study performed to investigate the detailed blade tip heat transfer on a sharp-edged, flat tip HP turbine blade. The tip gap is engine representative at 1.5% of the blade chord. Nusselt number distributions on the blade tip surface have been obtained from steady flow simulations and are compared with experimental data carried out in a superscale cascade, which allows detailed flow and heat transfer measurements in stationary and engine representative conditions. Fully structured, multiblock hexahedral meshes were used in the simulations performed in the commercial solver FLUENT. Seven industry-standard turbulence models and a number of different tip gridding strategies are compared, varying in complexity from the one-equation Spalart–Allmaras model to a seven-equation Reynolds stress model. Of the turbulence models examined, the standard k-ω model gave the closest agreement to the experimental data. The discrepancy in Nusselt number observed was just 5%. However, the size of the separation on the pressure side rim was underpredicted, causing the position of reattachment to occur too close to the edge. Other turbulence models tested typically underpredicted Nusselt numbers by around 35%, although locating the position of peak heat flux correctly. The effect of the blade to casing motion was also simulated successfully, qualitatively producing the same changes in secondary flow features as were previously observed experimentally, with associated changes in heat transfer with the blade tip.

scholarly journals Heat Transfer and Pressure Distributions on a Gas Turbine Blade Tip

2000 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gm S. Azad ◽  
Je-Chin Han ◽  
Shuye Teng ◽  
Robert J. Boyle
Keyword(s):  
Heat Transfer ◽  
Heat Transfer Coefficient ◽  
Transfer Coefficient ◽  
Gas Turbine ◽  
Turbine Blade ◽  
Turbulence Intensity ◽  
Rotor Blade ◽  
Static Pressure ◽  
Pressure Distributions ◽  
Blade Tip

Heat transfer coefficient and static pressure distributions are experimentally investigated on a gas turbine blade tip in a five-bladed stationary linear cascade. The blade is a 2-dimensional model of a first stage gas turbine rotor blade with a blade tip profile of a GE-E3 aircraft gas turbine engine rotor blade. The flow condition in the test cascade corresponds to an overall pressure ratio of 1.32 and exit Reynolds number based on axial chord of 1.1×106. The middle 3-blade has a variable tip gap clearance. All measurements are made at three different tip gap clearances of about 1%, 1.5%, and 2.5% of the blade span. Heat transfer measurements are also made at two different turbulence intensity levels of 6.1% and 9.7% at the cascade inlet. Static pressure measurements are made in the mid-span and the near-tip regions as well as on the shroud surface, opposite the blade tip surface. Detailed heat transfer coefficient distributions on the plane tip surface are measured using a transient liquid crystal technique. Results show various regions of high and low heat transfer coefficient on the tip surface. Tip clearance has a significant influence on local tip heat transfer coefficient distribution. Heat transfer coefficient also increases about 15–20% along the leakage flow path at higher turbulence intensity level of 9.7% over 6.1%.

Heat Transfer Coefficients and Film Cooling Effectiveness on the Squealer Tip of a Gas Turbine Blade

2003 ◽  
Vol 125 (4) ◽  
pp. 648-657 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jae Su Kwak ◽  
Je-Chin Han
Keyword(s):  
Heat Transfer ◽  
Gas Turbine ◽  
Turbine Blade ◽  
Film Cooling ◽  
Rotor Blade ◽  
Transfer Coefficients ◽  
Cooling Effectiveness ◽  
Film Cooling Effectiveness ◽  
Heat Transfer Coefficients ◽  
Blowing Ratio

Experimental investigations were performed to measure the detailed heat transfer coefficients and film cooling effectiveness on the squealer tip of a gas turbine blade in a five-bladed linear cascade. The blade was a two-dimensional model of a first stage gas turbine rotor blade with a profile of the GE-E3 aircraft gas turbine engine rotor blade. The test blade had a squealer (recessed) tip with a 4.22% recess. The blade model was equipped with a single row of film cooling holes on the pressure side near the tip region and the tip surface along the camber line. Hue detection based transient liquid crystals technique was used to measure heat transfer coefficients and film cooling effectiveness. All measurements were done for the three tip gap clearances of 1.0%, 1.5%, and 2.5% of blade span at the two blowing ratios of 1.0 and 2.0. The Reynolds number based on cascade exit velocity and axial chord length was 1.1×106 and the total turning angle of the blade was 97.9 deg. The overall pressure ratio was 1.2 and the inlet and exit Mach numbers were 0.25 and 0.59, respectively. The turbulence intensity level at the cascade inlet was 9.7%. Results showed that the overall heat transfer coefficients increased with increasing tip gap clearance, but decreased with increasing blowing ratio. However, the overall film cooling effectiveness increased with increasing blowing ratio. Results also showed that the overall film cooling effectiveness increased but heat transfer coefficients decreased for the squealer tip when compared to the plane tip at the same tip gap clearance and blowing ratio conditions.

scholarly journals Heat Transfer and Flow on the Squealer Tip of a Gas Turbine Blade

2000 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gm S. Azad ◽  
Je-Chin Han ◽  
Robert J. Boyle
Keyword(s):  
Heat Transfer ◽  
Heat Transfer Coefficient ◽  
Transfer Coefficient ◽  
Gas Turbine ◽  
Rotor Blade ◽  
Static Pressure ◽  
Cavity Surface ◽  
Edge Region ◽  
Blade Tip ◽  
The Heat Transfer Coefficient

Experimental investigations are performed to measure the detailed heat transfer coefficient and static pressure distributions on the squealer tip of a gas turbine blade in a five-bladed stationary linear cascade. The blade is a 2-dimensional model of a modern first stage gas turbine rotor blade with a blade tip profile of a GE-E3 aircraft gas turbine engine rotor blade. A squealer (recessed) tip with a 3.77% recess is considered here. The data on the squealer tip are also compared with a flat tip case. All measurements are made at three different tip gap clearances of about 1%, 1.5%, and 2.5% of the blade span. Two different turbulence intensities of 6.1% and 9.7% at the cascade inlet are also considered for heat transfer measurements. Static pressure measurements are made in the mid-span and near-tip regions, as well as on the shroud surface opposite to the blade tip surface. The flow condition in the test cascade corresponds to an overall pressure ratio of 1.32 and an exit Reynolds number based on the axial chord of 1.1×106. A transient liquid crystal technique is used to measure the heat transfer coefficients. Results show that the heat transfer coefficient on the cavity surface and rim increases with an increase in tip clearance. The heat transfer coefficient on the rim is higher than the cavity surface. The cavity surface has a higher heat transfer coefficient near the leading edge region than the trailing edge region. The heat transfer coefficient on the pressure side rim and trailing edge region is higher at a higher turbulence intensity level of 9.7% over 6.1% case. However, no significant difference in local heat transfer coefficient is observed inside the cavity and the suction side rim for the two turbulence intensities. The squealer tip blade provides a lower overall heat transfer coefficient when compared to the flat tip blade.

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