An Advanced Single-Stage Turbine Facility for Investigating Non-Axisymmetric Contoured Endwalls in the Presence of Purge Flow

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robin R. Jones ◽  
Oliver J. Pountney ◽  
Bjorn L. Cleton ◽  
Liam E. Wood ◽  
B. Deneys J. Schreiner ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gas Turbines ◽  
Static Pressure ◽  
Optical Measurement ◽  
Guide Vane ◽  
Single Stage ◽  
Test Facility ◽  
Pressure Distributions ◽  
Mainstream Flow ◽  
Purge Flow ◽  
Nozzle Guide

Abstract In modern gas turbines, endwall contouring (EWC) is employed to modify the static pressure field downstream of the vanes and minimise the growth of secondary flow structures developed in the blade passage. Purge flow (or egress) from the upstream rim-seal interferes with the mainstream flow, adding to the loss generated in the rotor. Despite this, EWC is typically designed without consideration of mainstream-egress interactions. The performance gains offered by EWC can be reduced, or in the limit eliminated, when purge air is considered. In addition, EWC can result in a reduction in sealing effectiveness across the rim seal. Consequently, industry is pursuing a combined design approach that encompasses the rim-seal, seal-clearance profile and EWC on the rotor endwall. This paper presents the design of, and preliminary results from a new single-stage axial turbine facility developed to investigate the fundamental fluid dynamics of egress-mainstream flow interactions. To the authors’ knowledge this is the only test facility in the world capable of investigating the interaction effects between cavity flows, rim seals and EWC. The design of optical measurement capabilities for future studies, employing volumetric velocimetry and planar laser induced fluorescence are also presented. The fluid-dynamically scaled rig operates at benign pressures and temperatures suited to these techniques and is modular. The facility enables expedient interchange of EWC (integrated into the rotor bling), blade-fillet and rim-seals geometries. The measurements presented in this paper include: gas concentration effectiveness and swirl measurements on the stator wall and in the wheel-space core; pressure distributions around the nozzle guide vanes at three different spanwise locations; pitchwise static pressure distributions downstream of the nozzle guide vane at four axial locations on the stator platform.

An Advanced Single-Stage Turbine Facility for Investigating Nonaxisymmetric Contoured Endwalls in the Presence of Purge Flow

2019 ◽  
Vol 141 (12) ◽  
Author(s):  
Robin R. Jones ◽  
Oliver J. Pountney ◽  
Bjorn L. Cleton ◽  
Liam E. Wood ◽  
B. Deneys J. Schreiner ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gas Turbines ◽  
Static Pressure ◽  
Optical Measurement ◽  
Single Stage ◽  
Test Facility ◽  
Pressure Distributions ◽  
Mainstream Flow ◽  
Planar Laser ◽  
Flow Interactions ◽  
Purge Flow

Abstract In modern gas turbines, endwall contouring (EWC) is employed to modify the static pressure field downstream of the vanes and minimize the growth of secondary flow structures developed in the blade passage. Purge flow (or egress) from the upstream rim-seal interferes with the mainstream flow, adding to the loss generated in the rotor. Despite this, EWC is typically designed without consideration of mainstream–egress interactions. The performance gains offered by EWC can be reduced, or in the limit eliminated, when purge air is considered. In addition, EWC can result in a reduction in sealing effectiveness across the rim seal. Consequently, industry is pursuing a combined design approach that encompasses the rim-seal, seal-clearance profile, and EWC on the rotor endwall. This paper presents the design of and preliminary results from a new single-stage axial turbine facility developed to investigate the fundamental fluid dynamics of egress–mainstream flow interactions. To the authors' knowledge, this is the only test facility in the world capable of investigating the interaction effects between cavity flows, rim seals, and EWC. The design of optical measurement capabilities for future studies, employing volumetric velocimetry (VV) and planar laser-induced fluorescence (PLIF), is also presented. The fluid-dynamically scaled rig operates at benign pressures and temperatures suited to these techniques and is modular. The facility enables expedient interchange of EWC (integrated into the rotor bling), blade-fillet and rim-seal geometries. The measurements presented in this paper include: gas concentration effectiveness and swirl measurements on the stator wall and in the wheel-space core; pressure distributions around the nozzle guide vanes (NGV) at three different spanwise locations; pitchwise static pressure distributions downstream of the NGV at four axial locations on the stator platform.

