Full Annulus Analysis of Inlet Distortion Effects on the Performance of a Compressor

Author(s):  
Dongming Cao ◽  
Dingxi Wang ◽  
Xiuquan Huang

Abstract The paper presents a numerical investigation of inlet distortion effects on the performance of a whole compressor. The compressor system consists of three and a half stages: a fan stage, an axial stage, a mixed-flow stage and an outlet guide vane. There are two bypasses after the fan stator. The following two and a half stages are in the core flow. The inlet distortion is generated by blocking part of the upstream inlet duct using a plate. The inlet distortion breaks up the original axisymmetric flow feature, thus a whole annulus computational domain has to be employed throughout the numerical unsteady analyses. The commercial GPU-based software of Turbostream is used to conduct all the analyses on several GPU workstations. The purpose of the numerical analysis is to understand how the inlet distortion propagates within this compressor and how the performance of each stage and the whole compressor is affected by the inlet distortion qualitatively and quantitatively. To achieve this goal, two separate numerical analyses have been performed for the compressor with and without inlet distortion at an interested operation point. For these two simulations, we do DFT analysis for the total pressure distribution at three spans of several different axial positions, such as the inlet and outlet of each stage, to get the spatial harmonic characteristic of each stage. The finding provides the insight needed to redesign the relevant stage to increase the surge margin.

1983 ◽  
Vol 105 (2) ◽  
pp. 223-230 ◽  
Author(s):  
I. Ariga ◽  
N. Kasai ◽  
S. Masuda ◽  
Y. Watanabe ◽  
I. Watanabe

The present paper concerns itself with the effects of total pressure (and thus velocity) distortion on performance characteristics and surge margin of centrifugal compressors. Both radial and circumferential distortions were investigated. The performance tests as well as the velocity measurements within the impeller passages were carried out with a low-speed compressor test rig with the inlet honeycomb as the distortion generators and compared with the case of “no distortion” as a datum. The results indicated that the inlet distortion exerted unfavorable influences on the efficiency and the surge margin of the given compressor, though the influence of the radial distortion was much stronger than that of the circumferential one. Various distortion indices were further examined in order to correlate the performance to the inlet distortion.


2018 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-48
Author(s):  
LMBC Campos ◽  
C Legendre

In this study, the propagation of waves in a two-dimensional parallel-sided nozzle is considered allowing for the combination of: (a) distinct impedances of the upper and lower walls; (b) upper and lower boundary layers with different thicknesses with linear shear velocity profiles matched to a uniform core flow; and (c) a uniform cross-flow as a bias flow out of one and into the other porous acoustic liner. The model involves an “acoustic triple deck” consisting of third-order non-sinusoidal non-plane acoustic-shear waves in the upper and lower boundary layers coupled to convected plane sinusoidal acoustic waves in the uniform core flow. The acoustic modes are determined from a dispersion relation corresponding to the vanishing of an 8 × 8 matrix determinant, and the waveforms are combinations of two acoustic and two sets of three acoustic-shear waves. The eigenvalues are calculated and the waveforms are plotted for a wide range of values of the four parameters of the problem, namely: (i/ii) the core and bias flow Mach numbers; (iii) the impedances at the two walls; and (iv) the thicknesses of the two boundary layers relative to each other and the core flow. It is shown that all three main physical phenomena considered in this model can have a significant effect on the wave field: (c) a bias or cross-flow even with small Mach number [Formula: see text] relative to the mean flow Mach number [Formula: see text] can modify the waveforms; (b) the possibly dissimilar impedances of the lined walls can absorb (or amplify) waves more or less depending on the reactance and inductance; (a) the exchange of the wave energy with the shear flow is also important, since for the same stream velocity, a thin boundary layer has higher vorticity, and lower vorticity corresponds to a thicker boundary layer. The combination of all these three effects (a–c) leads to a large set of different waveforms in the duct that are plotted for a wide range of the parameters (i–iv) of the problem.


