Efficient Passage-Spectral Method for Unsteady Flows Under Stall Conditions

Author(s):  
David Romera ◽  
Roque Corral

Abstract This paper presents an efficient method of approximating unsteady flows using a blockwise discrete spatial Fourier series for the modeling of three-dimensional non-axisymmetric flows without making any hypothesis about its temporal periodicity. The method aims at capturing the long wavelength flow patterns which are present in many unsteady problems of industrial interest, such as compressor stability, with a drastic reduction in computational resources. The method is intended to be used to compute flows exhibiting large-scale instabilities and where the fundamental frequency of the problem is not known beforehand. The approach discretizes the domain using a finite number of blocks or passages, where the flow variables at the supposedly periodic boundaries are continuously updated using the spatial Fourier coefficients of a uniformly spaced set of reduced-passage domains. The NASA rotor 67 under stall conditions has been used as verification validation case to demonstrate the effectiveness and viability of the proposed modeling strategy. The comparison between the solutions obtained with the discrete Fourier series and the full-annulus solution shows that accurate solutions can be obtained with a low number of harmonics. The new method has been applied to investigate the rotating stall inception of the NASA rotor 67 for clean and distorted inlet flow near stall operating conditions. The method is shown to accurately reproduce the full-annulus solution with a few spatial harmonics, capturing the characteristic features of the complex flow induced by the tip leakage vortex breakdown. The computational cost in this application has been reduced by a factor of between three and seven, although this number heavily depends on the ratio between the number of retained harmonics and the number of blades.

2020 ◽  
Vol 142 (12) ◽  
Author(s):  
David Romera ◽  
Roque Corral

Abstract This paper presents an efficient method of approximating unsteady flows using a block-wise discrete spatial Fourier series for the modeling of three-dimensional non-axisymmetric flows without making any hypothesis about its temporal periodicity. The method aims at capturing the long-wavelength flow patterns that are present in many unsteady problems of industrial interest, such as compressor stability, with a drastic reduction in computational resources. The method is intended to be used to compute flows exhibiting large-scale instabilities and where the fundamental frequency of the problem is not known beforehand. The approach discretizes the domain using a finite number of blocks or passages, where the flow variables at the supposedly periodic boundaries are continuously updated using the spatial Fourier coefficients of a uniformly spaced set of reduced-passage domains. The NASA rotor 67 under the effect of distorted inflow conditions has been used as verification case to demonstrate the effectiveness and viability of the method. The comparison between the passage-spectral method and the full-annulus solution shows that sound solutions can be obtained with a low number of harmonics. The new method has also been applied to investigate the rotating stall inception of the NASA rotor 67 for distorted inlet flows near stall operating conditions. The method is shown to accurately reproduce the full-annulus solution with a few spatial harmonics, capturing the characteristic features of the complex flow induced by the tip leakage vortex breakdown. The computational cost in this application has been reduced by a factor of between three and seven. This number heavily depends on the ratio between the number of retained harmonics to the number of blades.


Author(s):  
Nicoletta Franchina ◽  
Otman Kouaissah ◽  
Giacomo Persico ◽  
Marco Savini

The paper presents the results of a computational study on the aerodynamics and the performance of a small-scale Vertical-Axis Wind Turbine (VAWT) for distributed micro-generation. The complexity of VAWT aerodynamics, which are inherently unsteady and three-dimensional, makes high-fidelity flow models extremely demanding in terms of computational cost, limiting the analysis to mainly 2D or 2.5D Computational Fluid-Dynamics (CFD) approaches. This paper discusses how a proper setting of the computational model opens the way for carrying out fully 3D unsteady CFD simulations of a VAWT. Key aspects of the flow model and of the numerical solution are discussed, in view of limiting the computational cost while maintaining the reliability of the predictions. A set of operating conditions is considered, in terms of tip-speed-ratio (TSR), covering both peak efficiency condition as well as off-design operation. The fidelity of the numerical predictions is assessed via a systematic comparison with the experimental benchmark data available for this turbine, consisting of both performance and wake measurements carried out in the large-scale wind tunnel of the Politecnico di Milano. The analysis of the flow field on the equatorial plane allows highlighting its time-dependent evolution, with the aim of identifying both the periodic flow structures and the onset of dynamic stall. The full three-dimensional character of the computations allows investigating the aerodynamics of the struts and the evolution of the trailing vorticity at the tip of the blades, eventually resulting in periodic large-scale vortices.


Author(s):  
Hui Huang ◽  
Jian Chen ◽  
Blair Carlson ◽  
Hui-Ping Wang ◽  
Paul Crooker ◽  
...  

