Design Modification of a Passive Tip-Leakage Control Method for Axial Turbines: Linear Cascade Wind Tunnel Results

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Albert Benoni ◽  
Reinhard Willinger
Keyword(s):  
Control Method ◽  
Flow Direction ◽  
Turbine Blades ◽  
Chord Length ◽  
Leakage Flow ◽  
Tip Leakage Flow ◽  
Leakage Loss ◽  
Design Modification ◽  
Linear Cascade ◽  
Tip Leakage

Tip-leakage losses can contribute up to one third of the overall losses in unshrouded axial turbine blades. A passive tip-leakage flow control method is used to reduce the tip-leakage loss. Taking into account a modified discharge coefficient model, an inclination of the injection against the tip-leakage flow direction is said to have an even better effect on reducing the tip-leakage loss. To prove the effect, linear cascade measurements have been carried out at three different gap widths from 0.85% to 2.50% chord length. The used geometry is an up-scaled turbine blade tip cross section with weak turning. A single blade is fitted with an injection channel which is inclined by 45° against the tip-leakage flow direction. The flow field of the modified blade was measured 0.31 axial chord length downstream of the cascade using a pneumatic five-hole probe. The tip-leakage loss is reduced by passive tip-injection and further by inclined injection. The reduction can be significant at small gap widths. Detailed results are presented for a gap width of 1.40% chord length.

Parametric study of injection from the casing in an axial turbine

2019 ◽  
Vol 234 (5) ◽  
pp. 582-593
Author(s):  
Sarallah Abbasi ◽  
Afshin Gholamalipour
Keyword(s):  
Flow Structure ◽  
Control Method ◽  
Turbine Blades ◽  
Leading Edge ◽  
Tip Clearance ◽  
Leakage Flow ◽  
Tip Leakage Flow ◽  
Axial Turbine ◽  
Tip Leakage ◽  
Turbine Performance

Tip leakage flow reduces both efficiency and performance of axial turbines and damages turbine blades as well. Therefore, it is of great importance to identify and control tip leakage flow. This study investigated the effect of flow injection (from the casing), alongside flow structure, on turbine performance. Additionally, the effect of different injection parameters, including injection mass flow rate, angle, location, and diameter on the turbine performance are evaluated. A numerical analysis of the flow in a two-stage axial turbine was employed by using CFX software. To ensure the accuracy of the results, turbine performance curves were compared with the experimental results, which are in good agreement. Analyses revealed that active control method reduces tip leakage flow, improves turbine performance, and increases the efficiency by 1% to 5% as well. A parametric investigation of the tip injection has sought to identify how various parameters affect the turbine performance. The cross-section diameter and the angle of injection had no significant increase on efficiency. Additionally, results showed that at a point 9 mm further from the leading edge, the injection degree of effectiveness is optimum. Finally, analysis of the flow structure in the tip clearance region supported the tip leakage flow reduction.

Development of the Tip-Leakage Flow Downstream of a Planar Cascade of Turbine Blades: Vorticity Field

1989 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Yaras ◽  
S. A. Sjolander
Keyword(s):  
Simple Model ◽  
Turbine Blades ◽  
Leakage Flow ◽  
Tip Leakage Flow ◽  
Vorticity Field ◽  
Trailing Edge ◽  
Tip Leakage ◽  
Blade Row ◽  
Axisymmetric Structure ◽  
Insight Into

The paper presents detailed measurements of the tip-leakage flow emerging from a planar cascade of turbine blades. Four clearances of from 1.5 to 5.5 percent of the blade chord are considered. Measurements were made at the trailing edge plane, and at two main planes 1.0 and 1.56 axial chord lengths downstream of the cascade. The results give insight into several aspects of the leakage flow including: the size and strength of the leakage vortex in relation to the size of the tip gap and the bound circulation of the blade; and the evolution of the components of vorticity as the vortex diffuses laterally downstream of the blade row. The vortex was found to have largely completed its roll-up into a nearly axisymmetric structure even at the trailing edge of the cascade. As a result, it was found that the vortex could be modelled surprisingly well with a simple model based on the diffusion of a line vortex.

Study on Leakage Loss Control Method of Circumferential Bending Clearance

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shuai Jiang ◽  
Fu Chen ◽  
Jianyang Yu ◽  
Shaowen Chen ◽  
Yanping Song
Keyword(s):  
Control Method ◽  
Incidence Angle ◽  
Leading Edge ◽  
Blocking Effect ◽  
Field Analysis ◽  
Leakage Flow ◽  
Turbine Cascade ◽  
Tip Leakage Flow ◽  
Control Effect ◽  
Tip Leakage