Integrated Outlet Guide Vane Design for an Aggressive S-Shaped Compressor Transition Duct

2012 ◽  
Vol 135 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
A. D. Walker ◽  
A. G. Barker ◽  
J. F. Carrotte ◽  
J. J. Bolger ◽  
M. J. Green
Keyword(s):  
Gas Turbines ◽  
Static Pressure ◽  
Pressure Field ◽  
Guide Vane ◽  
Integrated Design ◽  
Axial Compressor ◽  
Test Facility ◽  
Speed Test ◽  
Duct Geometry ◽  
System Length

Within gas turbines the ability to design shorter aggressive S-shaped ducts is advantageous from a performance and weight saving perspective. However, current design philosophies tend to treat the S-shaped duct as an isolated component, neglecting the potential advantages of integrating the design with the upstream or downstream components. In this paper, such a design concept is numerically developed in which the upstream compressor outlet guide vanes are incorporated into the first bend of the S-shaped duct. Positioning the vane row within the first bend imparts a strong radial gradient to the pressure field within the vane passage. Tangential lean and axial sweep are employed such that the vane geometry is modified to exactly match the resulting inclined static pressure field. The integrated design is experimentally assessed and compared to a conventional nonintegrated design on a fully annular low speed test facility incorporating a single stage axial compressor. Several traverse planes are used to gather five-hole probe data which allow the flow structure to be examined through the rotor, outlet guide vane and within the transition ducts. The two designs employ almost identical duct geometry, but integration of the vane row reduces the system length by 21%. Due to successful matching of the static pressure field, the upstream influence of the integrated vane row is minimal and the rotor performance is unchanged. Similarly, the flow development within both S-shaped ducts is similar such that the circumferentially averaged profiles at duct exit are almost identical, and the operation of a downstream component would be unaffected. Overall system loss remains nominally unchanged despite the inclusion of lean and sweep and a reduction in system length. Finally, the numerical design predictions show good agreement with the experimental data thereby successfully validating the design process.

Preliminary Investigation Into the Effects of a Compressor Rim Purge Flow on OGV/Pre-Diffuser and Combustion System Aerodynamics

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. D. Walker ◽  
B. Koli ◽  
P. A. Beecroft
Keyword(s):  
Guide Vane ◽  
Preliminary Investigation ◽  
Axial Compressor ◽  
Test Facility ◽  
Combustion System ◽  
Guide Vanes ◽  
Mainstream Flow ◽  
Purge Flow ◽  
Inlet Conditions ◽  
The Impact

As aero gas turbine designs strive for ever greater efficiencies the trend is for engine overall pressure ratios to rise. Although this provides greater thermal efficiency it means that cycle temperatures also increase. Traditionally turbines have been the focus of cooling schemes to enable them to survive high temperatures. However, it is envisaged that the compressor delivery air will soon reach temperatures which mean they may require similar cooling strategies to the turbine. One such concept is akin to that of a turbine “rim purge flow” which ensures that hot, mainstream flow does not get ingested into rotor cavities. However, the main gas path in compressors is generally more aerodynamically sensitive than in turbines and introduction of a purge flow may be more penalizing. It is important to understand the impact such a flow may have on the primary gas path flow of a compressor and the downstream combustion system aerodynamics. This paper presents a preliminary investigation into the effects of a purge flow which enters the main gas path immediately upstream of the high pressure compressor outlet guide vane (OGV) row. Initial, simplified, CFD predictions clearly demonstrated the potential of the purge flow to negatively affect the OGV/pre-diffuser and alter the inlet conditions to the combustion system. Consequently, an experimental assessment was carried out using an existing fully annular, isothermal test facility which incorporated a bespoke 1.5 stage axial compressor, engine relevant outlet guide vanes, pre-diffuser and downstream combustor geometry. Using CFD to guide the process the test rig was modified to allow a metered airflow to be introduced upstream of the outlet guide vanes. Importantly the flow was directed up the face of the rotor such that it picked up a representative swirl component prior to injection into the main gas path. The experimental data confirmed the CFD results and importantly demonstrated that the degradation in the combustor inlet flow resulted in an increased combustion system loss. At the proposed purge flow rate, equal to ∼1% of the mainstream flow, these effects were small with the system loss increasing by ∼4%. However, at higher purge flow rates (up to 3%) these effects became notable and the OGV/pre-diffuser flow degraded significantly with a resultant increase in the combustion system loss of ∼13%.