Due to enormous computation cost, current residual stress simulation of multipass girth welds are mostly performed using two-dimensional (2D) axisymmetric models. The 2D model can only provide limited estimation on the residual stresses by assuming its axisymmetric distribution. In this study, a highly efficient thermal-mechanical finite element code for three dimensional (3D) model has been developed based on high performance Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) computers. Our code is further accelerated by considering the unique physics associated with welding processes that are characterized by steep temperature gradient and a moving arc heat source. It is capable of modeling large-scale welding problems that cannot be easily handled by the existing commercial simulation tools. To demonstrate the accuracy and efficiency, our code was compared with a commercial software by simulating a 3D multi-pass girth weld model with over 1 million elements. Our code achieved comparable solution accuracy with respect to the commercial one but with over 100 times saving on computational cost. Moreover, the three-dimensional analysis demonstrated more realistic stress distribution that is not axisymmetric in hoop direction.


2000 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Singh ◽  
P. K. Panigrahi ◽  
G. Biswas

Abstract A numerical study of rib augmented cooling of turbine blades is reported in this paper. The time-dependent velocity field around a pair of symmetrically placed ribs on the walls of a three-dimensional rectangular channel was studied by use of a modified version of Marker-And-Cell algorithm to solve the unsteady incompressible Navier-Stokes and energy equations. The flow structures are presented with the help of instantaneous velocity vector and vorticity fields, FFT and time averaged and rms values of components of velocity. The spanwise averaged Nusselt number is found to increase at the locations of reattachment. The numerical results are compared with available numerical and experimental results. The presence of ribs leads to complex flow fields with regions of flow separation before and after the ribs. Each interruption in the flow field due to the surface mounted rib enables the velocity distribution to be more homogeneous and a new boundary layer starts developing downstream of the rib. The heat transfer is primarily enhanced due to the decrease in the thermal resistance owing to the thinner boundary layers on the interrupted surfaces. Another reason for heat transfer enhancement can be attributed to the mixing induced by large-scale structures present downstream of the separation point.


Author(s):  
M. U. Siddiqui ◽  
A. F. M. Arif

Photovoltaic (PV) technology provides a direct method to convert solar energy into electricity. In recent years, the use of PV systems has increased greatly with many applications of PV devices in systems as small as battery chargers to large scale electricity generation systems and satellite power systems. An important factor that influences the reliability of photovoltaic modules is their ability to withstand high thermal stresses which develop in PV modules due to the different coefficients of thermal expansion of the different module materials. PV modules also experience thermal cycles which can lead to failure of the module. In the present work, three dimensional numerical thermal and structural models of a PV module were developed and sequentially coupled together to calculate the temperature distribution in the PV module and the thermal stresses developing in it. The model is also capable of simulating PV module cooling. Using the model, a study was conducted to evaluate the thermal and structural performance of the module with and without cooling and the variation in thermal stress magnitudes with changing environmental conditions (solar radiation and ambient temperature) and operating conditions (heat exchanger inlet temperature and velocity).


Author(s):  
Si Young Lee ◽  
Robert A. Dimenna ◽  
Richard A. Leishear ◽  
David B. Stefanko

Flow evolution models were developed to evaluate the performance of the new advanced design mixer pump (ADMP) for sludge mixing and removal operations in one of the large-scale Savannah River Site (SRS) waste tanks, Tank 18. This paper is the first in a series of four that describe the computational model and its validation, the experiment facility and the flow measurements used to provide the validation data, the extension of the computational results to real tank conditions through the use of existing sludge suspension data, and finally, the sludge removal results from actual Tank 18 operations using the new ADMP. A computational fluid dynamics (CFD) approach was used to simulate the sludge removal operations. The models employed a three-dimensional representation of the tank with a two-equation turbulence model, since this approach was verified by both test and literature data. The discharge of the ADMP was modeled as oppositely directed hydraulic jets submerged at the center of the 85-ft diameter tank, with pump suction taken from below. The calculations were based on prototypic tank geometry and nominal operating conditions. In the analysis, the magnitude of the local velocity was used as a measure of slurrying and suspension capability. The computational results showed that normal operations in Tank 18 with the ADMP mixer and a 70-in liquid level would provide adequate sludge removal in most regions of the tank. The exception was the region within about 1.2 ft of the tank wall, based on an historical minimum velocity required to suspend sludge. Sensitivity results showed that a higher tank liquid level and a lower elevation of pump nozzle would result in better performance in suspending and removing the sludge. These results were consistent with experimental observations.