Abstract The concept of circumferential bending clearance based on Gauss Bimodal Function is proposed to suppress tip leakage flow (TLF) in a highly-loaded turbine cascade. In this method, a new vortex (BV) can be induced to mix with TLV in the middle of tip region and block the development of tip leakage vortex (TLV). Since the blocking effect divides the TLV into two parts, the tip leakage rate and loss of TLF can be reduced significantly. In order to reveal the mechanisms of blocking effect on leakage flow and its influencing factors, the research numerically investigates the effects of environmental conditions on the TLF development in a turbine cascade. The flow field analysis of the optimal bending clearance is in the first place, and then the effects of clearance heights (δ) and incidence angles (α) on the TLF characteristic and loss are investigated respectively. Results indicate that the blocking effect has a close relationship with the TLF characteristic, which can be divided into the BV migration, TLV-2 location and blocking loss. The nearer distance to the leading edge (LE) and farther distance to the suction side (SS) of BV means a less loss of TLF in bending clearance cases. The further distance away from blade tip and SS of TLV-2 means a larger-scale vortex with more loss. The additional loss in blocking region expands constantly with the increase of clearance height and incidence angle. The bending clearance has limited control effect on TLF with the variation of clearance height, especially the loss increases in Case 2%H. However, it has a strong adaptability with the change of incidence angle, the relative total pressure loss drops up to 16% in Case −5°.

scholarly journals On Scaling Method to Investigate High-Speed Over-Tip-Leakage Flow at Low-Speed Condition

2018 ◽  
Vol 140 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hongmei Jiang ◽  
Li He ◽  
Qiang Zhang ◽  
Lipo Wang
Keyword(s):  
High Speed ◽  
Turbine Blades ◽  
Flow Distribution ◽  
Tip Clearance ◽  
Leakage Flow ◽  
Tip Leakage Flow ◽  
Scaling Method ◽  
Low Speed ◽  
Tip Leakage ◽  
Speed Condition

Modern high-pressure turbine blades operate at high-speed conditions. The over-tip-leakage (OTL) flow can be high-subsonic or even transonic. From the consideration of problem simplification and cost reduction, the OTL flow has been studied extensively in low-speed experiments. It has been assumed a redesigned low-speed blade profile with a matched blade loading should be sufficient to scale the high-speed OTL flow down to the low-speed condition. In this paper, the validity of this conventional scaling approach is computationally examined. The computational fluid dynamics (CFD) methodology was first validated by experimental data conducted in both high- and low-speed conditions. Detailed analyses on the OTL flows at high- and low-speed conditions indicate that, only matching the loading distribution with a redesigned blade cannot ensure the match of the aerodynamic performance at the low-speed condition with that at the high-speed condition. Specifically, the discrepancy in the peak tip leakage mass flux can be as high as 22%, and the total pressure loss at the low-speed condition is 6% higher than the high-speed case. An improved scaling method is proposed hereof. As an additional dimension variable, the tip clearance can also be “scaled” down from the high-speed to low-speed case to match the cross-tip pressure gradient between pressure and suction surfaces. The similarity in terms of the overall aerodynamic loss and local leakage flow distribution can be improved by adjusting the tip clearance, either uniformly or locally.

scholarly journals Effect of Tip Clearance Size on Tubular Turbine Leakage Characteristics

Processes ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (9) ◽  
pp. 1481
Author(s):  
Xinrui Li ◽  
Zhenggui Li ◽  
Baoshan Zhu ◽  
Weijun Wang
Keyword(s):  
Kinetic Energy ◽  
Turbulent Kinetic Energy ◽  
Flow Instability ◽  
Flow Direction ◽  
Flow Characteristics ◽  
Tip Clearance ◽  
Leakage Flow ◽  
Tip Leakage Flow ◽  
Tip Leakage Vortex ◽  
Tip Leakage

To study the effect of tip clearance on unsteady flow in a tubular turbine, a full-channel numerical calculation was carried out based on the SST k–ω turbulence model using a power-plant prototype as the research object. Tip leakage flow characteristics of three clearance δ schemes were compared. The results show that the clearance value is directly proportional to the axial velocity, momentum, and flow sum of the leakage flow but inversely proportional to turbulent kinetic energy. At approximately 35–50% of the flow direction, velocity and turbulent kinetic energy of the leakage flow show the trough and peak variation law, respectively. The leakage vortex includes a primary tip leakage vortex (PTLV) and a secondary tip leakage vortex (STLV). Increasing clearance increases the vortex strength of both parts, as the STLV vortex core overlaps Core A of PTLV, and Core B of PTLV becomes the main part of the tip leakage vortex. A “right angle effect” causes flow separation on the pressure side of the tip, and a local low-pressure area subsequently generates a separation vortex. Increasing the gap strengthens the separation vortex, intensifying the flow instability. Tip clearance should therefore be maximally reduced in tubular turbines, barring other considerations.

