LES and CDNS Investigation of T106C Low Pressure Turbine

Author(s):  
Site Hu ◽  
Chao Zhou ◽  
Zhenhua Xia ◽  
Shiyi Chen

This paper investigates the aerodynamic performance of a low pressure turbine, namely the T106C, by large eddy simulation (LES) and coarse grid direct numerical simulation (CDNS) at a Reynolds number of 100,000. The existing experimental data is used to validate the results. The effects of sub-grid scale (SGS) models, mesh densities, computational domains and boundary conditions on the result are studied. A separation zone appears downstream 60% S/S0, which is difficult to be predicted precisely. Two SGS models, i.e. Smagorinsky and WALE model are implemented. WALE model produces a better result than Smagorinsky model when the mesh is coarse. For the fine mesh, the difference due to the SGS models becomes smaller. It is surprising to find that CDNS produces very similar results to WALE model, and their results are in better agreement with the experiment than that of Smagorinsky model. The computational domain is also important for the prediction of the flow near the midspan. 3D features of the separated flow have an effect on the downstream flows, especially for the area near the reattachment. Sufficient long spanwise computational domain is important for an accurate prediction. The current study also find that the endwall secondary flow has an effect on the flow separation near the middle span, which was seldom discussed before. By considering the effects of endwall secondary flows, better prediction of the flow separation near the blade midspan can be achieved. The effect of the endwall secondary flow on the blade suction side separation is also explained with the analytical method based on the Biot-Savart Law.

2017 ◽  
Vol 140 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Site Hu ◽  
Chao Zhou ◽  
Zhenhua Xia ◽  
Shiyi Chen

This study investigates the aerodynamic performance of a low-pressure turbine, namely the T106C, by large eddy simulation (LES) and coarse grid direct numerical simulation (CDNS) at a Reynolds number of 100,000. Existing experimental data were used to validate the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) tool. The effects of subgrid scale (SGS) models, mesh densities, computational domains and boundary conditions on the CFD predictions are studied. On the blade suction surface, a separation zone starts at a location of about 55% along the suction surface. The prediction of flow separation on the turbine blade is always found to be difficult and is one of the focuses of this work. The ability of Smagorinsky and wall-adapting local eddy viscosity (WALE) model in predicting the flow separation is compared. WALE model produces better predictions than the Smagorinsky model. CDNS produces very similar predictions to WALE model. With a finer mesh, the difference due to SGS models becomes smaller. The size of the computational domain is also important. At blade midspan, three-dimensional (3D) features of the separated flow have an effect on the downstream flows, especially for the area near the reattachment. By further considering the effects of endwall secondary flows, a better prediction of the flow separation near the blade midspan can be achieved. The effect of the endwall secondary flow on the blade suction surface separation at the midspan is explained with the analytical method based on the Biot–Savart Law.


Author(s):  
Stephen Lynch

Turbine airfoils are subject to strong secondary flows that produce total pressure loss and high surface heat transfer in the airfoil passage. The secondary flows arise from the high overall flow turning acting on the incoming boundary layer, as well as the generation of a horseshoe vortex at the leading edge of the airfoil. Prediction of the effects of secondary flows on endwall heat transfer using steady Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) approaches has so far been somewhat unsatisfactory, but it is unclear whether this is due to unsteadiness of the secondary flow, modeling assumptions (such as the Boussinesq approximation and Reynolds analogy), strongly non-equilibrium boundary layer behavior in the highly skewed endwall flow, or some combination of all. To address some of these questions, and to determine the efficacy of higher-fidelity computational approaches to predict endwall heat transfer, a low pressure turbine cascade was modeled using a wall-modeled Large Eddy Simulation (LES) approach. The result was compared to a steady Reynolds-stress modeling (RSM) approach, and to experimental data. Results indicate that the effect of the unsteadiness of the pressure side leg of the horseshoe vortex results in a broad distribution of heat transfer in the front of the passage, and high heat transfer on the aft suction side corner, which is not predicted by steady RANS. However, the time-mean heat transfer is still not well predicted due to slight differences in the secondary flow pattern. Turbulence quantities in the blade passage agree fairly well to prior measurements and highlight the effect of the strong passage curvature on the endwall boundary layer, but the LES approach here overpredicts turbulence in the secondary flow at the cascade outlet due to a thick airfoil suction side boundary layer. Overall, more work remains to identify the specific model deficiencies in RSM or wall-modeled LES approaches.