Author(s):  
Eighdi Aung ◽  
Marco P. Schoen ◽  
Jichao Li

Abstract Axial compressor systems are susceptible to unstable conditions near their optimal operating point. In particular, rotating stall and surge are conditions that need to be avoided during the operation of an axial compressor. In extreme cases these conditions may cause damage to the compressor. The onset of either condition is rather rapid, and usually does not allow for remedial control action based on the limited time available. Hence, research efforts have been focusing on the development of new detection methods that allow for more time to take corrective measures. This paper explores and compares various existing and proposed methods to identify and detect those precursors. The methods detailed in this work are tested at different operating conditions and locations. The methods investigated include the sequentially computed correlation coefficient of pressure sensor data, correlation coefficient, the Generalized Extreme Studentized Deviate Test (ESD) for outlier detection, spectral entropy, and Autoregressive (AR) models. The primary goal of evaluating these methods is based on their suitability for employment as pre-processors for dynamic system identification. By using the dynamics of the identified model rather than a static precursor, it is stipulated that the onset of stall and surge can be managed with a control concept. For this work, the extracted models are investigated for suitability to serve as precursors, and the potential as predictive models. This work may serve for future work to achieve active flow control by direct air injection at the leading edge of the blades. For this work, a one-stage compressor system with a blade geometry that allows for spike inception is utilized. Spike stall inception is a precursor to fully developed rotating stall. The subsonic compressor has 60 blades, and its operating point is controlled by a throttle and constant speed control of the rotor. The pressure data is collected with 10 Kulite™ sensors which are placed along the blade cord length on the outer casing of the compressor. The results of the tabulated performance of the various methods and resulting models indicate that an ARESD combination yields the earliest indication for spike stall inception.


1995 ◽  
Vol 117 (3) ◽  
pp. 485-490 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. C. Zierke ◽  
W. A. Straka ◽  
P. D. Taylor

The high Reynolds number pump (HIREP) facility at ARL Penn State has been used to perform a low-speed, large-scale experiment of the incompressible flow of water through a two-blade-row turbomachine. The objectives of this experiment were to provide a database for comparison with three-dimensional, turbulent flow computations, to evaluate engineering models, and to improve our physical understanding of many of the phenomena involved in this complex flow field. This summary paper briefly describes the experimental facility, as well as the experimental techniques—such as flow visualization, static-pressure measurements, laser Doppler velocimetry, and both slow- and fast-response pressure probes. Then, proceeding from the inlet to the exit of the pump, the paper presents highlights of experimental measurements and data analysis, giving examples of measured physical phenomena such as endwall boundary layers, separation regions, wakes, and secondary vortical structures. In conclusion, this paper provides a synopsis of a well-controlled, larger scope experiment that should prove helpful to those who wish to use the database.


1998 ◽  
Vol 120 (3) ◽  
pp. 393-401 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. R. Camp ◽  
I. J. Day

This paper presents a study of stall inception mechanisms in a low-speed axial compressor. Previous work has identified two common flow breakdown sequences, the first associated with a short length-scale disturbance known as a “spike,” and the second with a longer length-scale disturbance known as a “modal oscillation.” In this paper the physical differences between these two mechanisms are illustrated with detailed measurements. Experimental results are also presented that relate the occurrence of the two stalling mechanisms to the operating conditions of the compressor. It is shown that the stability criteria for the two disturbances are different: Long length-scale disturbances are related to a two-dimensional instability of the whole compression system, while short length-scale disturbances indicate a three-dimensional breakdown of the flow-field associated with high rotor incidence angles. Based on the experimental measurements, a simple model is proposed that explains the type of stall inception pattern observed in a particular compressor. Measurements from a single-stage low-speed compressor and from a multistage high-speed compressor are presented in support of the model.


1996 ◽  
Vol 118 (4) ◽  
pp. 835-843 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. V. Marathe ◽  
B. Lakshminarayana ◽  
Y. Dong

The objective of this investigation is to understand the nature of the complex flow field inside each element of the torque converter through a systematic experimental and numerical investigation of the flow field. A miniature five-hole probe was used to acquire the data at the exit of the stator at several operating conditions. The flow field is found to be highly three dimensional with substantial flow deviations, and secondary flow at the exit of the stator. The secondary flow structure, caused by the upstream radial variation of the through flow, induces flow overturning near the core. Flow separation near the shell causes flow underturning in this region. The rate of decay of stator wake is found to be slower than that observed in the wakes of axial flow turbine nozzles. The flow predictions by a Navier–Stokes code are in good agreement with the pressure and the flow field measured at the exit of the stator at the design and the off-design conditions.


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