Active control of tip clearance flow through casing air injection in axial turbines

2011 ◽  
Vol 84 (1) ◽  
pp. 44-51 ◽  
Author(s):  
M-S Niu ◽  
S-S Zang
Keyword(s):  
Active Control ◽  
Tip Clearance ◽  
Air Injection ◽  
Tip Clearance Flow ◽  
Clearance Flow ◽  
Flow Through ◽  
Axial Turbines

scholarly journals Influences of Tip Cooling Injection on Tip Clearance Control at Design and Off-Design Incidences

2009 ◽  
Vol 2009 ◽  
pp. 1-12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maosheng Niu ◽  
Shusheng Zang
Keyword(s):  
Heat Transfer ◽  
Tip Clearance ◽  
Air Injection ◽  
Turbine Cascade ◽  
Tip Clearance Flow ◽  
Clearance Flow ◽  
Blade Tip ◽  
Design Value ◽  
Tip Injection ◽  
Clearance Control

A numerical investigation has been performed to study the influences of cooling injection from the blade tip surface on controlling tip clearance flow in an unshrouded, high-turning axial turbine cascade. Emphasis is put on the analysis of the effectiveness of tip injection when the approaching flow is at design and off-design incidences. A total of three incidence angles are investigated, 7.4°, 0°, 0°, 0°, and 7.6°, 0° relative to the design value. The results indicate that even at the off-design incidences, tip injection can also act as an obstruction to the tip clearance flow and weaken the interaction between the passage flow and the tip clearance flow. It is also found that tip injection causes the tip clearance loss to be less sensitive to the incidences. Moreover, with injection, at all these incidences the heat transfer conditions are improved significantly on the blade tip surface in the middle and aft parts of blade. Thus, tip injection is proved to be an effective method of controlling tip clearance flow, even at off-design conditions. Beside that, an indirect empirical correlation is observed to be able to perform well in predicting the losses induced by tip clearance flow at design and off-design conditions, no matter whether air injection is active or not.

Numerical Investigations of the Coupled Flow Through a Subsonic Compressor Rotor and Axial Skewed Slot

2008 ◽  
Vol 131 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Xingen Lu ◽  
Wuli Chu ◽  
Junqiang Zhu ◽  
Yangfeng Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Axial Flow ◽  
Tip Clearance ◽  
Stall Margin ◽  
Tip Clearance Flow ◽  
Casing Treatment ◽  
Axial Flow Compressor ◽  
Compressor Rotor ◽  
Clearance Flow ◽  
Flow Through ◽  
Flow Compressor

In order to advance the understanding of the fundamental mechanisms of axial skewed slot casing treatment and their effects on the subsonic axial-flow compressor flow field, the coupled unsteady flow through a subsonic compressor rotor and the axial skewed slot was simulated with a state-of-the-art multiblock flow solver. The computational results were first compared with available measured data, that showed the numerical procedure calculates the overall effect of the axial skewed slot correctly. Then, the numerically obtained flow fields were interrogated to identify the physical mechanism responsible for improvement in stall margin of a modern subsonic axial-flow compressor rotor due to the discrete skewed slots. It was found that the axial skewed slot casing treatment can increase the stall margin of subsonic compressor by repositioning of the tip clearance flow trajectory further toward the trailing of the blade passage and retarding the movement of the incoming∕tip clearance flow interface toward the rotor leading edge plane.

Measurement and Prediction of Tip Clearance Flow in Linear Turbine Cascades

1993 ◽  
Vol 115 (3) ◽  
pp. 376-382 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. J. G. Heyes ◽  
H. P. Hodson
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Tip Clearance ◽  
Leakage Flow ◽  
Pressure Gradients ◽  
Tip Leakage Flow ◽  
Tip Clearance Flow ◽  
Tip Leakage ◽  
Clearance Flow ◽  
Turbine Cascades ◽  
Axial Turbines

This paper describes a simple two-dimensional model for the calculation of the leakage flow over the blade tips of axial turbines. The results obtained from calculations are compared with data obtained from experimental studies of two linear turbine cascades. One of these cascades has been investigated by the authors and previously unpublished experimental data are provided for comparison with the model. In each of the test cases examined, excellent agreement is obtained between the experimental and predicted data. Although ignored in the past, the importance of pressure gradients along the blade chord is highlighted as a major factor influencing the tip leakage flow.

