A Numerically Supported Investigation of the 3D Flow in Centrifugal Impellers: Part I — The Validation Base

The three-dimensional flow in centrifugal impellers is investigated on the basis of a detailed analysis of the results of numerical simulations. In order to gain confidence in this process, an in-depth validation is performed, based on computations of Krain’s centrifugal compressor and of a radial pump impeller, both with vaneless diffusers. Detailed comparisons with available experimental data provide high confidence in the numerical tools and results. The appearance of a high loss ‘wake’ region results from the transport of boundary layer material from the blade surfaces to the shroud region and its location depends on the balance between secondary and tip leakage flows and is not necessarily connected to 3D boundary layer separation. Although the low momentum spots near the shroud can interfere with 3D separated regions, the main outcome of the present analysis is that these are two distinct phenomena. Part I of this paper focuses on the validation base of the numerical approach, based on fine mesh simulations, while Part II presents an analysis of the different contributions to the secondary flows and attempts to estimate their effect on the overall flow pattern.

Effects of Inlet Distortion on the Flow Field in a Transonic Compressor Rotor

The effects of circumferential distortions in inlet total pressure on the flow field in a low-aspect-ratio, high-speed, high-pressure-ratio, transonic compressor rotor are investigated in this paper. The flow field was studied experimentally and numerically with and without inlet total pressure distortion. Total pressure distortion was created by screens mounted upstream from the rotor inlet. Circumferential distortions of 8 periods per revolution were investigated at two different rotor speeds. The unsteady blade surface pressures were measured with miniature pressure transducers mounted in the blade. The flow fields with and without inlet total pressure distortion were analyzed numerically by solving steady and unsteady forms of the Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes equations. Steady three-dimensional viscous flow calculations were performed for the flow without inlet distortion while unsteady three-dimensional viscous flow calculations were used for the flow with inlet distortion. For the time-accurate calculation, circumferential and radial variations of the inlet total pressure were used as a time-dependent inflow boundary condition. A second-order implicit scheme was used for the time integration. The experimental measurements and the numerical analysis are highly complementary for this study because of the extreme complexity of the flow field. The current investigation shows that inlet flow distortions travel through the rotor blade passage and are convected into the following stator. At a high rotor speed where the flow is transonic, the passage shock was found to oscillate by as much as 20% of the blade chord, and very strong interactions between the unsteady passage shock and the blade boundary layer were observed. This interaction increases the effective blockage of the passage, resulting in an increased aerodynamic loss and a reduced stall margin. The strong interaction between the passage shock and the blade boundary layer increases the peak aerodynamic loss by about one percent.

Tip Leakage Flow Characteristics Downstream of an Axial Flow Fan

The three-dimensional viscous flow characteristics and the complex vortex system downstream of the rotor of an industrial exial fan have been determined by an experimental investigation using hot-wire anemometer. Single-wire slanted and straight type probes have been rotated about the probe axis using a computer controlled stepper motor. Measurements have been taken at four planes behind the blade trailing edge. The results show the characteristics of the relative flow as velocity components, secondary flow and kinetic energy defect. Turbulence intensity and Reynolds stress components in the leakage vortex area are also presented. The evolution of the leakage vortex flow during the decay process has also been evaluated in terms of dimension, position and intensity.

Analysis of the Oil Film on the Inside Surface of an Aero-Engine Bearing Chamber Housing

Knowledge of flow and heat transfer in bearing chambers is important in the design of engine oil systems. In this paper a simplified model of the oil film on the housing of a bearing chamber is presented and the results compared with other workers’ measurements. An integral approach is used and the analysis includes the effects of surface friction, heat transfer, gravity and swirl of the oil at inlet. Two-dimensionality is assumed with variations in the axial direction being neglected. The model is expected to apply at high rotational speeds where “rimming” dominates with the oil flowing around the drum in a continuous film. A similar rimming flow regime occurs in a rotating, horizontal drum partially filled with liquid and the present model is also tested against data for this problem. Some good qualitative and quantitative agreement with measurements has been found, but significant discrepancies and uncertainties remain. Overall the results of this first attempt to analyse the bearing chamber flow are considered very encouraging.

A Three-Dimensional Shock Loss Model Applied to an Aft-Swept, Transonic Compressor Rotor

An analysis of the effectiveness of a three-dimensional shock loss model used in transonic compressor rotor design is presented. The model was used during the design of an aft-swept, transonic compressor rotor. The demonstrated performance of the swept rotor, in combination with numerical results, is used to determine the strengths and weaknesses of the model. The numerical results were obtained from a fully three-dimensional Navier-Stokes solver. The shock loss model was developed to account for the benefit gained with three-dimensional shock sweep. Comparisons with the experimental and numerical results demonstrated that shock loss reductions predicted by the model due to the swept shock induced by the swept leading edge of the rotor were exceeded. However, near the tip the loss model under-predicts the loss because the shock geometry assumed by the model remains swept in this region while the numerical results show a more normal shock orientation. The design methods and the demonstrated performance of the swept rotor is also presented. Comparisons are made between the design intent and measured performance parameters. The aft-swept rotor was designed using an inviscid axisymmetric streamline curvature design system utilizing arbitrary airfoil blading geometry. The design goal specific flow rate was 214.7 kg/sec/m2 (43.98 lbm/sec/ft2), the design pressure ratio goal was 2.042, and the predicted design point efficiency was 94.0. The rotor tip sped was 457.2 m/sec (1500 ft/sec). The design flow rate was achieved while the pressure ratio fell short by 0.07. Efficiency was 3 points below prediction, though at a very high 91 percent. At this operating condition the stall margin was 11 percent.