Integrated OGV Design for an Aggressive S-Shaped Compressor Transition Duct

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. D. Walker ◽  
A. G. Barker ◽  
J. F. Carrotte ◽  
J. J. Bolger ◽  
M. J. Green
Keyword(s):  
Gas Turbines ◽  
Static Pressure ◽  
Pressure Field ◽  
Guide Vane ◽  
Integrated Design ◽  
Axial Compressor ◽  
Test Facility ◽  
Speed Test ◽  
Duct Geometry ◽  
System Length

Within gas turbines the ability to design shorter aggressive S-shaped ducts is advantageous from a performance and weight saving perspective. However, current design philosophies tend to treat the S-shaped duct as an isolated component, neglecting the potential advantages of integrating the design with the upstream or downstream components. In this paper such a design concept is numerically developed in which the upstream compressor outlet guide vanes are incorporated into the first bend of the S-shaped duct. Positioning the vane row within the first bend imparts a strong radial gradient to the pressure field within the vane passage. Tangential lean and axial sweep are employed such that the vane geometry is modified to exactly match the resulting inclined static pressure field. The integrated design is experimentally assessed and compared to a conventional non-integrated design on a fully annular low speed test facility incorporating a single stage axial compressor. Several traverse planes are used to gather five-hole probe data which allow the flow structure to be examined through the rotor, outlet guide vane and within the transition ducts. The two designs employ almost identical duct geometry, but integration of the vane row reduces the system length by 21%. Due to successful matching of the static pressure field, the upstream influence of the integrated vane row is minimal and the rotor performance is unchanged. Similarly the flow development within both S-shaped ducts is similar such that the circumferentially averaged profiles at duct exit are almost identical, and the operation of a downstream component would be unaffected. Overall system loss remains nominally unchanged despite the inclusion of lean and sweep and a reduction in system length. Finally, the numerical design predictions show good agreement with the experimental data thereby successfully validating the design process.

Measurements and Modeling of Ingress in a New 1.5-Stage Turbine Research Facility

2016 ◽  
Vol 139 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Marios Patinios ◽  
James A. Scobie ◽  
Carl M. Sangan ◽  
J. Michael Owen ◽  
Gary D. Lock
Keyword(s):  
Theoretical Model ◽  
Gas Turbines ◽  
Test Facility ◽  
Radial Clearance ◽  
Operating Life ◽  
The Core ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Purge Flow ◽  
Rotor Disk ◽  
Engine Components

In gas turbines, hot mainstream flow can be ingested into the wheel-space formed between stator and rotor disks as a result of the circumferential pressure asymmetry in the annulus; this ingress can significantly affect the operating life, performance, and integrity of highly stressed, vulnerable engine components. Rim seals, fitted at the periphery of the disks, are used to minimize ingress and therefore reduce the amount of purge flow required to seal the wheel-space and cool the disks. This paper presents experimental results from a new 1.5-stage test facility designed to investigate ingress into the wheel-spaces upstream and downstream of a rotor disk. The fluid-dynamically scaled rig operates at incompressible flow conditions, far removed from the harsh environment of the engine which is not conducive to experimental measurements. The test facility features interchangeable rim-seal components, offering significant flexibility and expediency in terms of data collection over a wide range of sealing flow rates. The rig was specifically designed to enable an efficient method of ranking and quantifying the performance of generic and engine-specific seal geometries. The radial variation of CO2 gas concentration, pressure, and swirl is measured to explore, for the first time, the flow structure in both the upstream and downstream wheel-spaces. The measurements show that the concentration in the core is equal to that on the stator walls and that both distributions are virtually invariant with radius. These measurements confirm that mixing between ingress and egress is essentially complete immediately after the ingested fluid enters the wheel-space and that the fluid from the boundary layer on the stator is the source of that in the core. The swirl in the core is shown to determine the radial distribution of pressure in the wheel-space. The performance of a double radial-clearance seal is evaluated in terms of the variation of effectiveness with sealing flow rate for both the upstream and the downstream wheel-spaces and is found to be independent of rotational Reynolds number. A simple theoretical orifice model was fitted to the experimental data showing good agreement between theory and experiment for all cases. This observation is of great significance as it demonstrates that the theoretical model can accurately predict ingress even when it is driven by the complex unsteady pressure field in the annulus upstream and downstream of the rotor. The combination of the theoretical model and the new test rig with its flexibility and capability for detailed measurements provides a powerful tool for the engine rim-seal designer.