Turbine Hub and Shroud Sealing Flow Loss Mechanisms

2012 ◽  
Vol 134 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
Metodi Blagoev Zlatinov ◽  
Choon Sooi Tan ◽  
Matthew Montgomery ◽  
Tito Islam ◽  
Melissa Harris
Keyword(s):  
Flow Characteristics ◽  
Tip Clearance ◽  
Design Parameters ◽  
Tip Clearance Flow ◽  
Suppression Effect ◽  
Clearance Flow ◽  
Flow Loss ◽  
Purge Flow ◽  
Secondary Air ◽  
Axial Turbines

Purge air is injected through seals in the hub and shroud of axial turbines in order to prevent hot gas ingestion into the inter-stage gaps. An investigation into the losses involved with the injection of purge air has been undertaken, with the objectives of answering where the losses are generated, how they are generated, and what are the most effective ways for reducing them. In order to address these questions, a consistent framework for interpreting entropy generation as a measure of loss is developed for turbomachinery applications with secondary air streams. A procedure for factoring out distinct effects is also presented. These tools, applied to steady computations, elucidate four mechanisms by which change in loss generation is brought about due to injection of purge air: a shear layer between purge and main streams, interaction with the passage vortex system that generates radial velocity gradients, changes in wetted loss and tip clearance flow due to an increased degree of reaction, and the potential for reducing tip clearance flow for the case of purge flow injected from the shroud. An emphasis is placed on tracing these effects to specific purge flow characteristics that drive them. The understanding gained provides a rationale for the observed sensitivity of purge flow losses to the design parameters purge air mass fraction and swirl, compared to purge slot axial inclination and gap width. Preswirling of purge flow is less effective in mitigating losses in the case of shroud-injection, since there is a tradeoff with the tip clearance flow suppression effect.

Turbine Hub and Shroud Sealing Flow Loss Mechanisms

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Metodi Blagoev Zlatinov ◽  
Choon Sooi Tan ◽  
Matthew Montgomery ◽  
Tito Islam ◽  
Melissa Seco-Soley
Keyword(s):  
Flow Characteristics ◽  
Tip Clearance ◽  
Design Parameters ◽  
Tip Clearance Flow ◽  
Suppression Effect ◽  
Clearance Flow ◽  
Flow Loss ◽  
Purge Flow ◽  
Secondary Air ◽  
Axial Turbines

Purge air is injected through seals in the hub and shroud of axial turbines in order to prevent hot gas ingestion into the inter-stage gaps. An investigation into the losses involved with the injection of purge air has been undertaken, with the objectives of answering where the losses are generated, how they are generated, and what are the most effective ways for reducing them. In order to address these questions, a consistent framework for interpreting entropy generation as a measure of loss is developed for turbomachinery applications with secondary air streams. A procedure for factoring out distinct effects is also presented. These tools, applied to steady computations, elucidate four routes though which change in loss generation is brought about by injection of purge air: a shear layer between purge and main streams, interaction with the passage vortex system that generates radial velocity gradients, changes in wetted loss and tip clearance flow due to an increased degree of reaction, and the potential for reducing tip clearance flow for the case of purge flow injected from the shroud. An emphasis is placed on tracing these effects to specific purge flow characteristics that drive them. The understanding gained provides a rationale for the observed sensitivity of purge flow losses to the design parameters purge air mass fraction and swirl, compared to purge slot axial inclination and gap width. Pre-swirling of purge flow is less effective in mitigating losses in the case of shroud-injection, since there is a tradeoff with the tip clearance flow suppression effect.

scholarly journals Numerical and Experimental Investigations of Steady Micro-Tip Injection on a Subsonic Axial-Flow Compressor Rotor

2006 ◽  
Vol 2006 ◽  
pp. 1-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xingen Lu ◽  
Wuli Chu ◽  
Junqiang Zhu ◽  
Zhiting Tong
Keyword(s):  
Mass Flow ◽  
Axial Flow ◽  
Tip Clearance ◽  
Air Injection ◽  
Stall Margin ◽  
Tip Clearance Flow ◽  
Compressor Rotor ◽  
Clearance Flow ◽  
Tip Injection ◽  
Flow Compressor