Numerical Simulation of Secondary Flow in Gas Turbine Disc Cavities, Including Conjugate Heat Transfer

A numerical study of the flow and heat transfer in secondary flow elements of the entire inner portion of the turbine section of the Allison T-56/501D engine is presented. The flow simulation included the interstage cavities, rim seals and associated main path flows, while the energy equation also included the solid parts of the turbine disc, rotor supports, and stator supports. Solutions of the energy equations in these problems usually face the difficulty in specifications of wall thermal boundary conditions. By solving the entire turbine section this difficulty is thus removed, and realistic thermal conditions are realized on all internal walls. The simulation was performed using SCISEAL, an advanced 2D/3D CFD code for predictions of fluid flows and forces in turbomachinery seals and secondary flow elements. The mass flow rates and gas temperatures at various seal locations were compared with the design data from Allison. Computed gas flow rates and temperatures in the rim and labyrinth seal show a fair 10 good comparison with the design calculations. The conjugate heat transfer analysis indicates temperature gradients in the stationary intercavity walls, as well as the rotating turbine discs. The thermal strains in the stationary wall may lead to altered interstage labyrinth seal clearances and affect the disc cavity flows. The temperature, fields in the turbine discs also may lead to distortions that can alter the rim seal clearances. Such details of the flow and temperature fields are important in designs of the turbine sections to account for possible thermal distortions and their effects on the performance. The simulation shows that the present day CFD codes can provide the means to understand the complex flow field and thereby aid the design process.

Aspirating Probe Measurements of the Unsteady Total Temperature Field Downstream of an Embedded Stator in a Multistage Axial Flow Compressor

The results from the area traverse measurements of the unsteady total temperature using a high response aspirating probe downstream of the second stator of a three stage axial flow compressor are presented. The measurements were conducted at the peak efficiency operating point. The unsteady total temperature data is resolved into deterministic and unresolved components. Hub and casing regions have high levels of unsteadiness and consequently high levels of mixing. These regions have significant levels of shaft resolved and unresolved unsteadiness. Comparisons are made between the total temperature and the total pressure data to examine the rotor 2 wake characteristics and the temporal variation of the stator exit flow. Isentropic efficiency calculations at the midpitch location show that there is about a 4% change in the algebraically averaged efficiency across the blades of the second rotor and if all the rotor 2 blades were behaving as a “best” blade, the improvement in efficiency would be about 1.3%. An attempt is made to create a composite flow field picture by correlating the unsteady velocity data with temperature and pressure data.

Development of a High Specific Speed Centrifugal Compressor

This paper describes the development of a subscale single stage centrifugal compressor with a dimensionless specific speed (Ns) of 1.8, originally designed for full size appllcatioa as a high volume flow, low pressure ratio, gas booster compressor. The specific stage is noteworthy in that it provides a benchmark representing the performance potential of very high specific speed compressors of which limited information is found in open literature. Stage & component test performance characteristics are presented together with traverse results at the impeller exit. Traverse test results were compared with recent CFD computational predictions, for a exploratory analytical callbration of a very high specific speed impeller geometry. The tested subscale (0.583) compressor essentially satisfied design performance expectations with an overall stage efficiency of 74% incinding, excessive exit casing losses. It was estimated that stage efficiency could be increased to 81% with exit casing losses halved.

CFD-Analysis of Coverplate Receiver Flow

The flow field in a preswirled cooling air supply to a turbine rotor has been investigated by means of CFD-simulations. Coefficients for system efficiency are derived. The influences of various geometrical parameters for different configurations have been correlated with the help of appropriate coefficients. For some of the most important geometrical parameters of the coverplate receiver design recommendations have been found. For the preswirl nozzles the potential of efficiency improvement by contour design is highlighted.

BladeCAD: An Interactive Geometric Design Tool for Turbomachinery Blades

A new methodology for interactive design of turbomachinery blades is presented. Software implementation of the methods provides a user interface that is intuitive to aero-designers while operating with standardized geometric forms. The primary contribution is that blade sections may be defined with respect to general surfaces of revolution which may be defined to represent the path of fluid flow through the turbomachine. The completed blade design is represented as a non-uniform rational B-spline (NURBS) surface and is written to a standard IGES file which is portable to most design, analysis, and manufacturing applications.