Measurements and Modelling of Ingress in a New 1.5-Stage Turbine Research Facility

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marios Patinios ◽  
James A. Scobie ◽  
Carl M. Sangan ◽  
J. Michael Owen ◽  
Gary D. Lock
Keyword(s):  
Theoretical Model ◽  
Gas Turbines ◽  
Test Facility ◽  
Radial Clearance ◽  
Operating Life ◽  
The Core ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Purge Flow ◽  
Engine Components ◽  
First Time

In gas turbines, hot mainstream flow can be ingested into the wheel-space formed between stator and rotor discs as a result of the circumferential pressure asymmetry in the annulus; this ingress can significantly affect the operating life, performance and integrity of highly-stressed, vulnerable engine components. Rim seals, fitted at the periphery of the discs, are used to minimise ingress and therefore reduce the amount of purge flow required to seal the wheel-space and cool the discs. This paper presents experimental results from a new 1.5-stage test facility designed to investigate ingress into the wheel-spaces upstream and downstream of a rotor disc. The fluid-dynamically-scaled rig operates at incompressible flow conditions, far removed from the harsh environment of the engine which is not conducive to experimental measurements. The test facility features interchangeable rim-seal components, offering significant flexibility and expediency in terms of data collection over a wide range of sealing-flow rates. The rig was specifically designed to enable an efficient method of ranking and quantifying the performance of generic and engine-specific seal geometries. The radial variation of CO2 gas concentration, pressure and swirl is measured to explore, for the first time, the flow structure in both the upstream and downstream wheel-spaces. The measurements show that the concentration in the core is equal to that on the stator walls and that both distributions are virtually invariant with radius. These measurements confirm that mixing between ingress and egress is essentially complete immediately after the ingested fluid enters the wheel-space and that the fluid from the boundary-layer on the stator is the source of that in the core. The swirl in the core is shown to determine the radial distribution of pressure in the wheel-space. The performance of a double radial-clearance seal is evaluated in terms of the variation of effectiveness with sealing flow rate for both the upstream and the downstream wheel-spaces and is found to be independent of rotational Reynolds number. A simple theoretical orifice model was fitted to the experimental data showing good agreement between theory and experiment for all cases. This observation is of great significance as it demonstrates that the theoretical model can accurately predict ingress even when it is driven by the complex unsteady pressure field in the annulus upstream and downstream of the rotor. The combination of the theoretical model and the new test rig with its flexibility and capability for detailed measurements provides a powerful tool for the engine rim-seal designer.

scholarly journals Flow Inhomogeneities in a Realistic Aeronautical Gas-Turbine Combustor: Formation, Evolution and Indirect Noise

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea Giusti ◽  
Luca Magri ◽  
Marco Zedda
Keyword(s):  
Gas Turbines ◽  
Transfer Functions ◽  
Guide Vane ◽  
Flame Structure ◽  
Combustion Noise ◽  
Moment Closure ◽  
Combustion Model ◽  
Conditional Moment ◽  
Eddy Simulation ◽  
Nozzle Guide

Indirect noise generated by the acceleration of combustion inhomogeneities is an important aspect in the design of aeroengines because of its impact on the overall noise emitted by an aircraft and the possible contribution to combustion instabilities. In this study, a realistic rich-quench-lean combustor is numerically investigated, with the objective of quantitatively analyzing the formation and evolution of flow inhomogeneities and determine the level of indirect combustion noise in the nozzle guide vane (NGV). Both entropy and compositional noise are calculated in this work. A high-fidelity numerical simulation of the combustion chamber, based on the Large-Eddy Simulation (LES) approach with the Conditional Moment Closure (CMC) combustion model, is performed. The contributions of the different air streams to the formation of flow inhomogeneities are pinned down and separated with seven dedicated passive scalars. LES-CMC results are then used to determine the acoustic sources to feed an NGV aeroacoustic model, which outputs the noise generated by entropy and compositional inhomogeneities. Results show that non-negligible fluctuations of temperature and composition reach the combustor’s exit. Combustion inhomogeneities originate both from finite-rate chemistry effects and incomplete mixing. In particular, the role of mixing with dilution and liner air flows on the level of combustion inhomogeneities at the combustor’s exit is highlighted. The species that most contribute to indirect noise are identified and the transfer functions of a realistic NGV are computed. The noise level indicates that indirect noise generated by temperature fluctuations is larger that the indirect noise generated by compositional inhomogeneities, although the latter is not negligible and is expected to become louder in supersonic nozzles. It is also shown that relatively small fluctuations of the local flame structure can lead to significant variations of the nozzle transfer function, whose gain increases with the Mach number. This highlights the necessity of an on-line solution of the local flame structure, which is performed in this paper by CMC, for an accurate prediction of the level of compositional noise. This study opens new possibilities for the identification, separation and calculation of the sources of indirect combustion noise in realistic aeronautical gas turbines.

