Analysis of High-lift Low Pressure Turbine Endwall Vortices Using Modal Decomposition Methods

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Molly H. Donovan ◽  
Markus P. Rumpfkeil ◽  
Sidaard Gunasekaran ◽  
Christopher R. Marks
Author(s):  
Michele Marconcini ◽  
Filippo Rubechini ◽  
Roberto Pacciani ◽  
Andrea Arnone ◽  
Francesco Bertini

Low pressure turbine airfoils of the present generation usually operate at subsonic conditions, with exit Mach numbers of about 0.6. To reduce the costs of experimental programs it can be convenient to carry out measurements in low speed tunnels in order to determine the cascades performance. Generally speaking, low speed tests are usually carried out on airfoils with modified shape, in order to compensate for the effects of compressibility. A scaling procedure for high-lift, low pressure turbine airfoils to be studied in low speed conditions is presented and discussed. The proposed procedure is based on the matching of a prescribed blade load distribution between the low speed airfoil and the actual one. Such a requirement is fulfilled via an Artificial Neural Network (ANN) methodology and a detailed parameterization of the airfoil. A RANS solver is used to guide the redesign process. The comparison between high and low speed profiles is carried out, over a wide range of Reynolds numbers, by using a novel three-equation, transition-sensitive, turbulence model. Such a model is based on the coupling of an additional transport equation for the so-called laminar kinetic energy (LKE) with the Wilcox k–ω model and it has proven to be effective for transitional, separated-flow configurations of high-lift cascade flows.


Author(s):  
Kevin Keadle ◽  
Mark McQuilling

High lift low pressure turbine airfoils have complex flow features that can require advanced modeling capabilities for accurate flow predictions. These features include separated flows and the transition from laminar to turbulent boundary layers. Recent applications of computational fluid dynamics based on the Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes formulation have included modeling for attached and separated flow transition mechanisms in the form of empirical correlations and two- or three-equation eddy viscosity models. This study uses the three-equation model of Walters and Cokljat [1] to simulate the flow around the Pack B and L2F low pressure turbine airfoils in a two-dimensional cascade arrangement at a Reynolds number of 25,000. This model includes a third equation for the development of pre-transitional laminar kinetic energy (LKE), and is an updated version of the Walters and Leylek [2] model. The aft-loaded Pack B has a nominal Zweifel loading coefficient of 1.13, and the front-loaded L2F has a nominal loading coefficient of 1.59. Results show the updated LKE model improves predicted accuracy of pressure coefficient and velocity profiles over its previous version as well as two-equation RANS models developed for separated and transitional flows. Transition onset behavior also compares favorably with experiment. However, the current model is not found suitable for wake total pressure loss predictions in two-dimensional simulations at extremely low Reynolds numbers due to the predicted coherency of suction side vortices generated in the separated shear layers which cause a local gain in wake total pressure.


2004 ◽  
Vol 126 (3) ◽  
pp. 406-413 ◽  
Author(s):  
Re´gis Houtermans ◽  
Thomas Coton ◽  
Tony Arts

The present paper is based on an experimental study of a front-loaded very high lift, low pressure turbine blade designed at the VKI. The experiments have been carried out in a low-speed wind tunnel over a wide operating range of incidence and Reynolds number. The aim of the study is to characterize the flow through the cascade in terms of losses, mean outlet flow angle, and secondary flows. At low inlet freestream turbulence intensity, a laminar separation bubble is present, and a prediction model for a separated flow mode of transition has been developed.


AIAA Journal ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 48 (11) ◽  
pp. 2465-2471 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark McQuilling ◽  
Mitch Wolff ◽  
Sergey Fonov ◽  
Jim Crafton ◽  
Rolf Sondergaard

Author(s):  
D. C. Knezevici ◽  
S. A. Sjolander ◽  
T. J. Praisner ◽  
E. Allen-Bradley ◽  
E. A. Grover

This paper is the second in a series from the same authors studying the mitigation of endwall losses using the low-speed linear cascade test facility at Carleton University. The previous paper documented the baseline test case for the study. The current work investigates the secondary flow in a cascade of more highly-loaded low-pressure turbine airfoils with and without the implementation of endwall profiling. This study is novel in two regards. First, the contouring is applied to low-pressure turbine airfoils, whereas studies conducted by other researchers have focused their endwall profiling efforts on the high-pressure turbine. Second, while previous researchers have optimized contouring designs for a given airfoil, the current work demonstrates the potential to open the design space by employing high-lift airfoils in conjunction with endwall contouring. Seven-hole pneumatic probe measurements taken within the blade passage and downstream of the trailing edge track the progression of the secondary flow and losses generated. The contouring divides the vorticity associated with the passage vortex into two weaker vortices, and reduces the secondary kinetic energy. Overall the secondary losses are reduced and the loss reduction is discussed with regards to changes in the flow physics. A detailed breakdown of the mixing losses further demonstrates the benefits of endwall contouring.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document