2018 ◽  
Vol 141 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Andreas Vogel ◽  
Adam J. Durant ◽  
Massimo Cassiani ◽  
Rory J. Clarkson ◽  
Michal Slaby ◽  
...  

Volcanic ash (VA) clouds in flight corridors present a significant threat to aircraft operations as VA particles can cause damage to gas turbine engine components that lead to a reduction of engine performance and compromise flight safety. In the last decade, research has mainly focused on processes such as erosion of compressor blades and static components caused by impinging ash particles as well as clogging and/or corrosion effects of soft or molten ash particles on hot section turbine airfoils and components. However, there is a lack of information on how the fan separates ingested VA particles from the core stream flow into the bypass flow and therefore influences the mass concentration inside the engine core section, which is most vulnerable and critical for safety. In this numerical simulation study, we investigated the VA particle–fan interactions and resulting reductions in particle mass concentrations entering the engine core section as a function of particle size, fan rotation rate, and for two different flight altitudes. For this, we used a high-bypass gas-turbine engine design, with representative intake, fan, spinner, and splitter geometries for numerical computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations including a Lagrangian particle-tracking algorithm. Our results reveal that particle–fan interactions redirect particles from the core stream flow into the bypass stream tube, which leads to a significant particle mass concentration reduction inside the engine core section. The results also show that the particle–fan interactions increase with increasing fan rotation rates and VA particle size. Depending on ingested VA size distributions, the particle mass inside the engine core flow can be up to 30% reduced compared to the incoming particle mass flow. The presented results enable future calculations of effective core flow exposure or dosages based on simulated or observed atmospheric VA particle size distribution, which is required to quantify engine failure mechanisms after exposure to VA. As an example, we applied our methodology to a recent aircraft encounter during the Mt. Kelud 2014 eruption. Based on ambient VA concentrations simulated with an atmospheric particle dispersion model (FLEXPART), we calculated the effective particle mass concentration inside the core stream flow along the actual flight track and compared it with the whole engine exposure.


Author(s):  
Jose Rodriguez ◽  
Stephan Klumpp ◽  
Thomas Biesinger ◽  
James O’Brien ◽  
Tobias Danninger

This paper presents a new design for a Compressor Inlet Manifold (CIM) for a land-based power generation Gas Turbine (turbine). The CIM is the component of the Inlet System (IS) that is directly connected to the turbine via the Compressor Inlet Case (CIC). The design philosophy is to use low fidelity but fast and automated CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) for design iterations and then confirm the design with detailed higher accuracy CFD before proceeding to engine tests. New design features include contouring the wall to minimize areas of flow separation and associated unsteadiness and losses, and improvement of the flow quality into the compressor. The CIM in a land-based turbine acts as a nozzle whereas the inlet of an aircraft acts as a diffuser. The flow also enters the CIM at 90 deg to the engine axis. This leads to a pair of counter rotating vortices at the compressor inlet. Three main sources of flow distortions at the face of the compressor are identified: flow separations at outer walls of the IS and CIM struts and the counter rotating vortices. The higher accuracy CFD analysis including the complete IS, CIM and the first compressor stage, simulates the effect of these distortions on the compressor front stage at design conditions. A range of inlet distortion parameters are used to evaluate the inlet design. The well known DC60 based criterion derived from aircraft engines and other less known but published parameters are able to give an indication of how the compressor surge margin of stationary gas turbines is affected.