Steady tip injection has been demonstrated to be an effective means of extending the stable operating range of a tip-critical compressor. This study presents a state-of-the-art design for the tip injection through the casing with flush-mounted inclined holes and the effectiveness of steady micro-air injection to enhance stability in a subsonic axial-flow compressor rotor using an external-air supply. For the tested rotor, experimental results demonstrate that at 53% design speed, the stalling mass flow can be reduced by 7.69% using an injected mass flow equivalent to 0.064% of the annulus flow. Time-dependent CFD simulations were conducted to identify the physical mechanic that accounts for the beneficial effects of the steady micro-air injection on the performance and stability of the compressor. Detailed analyses of the flow visualization at the tip have exposed the different tip flow topologies between the cases without tip injection and with tip injection. It was found that the primary stall margin enhancement afforded by the steady micro-air injection is a result of the tip-clearance flow manipulation. The repositioning of the tip-clearance vortex further towards the trailing edge of the blade passage and delaying the movement of incoming/tip-clearance flow interface to the leading edge plane are the physical mechanisms responsible for extending the compressor stall margin.

Mechanism of the Interaction Between Casing Treatment and Tip Leakage Flow in a Subsonic Axial Compressor

2006 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xingen Lu ◽  
Wuli Chu ◽  
Junqiang Zhu ◽  
Yanhui Wu
Keyword(s):  
Tip Clearance ◽  
Leakage Flow ◽  
Tip Leakage Flow ◽  
Stall Margin ◽  
Tip Clearance Flow ◽  
Casing Treatment ◽  
Tip Leakage ◽  
Compressor Rotor ◽  
Clearance Flow ◽  
Flow Through

The use of slots and grooves in the shroud over the tips of compressor blades, known as casing treatment, is known as a powerful method to control tip leakage flow through the clearance gap and enhance the flow stability in compressors. This paper present a detailed steady and unsteady numerical studies of the coupled flow through rotor blade passages and two different types of casing treatment for a modern subsonic axial-flow compressor rotor. Particular attention was given to examining the interaction between the tip leakage flow and the casing treatment. In order to validate the multi block model applied in the rotor blade end-wall region, the computational results for the modern subsonic compressor rotor both with and without casing treatment were correlated with available experimental test data for estimation of the global performance. Detailed analyses of the flow visualization at the tip have exposed the different tip flow topologies between the cases with casing treatment and with untreated smooth wall. It was found that the primary stall margin enhancement afforded by the casing treatment is a result of the tip clearance flow manipulation. The repositioning of the tip clearance vortex further towards the trailing edge of the blade passage and delaying the movement of incoming/tip clearance flow interface to the leading edge plane are the physical mechanisms responsible for extending the compressor stall margin.

scholarly journals The Measurement and Prediction of the Tip Clearance Flow in Linear Turbine Cascades

1992 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. J. G. Heyes ◽  
H. P. Hodson
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Tip Clearance ◽  
Leakage Flow ◽  
Pressure Gradients ◽  
Tip Leakage Flow ◽  
Tip Clearance Flow ◽  
Tip Leakage ◽  
Clearance Flow ◽  
Turbine Cascades ◽  
Axial Turbines

This paper describes a simple two-dimensional model for the calculation of the leakage flow over the blade tips of axial turbines. The results obtained from calculations are compared with data obtained from experimental studies of two linear turbine cascades. One of these cascades has been investigated by the authors and previously unpublished experimental data is provided for comparison with the model. In each of the test cases examined, excellent agreement is obtained between the experimental and predicted data. Although ignored in the past, the importance of pressure gradients along the blade chord is highlighted as a major factor influencing the tip leakage flow.

Investigation of a Tip Clearance Cascade in a Water Analogy Rig

1986 ◽  
Vol 108 (1) ◽  
pp. 38-46 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. A. H. Graham
Keyword(s):  
Turbine Blades ◽  
Flow Region ◽  
Tip Clearance ◽  
Turbine Engines ◽  
Gas Turbine Engines ◽  
Tip Clearance Flow ◽  
Pressure Profiles ◽  
Clearance Flow ◽  
Hot Film ◽  
Model Features

The tip clearance flow region of high-pressure axial turbine blades for small gas turbine engines has been investigated in a water flow cascade. The blade model features variable clearance and variable endwall speeds. The cascade is scaled for Reynolds number and sized to give velocities suitable for visualization. Pressure profiles were measured on one blade, and correlated with the visualization. Unloading is found to be a major feature of the pressure field at both tip and midspan, and is intimately connected with scraping effects and the behavior of the clearance vortex. Some initial hot-film velocity measurements are also presented.

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