Aero-Thermal Performance of a Two-Dimensional Highly Loaded Transonic Turbine Nozzle Guide Vane: A Test Case for Inviscid and Viscous Flow Computations

1992 ◽  
Vol 114 (1) ◽  
pp. 147-154 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Arts ◽  
M. Lambert de Rouvroit
Keyword(s):  
Heat Transfer ◽  
Turbulence Intensity ◽  
Static Pressure ◽  
Free Stream ◽  
Guide Vane ◽  
Free Stream Turbulence ◽  
Nozzle Guide Vane ◽  
Transonic Turbine ◽  
Nozzle Guide ◽  
Highly Loaded

This contribution deals with an experimental aero-thermal investigation around a highly loaded transonic turbine nozzle guide vane mounted in a linear cascade arrangement. The measurements were performed in the von Karman Institute short duration Isentropic Light Piston Compression Tube facility allowing a correct simulation of Mach and Reynolds numbers as well as of the gas to wall temperature ratio compared to the values currently observed in modern aero engines. The experimental program consisted of flow periodicity checks by means of wall static pressure measurements and Schlieren flow visualizations, blade velocity distribution measurements by means of static pressure tappings, blade convective heat transfer measurements by means of platinum thin films, downstream loss coefficient and exit flow angle determinations by using a new fast traversing mechanism, and free-stream turbulence intensity and spectrum measurements. These different measurements were performed for several combinations of the free-stream flow parameters looking at the relative effects on the aerodynamic blade performance and blade convective heat transfer of Mach number, Reynolds number, and free-stream turbulence intensity.

scholarly journals Aero-Thermal Performance of a Two Dimensional Highly Loaded Transonic Turbine Nozzle Guide Vane: A Test Case for Inviscid and Viscous Flow Computations

1990 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tony Arts ◽  
Muriel Lambert De Rouvroit
Keyword(s):  
Heat Transfer ◽  
Convective Heat Transfer ◽  
Convective Heat ◽  
Turbulence Intensity ◽  
Static Pressure ◽  
Guide Vane ◽  
Nozzle Guide Vane ◽  
Transonic Turbine ◽  
Nozzle Guide ◽  
Highly Loaded

This contribution deals with an experimental aero-thermal investigation around a highly loaded transonic turbine nozzle guide vane mounted in a linear cascade arrangement. The measurements were performed in the von Karman Institute short duration Isentropic Light Piston Compression Tube facility allowing a correct simulation of Mach and Reynolds numbers as well as of the gas to wall temperature ratio compared to the values currently observed in modern aero engines. The experimental programme consisted of flow periodicity checks by means of wall static pressure measurements and Schlieren flow visualizations, blade velocity distribution measurements by means of static pressure tappings, blade convective heat transfer measurements by means of platinum thin films, downstream loss coefficient and exit flow angle determinations by using a new fast traversing mechanism and freestream turbulence intensity and spectrum measurements. These different measurements were performed for several combinations of the freestream flow parameters looking at the relative effects on the aerodynamic blade performance and blade convective heat transfer of Mach number, Reynolds number and freestream turbulence intensity.

Aerodynamic Implications of Reduced Vane Count

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ranjan Saha ◽  
Jens Fridh ◽  
Mats Annerfeldt
Keyword(s):  
Gas Turbines ◽  
Fossil Fuels ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Guide Vane ◽  
Suction Side ◽  
Combined Cycle ◽  
Significant Deficit ◽  
Nozzle Guide ◽  
The Cost ◽  
Cooling Air

Given the shortage of fossil fuels and the growing greenhouse effect, one strive in modern gas turbines is to make maximum usage of the burnt fuel. By reducing the number of vanes or blades and thereby increasing the loading per vane (or blade) it is possible to spend less cooling air, which will have a positive impact on the combined cycle efficiency. It also reduces the number of components and usage of metal and thereby also the cost of the engine. These savings should be achieved without any efficiency deficit in aerodynamic efficiency. Based on the fact, aerodynamic investigations were performed to see the aerodynamic implications of reduced vane number in a transonic annular sector cascade. The number of new nozzle guide vane was reduced with 24% compared to a previous design with higher vane count. The investigated vanes were two typical high pressure gas turbine vanes. Results regarding the loading indicated an expected increase with the reduced vane case. The minimum static pressure at the suction side is lower and at an earlier location for the reduced vane case and therefore, an extension of the trailing edge deceleration zone is observed for the reduced vane case. Results regarding losses indicate that even though the losses produced per vane significantly increases for the reduced vane case, a comparison of mass averaged losses between the reduced vane case and previous vane case show similar spanwise loss distributions. Assessing results leads to a conclusion that the reduction of the number of vanes in the first stage seems to be a useful method to save cooling flow as well as material costs without any significant deficit in overall efficiency.

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