Author(s):  
Ersin Sayar

Heat transfer in an oscillating water column in the transition regime of pool boiling to bubbly flow is investigated experimentally and theoretically. Forced oscillations are applied to water via a frequency controlled dc motor and a piston-cylinder device. Heat transfer is from the electrically heated inner surface to the reciprocating flow. The heat transfer in the oscillating fluid column is altered by using stainless steel scrap metal layers (made off open-cell discrete cells) which produces a porous medium within the system. The effective heat transfer mechanism is enhanced and it is due to the hydrodynamic mixing of the boundary layer and the core flow. In oscillating flow, the hydrodynamic lag between the core flow and the boundary layer flow is somehow significant. At low actuation frequencies and at low heat fluxes, heat transfer is restricted in the single phase flows. The transition regime of pool boiling to bubbly flow is proposed to be a remedy to the stated limitation. The contribution by the pool boiling on heat transfer appears to be the dominant mechanism for the selected low oscillation amplitudes and frequencies. Accordingly the regime is a transition from pool boiling to bubbly flow. Nucleate-bubbly flow boiling in oscillating flow is also investigated using a simplified thermodynamic analysis. According to the experimental results, bubbles induce highly efficient heat transfer mechanisms. Experimental study proved that the heater surface temperature is the dominant parameter affecting heat transfer. At greater actuation frequencies saturated nucleate pool boiling ceases to exist. Actuation frequency becomes important in that circumstances. The present investigation has possible applications in moderate sized wicked heat pipes, boilers, compact heat exchangers and steam generators.


Author(s):  
Youn-Sung Kim ◽  
Hyeon-Seok Shim ◽  
Kwang-Yong Kim

This study aims to evaluate effects of blade pitch and inlet guide vane (IGV) angle on the performance characteristics of a submersible axial-flow pump. According to the results of the previous study, the efficiency at the design and over-load conditions were significantly affected by the angle of IGV due to change in the incidence angle. To investigate the interactional effects of IGV and blade angle are analyzed using three-dimensional Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes equations with shear stress transport turbulence model. The hexahedral grids are used in the computational domain and a grid-dependency test is performed to obtain an optimal number of the grids. In this study, combinations of three different blade angles and two different IGV angles are tested. Adjusting angle of IGV increases the total pressure of the pump with a blade pitch increase, which can increase the efficiency of the pump in operating range.


Author(s):  
Ch. Bruecker ◽  
Qianhui Li

Background - Physiological helical flow in the ascending aorta has been well documented in the last two decades, accompanied by discussions on possible physiological benefits of such axial swirl. Recent 4D-MRI studies on healthy volunteers have shown indication of early generation of helical flow, early in the systole and already close to the valve plane. Objectives - Firstly, the aim of the study is to investigate the hypothesis of premature swirl existence in the ventricular outflow tract leading to already helical flow in the valve plane, and second to investigate the possible impact of two different mechanical valves design on the preservation of this early helical flow and its subsequent hemodynamic consequences. Methods - We use a pulse duplicator with an aortic arch and High Speed Particle Image Velocimetry to document the flow evolution in the systolic cycle. The pulse-duplicator is modified with a swirl-generating insert to generate early helical flow in the valve plane. Special focus is laid on the interaction of such helical flow with different designs of mechanical prosthetic heart valves, comparing a classical bileaflet mechanical heart valve, the St Jude Medical Regent valve (SJM Regent BMHV) with the Triflo trileaflet mechanical heart valve T2B version (Triflo TMHV). Results – When the swirl-generator is inserted, a vortex is generated in the core flow demonstrating early helical flow in the valve plane, similar as observed in the recent 4-D-MRI study taken for comparison. For the Triflo trileaflet valve, the early helical flow is not obstructed in the central orifice, similar as in the case of the natural valve. Conservation of angular momentum leads to radial expansion of the core flow and flattening of the axial flow profile downstream in the arch. Furthermore, the early helical flow helps to overcome separation at the outer and inner curvature. In contrast, the two parallel leaflets for the bileaflet valve impose a flow straightener effect, annihilating the angular momentum with negative impact on kinetic energy of the flow. Conclusion - The results imply better hemodynamics for the Triflo trileaflet valve based on hydrodynamic arguments under the discussed hypothesis. In addition, it makes the Triflo valve a better candidate for replacements in patients with pathological generation of nonaxial velocity in ventricle outflow tract.


