The Effects of Periodic Wakes on Boundary Layer Separation of Low-Pressure Turbine Using Large Eddy Simulation

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaodi Wu ◽  
Fu Chen ◽  
Yunfei Wang
Keyword(s):  
Boundary Layer ◽  
Flow Field ◽  
Boundary Layer Separation ◽  
Low Pressure ◽  
Layer Separation ◽  
Low Pressure Turbine ◽  
Eddy Simulation ◽  
Instantaneous Flow Field ◽  
Large Eddy ◽  
Scale Structures

For low-pressure turbine, the unsteady disturbances are dominated by relative motions between rotors and stators and the unsteady flow is closely associated with aerodynamic efficiency of low-pressure turbine and engine performance. One of its most important manifestations is the boundary layer separation on the turbine blades by the passing wakes produced by upstream rows of blades. Hence, accurate prediction of the flow physics at low Reynolds number conditions is required to effectively implement flow control techniques which can help mitigate separation induced losses. The present paper concentrates on simulations for boundary layer separation of low-pressure turbine cascade under periodic wakes. In this paper, a multiblock computational fluid dynamics (CFD) code of compressible N-S equations is developed for predicting the phenomenon of boundary layer separation, transition and reattachment using large eddy simulation (LES) in the field of turbomachinery. The large-scale structures can be directly obtained from the solution of the filtered Naiver-Strokes equations and the small-scale structures are modeled by dynamic subgrid-scale model of turbulence. Firstly, unsteady boundary layer separation on a flat plate with adverse pressure gradient is simulated under periodic inflow. The time-averaged field, the phase-averaged field and the instantaneous flow field are presented and analyzed. The separation bubble becomes unstable and the location of transition moves back and forth due to vortex shedding. Secondly, a stator of turbomachinery which is influenced by wakes periodically passing is simulated. The results of the numerical simulations are discussed and compared with experimental data. For the instantaneous flow field, it seems that the spanwise vortices induced by upstream wakes are the primary reason of the initial roll-up of the shear layer and the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability plays an important role in the transition to turbulence which is observed in the separated flow.

Implicit Large Eddy Simulation of a Stalled Low Pressure Turbine Airfoil

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. L. Memory ◽  
J. P. Chen ◽  
J. P. Bons
Keyword(s):  
Flow Field ◽  
Large Eddy Simulation ◽  
Separation Zone ◽  
Low Pressure ◽  
Numerical Code ◽  
Flow Measurements ◽  
Low Pressure Turbine ◽  
Eddy Simulation ◽  
Large Eddy ◽  
Implicit Large Eddy Simulation

Time-accurate numerical simulations were conducted on the aft-loaded L1A low pressure turbine airfoil at a Reynolds number of 22,000 (based on inlet velocity magnitude and axial chord length). This flow condition produces a non-reattaching laminar separation zone on the airfoil suction surface. The numerical code TURBO is used to simulate this flow field as an Implicit Large Eddy Simulation. Generally good agreement was found when compared to experimental time-averaged and instantaneous flow measurements. The numerical separation zone is slightly larger than that in the experiments, though integrated wake loss values improved from RANS-based simulations. Instantaneous snapshots of the numerical flow field showed the Kelvin Helmholtz instability forming in the separated shear layer and a large-scale vortex shedding pattern at the airfoil trailing edge. These features were observed in the experiments with similar sizes and vorticity levels. Power spectral density analyses revealed a global passage oscillation in the numerics that was not observed experimentally. This oscillation was most likely a primary resonant frequency of the numerical domain.

Effect of Unsteady Wakes on Boundary Layer Separation on a Very High Lift Low Pressure Turbine Airfoil

2010 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ralph J. Volino
Keyword(s):  
Boundary Layer ◽  
Boundary Layer Separation ◽  
Low Pressure ◽  
Freestream Turbulence ◽  
Suction Surface ◽  
High Lift ◽  
Layer Separation ◽  
Low Pressure Turbine ◽  
Wake Passing ◽  
Very High