2004 ◽  
Vol 126 (3) ◽  
pp. 406-413 ◽  
Author(s):  
Re´gis Houtermans ◽  
Thomas Coton ◽  
Tony Arts

The present paper is based on an experimental study of a front-loaded very high lift, low pressure turbine blade designed at the VKI. The experiments have been carried out in a low-speed wind tunnel over a wide operating range of incidence and Reynolds number. The aim of the study is to characterize the flow through the cascade in terms of losses, mean outlet flow angle, and secondary flows. At low inlet freestream turbulence intensity, a laminar separation bubble is present, and a prediction model for a separated flow mode of transition has been developed.


Author(s):  
Johan Hja¨rne ◽  
Valery Chernoray ◽  
Jonas Larsson ◽  
Lennart Lo¨fdahl

In this paper 3D numerical simulations of turbulent incompressible flows are validated against experimental data from the linear low pressure turbine/outlet guide vane (LPT/OGV) cascade at Chalmers in Sweden. The validation focuses on the secondary flow-fields and loss developments downstream of a highly loaded OGV. 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 angles with the goal to validate how accurately and reliably the secondary flow fields and losses for both on- and off-design conditions can be predicted for OGV’s. Results from three different turbulence models as implemented in FLUENT, k-ε Realizable, kω-SST and the RSM are validated against detailed measurements. From these results it can be concluded that the RSM model predicts both the secondary flow field and the losses most accurately.


2019 ◽  
Vol 141 (9) ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin Sinkwitz ◽  
Benjamin Winhart ◽  
David Engelmann ◽  
Francesca di Mare ◽  
Ronald Mailach

The experimental results reported in this contribution address the time-dependent impact of periodically unsteady wakes on the development of profile and end wall boundary layers and consequently on the secondary flow system. Experimental investigations are conducted on an annular 1.5 stage axial turbine rig at Ruhr-Universität Bochum’s Chair of Thermal Turbomachines and Aeroengines. The object under investigation is a modified T106 profile low-pressure turbine (LPT) stator row at a representative exit flow Reynolds number of 200,000. By making use of an annular geometry instead of a linear cascade, the influence of curvilinear end walls, nonuniform, increasing pitch across the span and radial flow migration can be represented. Incoming wakes are generated by a variable-speed driven rotor equipped with cylindrical bars. Special emphasis is put on the wake-induced recurrent formation, suppression, weakening, and displacement of individual vortices and separated flow regimes. For this, based on a comprehensive set of time-resolved measurement data, the interaction of impinging bar wakes and boundary layer flow and thus separation and its periodic manipulation along the passage end walls and on the blade suction surface are studied within the frequency domain.


Author(s):  
Michael J. Brear ◽  
Howard P. Hodson ◽  
Paloma Gonzalez ◽  
Neil W. Harvey

This paper describes a study of the interaction between the pressure surface separation and the secondary flow on low pressure turbine blades. It is found that this interaction can significantly affect the strength of the secondary flow and the loss that it creates. Experimental and numerical techniques are used to study the secondary flow in a family of four low pressure turbine blades in linear cascade. These blades are typical of current designs, share the same suction surface and pitch, but have differing pressure surfaces. A mechanism for the interaction between the pressure surface separation and the secondary flow is proposed and is used to explain the variations in the secondary flows of the four blades. This mechanism is based on simple dynamical secondary flow concepts and is similar to the aft-loading argument commonly used in modern turbine design.


Author(s):  
Sebastian F. Riebl ◽  
Christian Wakelam ◽  
Reinhard Niehuis

Abstract The integrated concept of a turning vane frame (TVF) located between the high pressure turbine (HPT) and the low pressure turbine (LPT) can consist of structural vanes and aerodynamically assisting splitters, thus offering insight into the behavior of mixed blade cascades. In order to judge the sensitivity of the flow through a TVF to different turbulence conditions, the presented investigation focuses on the effects of different turbulence intensities and integral turbulent length scales. It is based on steady state RANS simulations validated against results from steady five hole probe measurements and static profile pressure distributions. The flow and loss behavior of the TVF under varying incoming turbulence conditions is investigated using a second law analysis of the loss generation, combined with a secondary flow field analysis relying on the established Q-criterion and the recently presented vortex visualization parameter (VVP)-method. The secondary flows were identified as key loss drivers at all turbulence conditions and changes in secondary flow patterns, as well as loss generation effects for the different passages were identified and discussed. The vortex structures in the upper half of the passage were found to be most sensitive to an increase in turbulence level. Increases in loss generation per passage were found to be most pronounced for the pressure side splitter to vane passage and the suction side splitter to pressure side splitter passage. Changes in profile boundary layer thickness and entropy production rate were found to contribute to alterations in loss generation only on a minor level.