Author(s):  
Zhijun Lei ◽  
Ali Mahallati ◽  
Mark Cunningham ◽  
Patrick Germain

This paper presents a detailed experimental investigation of the influence of core flow swirl on the mixing and performance of a scaled turbofan mixer with 12 scalloped lobes. Measurements were made downstream of the mixer in a co-annular wind tunnel. The core-to-bypass velocity ratio was set to 2:1, temperature ratio to 1.0, and pressure ratio to 1.03, giving a Reynolds number of 5.2 × 105, based on the core flow velocity and equivalent hydraulic diameter. In the core flow, the background turbulence intensity was raised to 5% and the swirl angle was varied using five vane geometries from 0° to 30°. Seven-hole pressure probe measurements and surface oil flow visualization were used to describe the flowfield and the mixer performance. At low swirl angles, additional streamwise vortices were generated by the deformation of normal vortices due to the scalloped lobes. With increased core swirl, greater than 10°, the additional streamwise vortices were generated mainly due to radial velocity deflection, rather than stretching and deformation of normal vortices. At high swirl angles, stronger streamwise vortices and rapid interaction between various vortices promoted downstream mixing. Mixing was enhanced with minimal or no total pressure and thrust losses for the inlet swirl angles less than 10°. However, the reversed flow downstream of the center-body was a dominant contributor to the loss of thrust at the maximum core flow swirl angle of 30°.


1976 ◽  
Vol 98 (1) ◽  
pp. 58-68 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. K. M. F. Hussain ◽  
V. Ramjee

The performance characteristics of four different axisymmetric contraction shapes with the same contraction ratio are experimentally investigated for incompressible flow. The pre- and postcontraction mean and turbulent velocity profiles and spectra, and the variation of the mean and turbulent velocities along the axis as a function of local contraction ratio and axial length are presented in this paper. The results show that all the nozzles are of essentially equal effectiveness as far as the core flow in the exit plane is concerned. But the mean and turbulence characteristics of the exit boundary layer, the upstream influence of the contraction, and the departure from equipartition within the nozzle vary significantly with the contraction shape. The data demonstrate the inadequacy of the Batchelor-Proudman-Ribner-Tucker theory in predicting the effect of a contraction on the turbulence structure. These data are of interest in wind tunnel and nozzle design, and in boundary layer prediction.


Author(s):  
Ashlie B. Flegel

Abstract A Honeywell Uncertified Research Engine was exposed to various ice crystal conditions in the NASA Glenn Propulsion Systems Laboratory. Simulations using NASA’s 1D Icing Risk Analysis tool were used to determine potential inlet conditions that could lead to ice crystal accretion along the inlet of the core flowpath and into the high pressure compressor. These conditions were simulated in the facility to develop baseline conditions. Parameters were then varied to move or change accretion characteristics. Data were acquired at altitudes varying from 5 kft to 45 kft, at nominal ice particle Median Volumetric Diameters from 20 μm to 100 μm, and total water contents of 1 g/m3 to 12 g/m3. Engine and flight parameters such as fan speed, Mach number, and inlet temperature were also varied. The engine was instrumented with total temperature and pressure probes. Static pressure taps were installed at the leading edge of the fan stator, front frame hub, the shroud of the inlet guide vane, and first two rotors. Metal temperatures were acquired for the inlet guide vane and vane stators 1–2. In-situ measurements of the particle size distribution were acquired three meters upstream of the engine forward fan flange and one meter downstream of the fan in the bypass in order to study particle break-up behavior. Cameras were installed in the engine to capture ice accretions at the leading edge of the fan stator, splitter lip, and inlet guide vane. Additional measurements acquired but not discussed in this paper include: high speed pressure transducers installed at the trailing edge of the first stage rotor and light extinction probes used to acquire particle concentrations at the fan exit stator plane and at the inlet to the core and bypass. The goal of this study was to understand the key parameters of accretion, acquire particle break-up data aft of the fan, and generate a unique icing dataset for model and tool development. The work described in this paper focuses on the effect of particle break-up. It was found that there was significant particle break-up downstream of the fan in the bypass, especially with larger initial particle sizes. The metal temperatures on the inlet guide vanes and stators show a temperature increase with increasing particle size. Accretion behavior observed was very similar at the fan stator and splitter lip across all test cases. However at the inlet guide vanes, the accretion decreased with increasing particle size.


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