Numerical Study of Vortices and Their Interactions in the Passage of Rotor Blade With Tip Gap

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sachin Singh Rawat ◽  
B. V. S. S. S. Prasad
Keyword(s):  
Turbulence Model ◽  
Numerical Study ◽  
Flow Direction ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Suction Side ◽  
Leakage Flow ◽  
Angle Distribution ◽  
Tip Leakage Flow ◽  
Tip Leakage Vortex ◽  
Tip Leakage

Abstract A detailed three-dimensional steady-state numerical investigation using ANSYS CFX-18.2 on a high-pressure turbine blade with linear cascade is done for tip leakage flow of an axial gas turbine. Stationary casing with a fixed blade having tip gap is considered for the present study. There is leakage flow from the pressure side to the suction side of the blade which consecutively rolls up in the passage and forms the tip leakage vortex. The formation of vortices and their interaction with each other inside the passage is complex which makes experimental investigation difficult. The effect of tip gap size, off-design incidence angles, outlet Mach number, pitch size and flow path (stagger angle) are several parameters considered during the present study. The strength of tip leakage vortex and the vortex formed inside the gap is maximum. The losses are compared in terms of total pressure loss coefficient. The deviation of the flow direction is measured in terms of yaw angle distribution. Among various turbulence model available in CFX 18.2 the BSL k-ω turbulence model shows the most reliable results with experimental data. The results are compared with the base model without the tip gap. This investigation incites a better design of the blade tip with a precise reduction in losses.

Development of the Tip-Leakage Flow Downstream of a Planar Cascade of Turbine Blades: Vorticity Field

1990 ◽  
Vol 112 (4) ◽  
pp. 609-617 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Yaras ◽  
S. A. Sjolander
Keyword(s):  
Simple Model ◽  
Turbine Blades ◽  
Leakage Flow ◽  
Tip Leakage Flow ◽  
Vorticity Field ◽  
Trailing Edge ◽  
Tip Leakage ◽  
Blade Row ◽  
Axisymmetric Structure ◽  
Insight Into

The paper presents detailed measurements of the tip-leakage flow emerging from a planar cascade of turbine blades. Four clearances of from 1.5 to 5.5 percent of the blade chord are considered. Measurements were made at the trailing edge plane, and at two main planes 1.0 and 1.56 axial chord lengths downstream of the cascade. The results give insight into several aspects of the leakage flow, including the size and strength of the leakage vortex in relation to the size of the tip gap and the bound circulation of the blade, and the evolution of the components of vorticity as the vortex diffuses laterally downstream of the blade row. The vortex was found to have largely completed its roll-up into a nearly axisymmetric structure even at the trailing edge of the cascade. As a result, it was found that the vortex could be modeled surprisingly well with a simple model based on the diffusion of a line vortex.

Improvement of a Tip Clearance Loss Prediction Model Based on Geometric Variation

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jiancheng Zhang ◽  
Donghai Jin ◽  
Zefeng Li ◽  
Xingmin Gui
Keyword(s):  
Prediction Model ◽  
Discharge Coefficient ◽  
Chord Length ◽  
Tip Clearance ◽  
Leakage Flow ◽  
Tip Leakage Flow ◽  
Prediction Formula ◽  
Tip Leakage ◽  
Maximum Thickness ◽  
Loss Prediction

Abstract Tip leakage flow is an important factor affecting the efficiency and stability of compressors. It is important to study the tip leakage flow model in the design and performance prediction process of turbomachinery. This work analyzes the existing tip clearance loss prediction model and refines it to predict the tip clearance loss considering more blade geometric parameters. After analyzing the Yaras tip leakage loss model derivation process, it is found that the discharge coefficient (taken as constants by Yaras) will change with the gap geometry, namely, it is related to the maximum thickness and the gap size of the blade. In this paper the discharge coefficient of tip gap is revised to better predict the effect of gap loss with regard to the maximum thickness of the blade. In this paper, the research objects are linear cascades with NACA65 profile and numerical experiments were carried out by a CFD package Numeca under the condition of Mach number equal to 0.45, where the variables are the gap sizes (1%, 2%, 3%, 4%, 6% of the axial chord length) and the maximum thickness of blades (3%, 5%, 7%, 9%, 11% of the axial chord length). Combined with the numerical calculation results, according to Yaras loss prediction formula and using the similar characteristics to the discharge coefficient of the variation trend and the Planck blackbody radiation formula, the relationship between the discharge coefficient and the maximum thickness of the blade and the tip clearance is summarized, which is integrated with the Yaras loss prediction formula to obtain the final formula. This prediction formula fits the NACA65 blade calculation fairly. The average error of 24 calculation points is 2.59%. Then the improved model was compared with several existing models. Besides the CDA062, C4 and polynomial thickness distribution blade tip clearance loss is predicted using the refined prediction formula and the biggest prediction error is 5.46%. Therefore, the improved formula still has a good prediction effect when the blade type change. It is considered that within a certain range of maximum thickness of the blade type and tip gap sizes, the improved formula can give good predictions even though the blade type is different.

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