2017 ◽  
Vol 139 (10) ◽  
Author(s):  
Roland Brachmanski ◽  
Reinhard Niehuis

The results of this investigation come from two linear cascades at high diffusion factors (DFs). The measurements presented for each low-pressure turbine (LPT) profile were conducted at midspan under a range of Reynolds- and exit Mach numbers. The exit Mach number was varied in a range covering low subsonic up to values where a transonic flow regime on the suction side of the blade could be expected. This work focuses on two profiles with a diffusion factor in a range of 0.18≤DF≤0.22, where values in this range are considered as a comparable for the two cascades. Profile A is a front-loaded design and has shown no obvious flow separation on the suction side of the blade. Compared to the design A, design B is a more aft-loaded profile which exhibits flow separation on the suction side for all Reynolds numbers investigated. The integral total pressure losses were evaluated by wake traverses downstream of the airfoil. To determine the isentropic Mach numbers and the character of the boundary layer along the suction side of the profile, the static pressure measurements and traverses with a flattened Pitot probe were carried out. A correlation between the position of maximum Mach number on the suction side and the integral total pressure losses has been successfully established. The results show that the optimum location of peak Mach number to minimize integral total pressure losses is significantly dependent on the Reynolds number. However, the correlation presented in this paper, which is based on the data of the integral total pressure losses of an attached boundary layer, is not able to predict the integral total pressure loss or the location of the maximum Mach number on the suction side of the blade when an open separation bubble occurs.


Author(s):  
Xiaomin Liu ◽  
Haiyang Zhou

This paper investigated numerically the application of Vortex Generator Jets (VGJs) to control flow separation on the suction side of a low pressure turbine blade. Firstly, numerical simulations of flow separation for a LPT blade, which based on Menter’s SST k-ω turbulence model coupled with Langtry-Menter transition model, were performed for different Reynolds numbers Re∼100,000, 75,000, 50,000 and 25,000, for three freestream turbulence intensity (FSTI) of 0.08%, 2.35% and 6.0%. The pressure distributions around the turbine blade and streamline plots showing the flow separation were presented in this paper. Good agreement of the numerical and experimental results also showed the validity of the numerical scheme for simulating the flow separation occurring on a low pressure turbine blade. And then, steady Vortex Generator Jets (steady VGJs) having pitch angle of 30°, skew angle of 90°, blowing ratio of 2.0 were used to control the flow separation in the suction side of the low pressure turbine blade. Although steady VGJs have been illustrated to be extremely robust at suppressing low Reynolds number separation, the practical application of VGJs in the low pressure turbine engine is in the pulsed mode. The injection mass flow requirements of pulsed Vortex Generator Jets (pulsed VGJs) can be reduced drastically when similar flow control effect is obtained using steady VGJs. For pulsed VGJs, the pulse frequency has been found to be an important control parameter for the flow separation control. In this paper, cases with the duty cycle of 0.5 were studied for the pulse frequency ranging from 2.5Hz to 10Hz at Re = 25,000 and freestream turbulence level of 0.08%. The numerical results showed that pulsed VGJs can effectively reduce and even eliminate the flow separation on the blade suction surface while there is an optimal pulse frequency. The flow control mechanism of VGJs on LPT blade was also revealed.


2002 ◽  
Vol 124 (3) ◽  
pp. 402-409 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael J. Brear ◽  
Howard P. Hodson ◽  
Paloma Gonzalez ◽  
Neil W. Harvey

This paper describes a study of the interaction between the pressure surface separation and the secondary flow on low-pressure turbine blades. It is found that this interaction can significantly affect the strength of the secondary flow and the loss that it creates. Experimental and numerical techniques are used to study the secondary flow in a family of four low-pressure turbine blades in linear cascade. These blades are typical of current designs, share the same suction surface and pitch, but have differing pressure surfaces. A mechanism for the interaction between the pressure surface separation and the secondary flow is proposed and is used to explain the variations in the secondary flows of the four blades. This mechanism is based on simple dynamical secondary flow concepts and is similar to the aft-loading argument commonly used in modern turbine design.


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