Boundary layer separation has been studied on a very high lift, low-pressure turbine airfoil in the presence of unsteady wakes. Experiments were done under low (0.6%) and high (4%) freestream turbulence conditions on a linear cascade in a low speed wind tunnel. Wakes were produced from moving rods upstream of the cascade. Flow coefficients were varied from 0.35 to 1.4 and wake spacing was varied from 1 to 2 blade spacings, resulting in dimensionless wake passing frequencies F = fLj-te/Uave (f is the frequency, Lj-te is the length of the adverse pressure gradient region on the suction surface of the airfoils, and Uave is the average freestream velocity) ranging from 0.14 to 0.56. Pressure surveys on the airfoil surface and downstream total pressure loss surveys were documented. Instantaneous velocity profile measurements were acquired in the suction surface boundary layer and downstream of the cascade. Cases were considered at Reynolds numbers (based on the suction surface length and the nominal exit velocity from the cascade) of 25,000 and 50,000. In cases without wakes, the boundary layer separated and did not reattach. With wakes, separation was largely suppressed, particularly if the wake passing frequency was sufficiently high. At lower frequencies the boundary layer separated between wakes. Background freestream turbulence had some effect on separation, but its role was secondary to the wake effect.

Implicit Large Eddy Simulation of a Stalled Low-Pressure Turbine Airfoil

2016 ◽  
Vol 138 (7) ◽  
Author(s):  
C. L. Memory ◽  
J. P. Chen ◽  
J. P. Bons
Keyword(s):  
Flow Field ◽  
Large Eddy Simulation ◽  
Separation Zone ◽  
Low Pressure ◽  
Numerical Code ◽  
Flow Measurements ◽  
Low Pressure Turbine ◽  
Eddy Simulation ◽  
Large Eddy ◽  
Implicit Large Eddy Simulation

Time-accurate numerical simulations were conducted on the aft-loaded L1A low-pressure turbine airfoil at a Reynolds number of 22,000 (based on inlet velocity magnitude and axial chord length). This flow condition produces a nonreattaching laminar separation zone on the airfoil suction surface. The numerical code TURBO is used to simulate this flow field as an implicit large eddy simulation (ILES). Generally, good agreement was found when compared to experimental time-averaged and instantaneous flow measurements. The numerical separation zone is slightly larger than that in the experiments, though integrated wake loss values improved from Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS)-based simulations. Instantaneous snapshots of the numerical flow field showed the Kelvin Helmholtz instability forming in the separated shear layer and a large-scale vortex shedding pattern at the airfoil trailing edge. These features were observed in the experiments with similar sizes and vorticity levels. Power spectral density analyses revealed a global passage oscillation in the numerics that was not observed experimentally. This oscillation was most likely a primary resonant frequency of the numerical domain.

Effect of Unsteady Wakes on Boundary Layer Separation on a Very High Lift Low Pressure Turbine Airfoil

2011 ◽  
Vol 134 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ralph J. Volino
Keyword(s):  
Boundary Layer ◽  
Boundary Layer Separation ◽  
Low Pressure ◽  
Freestream Turbulence ◽  
Suction Surface ◽  
High Lift ◽  
Layer Separation ◽  
Low Pressure Turbine ◽  
Wake Passing ◽  
Very High

Boundary layer separation has been studied on a very high lift, low pressure turbine airfoil in the presence of unsteady wakes. Experiments were done under low (0.6%) and high (4%) freestream turbulence conditions on a linear cascade in a low speed wind tunnel. Wakes were produced from moving rods upstream of the cascade. Flow coefficients were varied from 0.35 to 1.4 and wake spacing was varied from one to two blade spacings, resulting in dimensionless wake passing frequencies F=fLj-te/Uave (f is the frequency, Lj-te is the length of the adverse pressure gradient region on the suction surface of the airfoils, and Uave is the average freestream velocity) ranging from 0.14 to 0.56. Pressure surveys on the airfoil surface and downstream total pressure loss surveys were documented. Instantaneous velocity profile measurements were acquired in the suction surface boundary layer and downstream of the cascade. Cases were considered at Reynolds numbers (based on the suction surface length and the nominal exit velocity from the cascade) of 25,000 and 50,000. In cases without wakes, the boundary layer separated and did not reattach. With wakes, separation was largely suppressed, particularly if the wake passing frequency was sufficiently high. At lower frequencies the boundary layer separated between wakes. Background freestream turbulence had some effect on separation, but its role was secondary to the wake effect.

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