An experimental investigation of a low-pressure turbine blade suction surface using a shear and stress sensitive film

2007 ◽  
Vol 44 (1) ◽  
pp. 73-88 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark McQuilling ◽  
Mitch Wolff ◽  
Sergey Fonov ◽  
Jim Crafton ◽  
Rolf Sondergaard
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Investigation ◽  
Turbine Blade ◽  
Low Pressure ◽  
Suction Surface ◽  
Low Pressure Turbine ◽  
Sensitive Film

An Experimental Investigation of the Effect of Freestream Turbulence on the Wake of a Separated Low-Pressure Turbine Blade at Low Reynolds Numbers

1999 ◽  
Vol 122 (2) ◽  
pp. 431-433 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. G. Murawski ◽  
K. Vafai
Keyword(s):  
Reynolds Number ◽  
Turbine Blade ◽  
Turbulence Intensity ◽  
Reynolds Numbers ◽  
Low Pressure ◽  
Freestream Turbulence ◽  
Suction Surface ◽  
Low Reynolds Numbers ◽  
Low Pressure Turbine ◽  
Flow Reynolds Number

An experimental study was conducted in a two-dimensional linear cascade, focusing on the suction surface of a low pressure turbine blade. Flow Reynolds numbers, based on exit velocity and suction length, have been varied from 50,000 to 300,000. The freestream turbulence intensity was varied from 1.1 to 8.1 percent. Separation was observed at all test Reynolds numbers. Increasing the flow Reynolds number, without changing freestream turbulence, resulted in a rearward movement of the onset of separation and shrinkage of the separation zone. Increasing the freestream turbulence intensity, without changing Reynolds number, resulted in shrinkage of the separation region on the suction surface. The influences on the blade’s wake from altering freestream turbulence and Reynolds number are also documented. It is shown that width of the wake and velocity defect rise with a decrease in either turbulence level or chord Reynolds number. [S0098-2202(00)00202-9]

Numerical Investigation of Contrasting Flow Physics in Different Zones of a High-Lift Low-Pressure Turbine Blade

2015 ◽  
Vol 138 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jiahuan Cui ◽  
V. Nagabhushana Rao ◽  
Paul Tucker
Keyword(s):  
Boundary Layer ◽  
Turbine Blade ◽  
Low Pressure ◽  
The State ◽  
Suction Surface ◽  
Flow Physics ◽  
Pressure Surface ◽  
Low Pressure Turbine ◽  
Flow Features ◽  
The Impact

Using a range of high-fidelity large eddy simulations (LES), the contrasting flow physics on the suction surface, pressure surface, and endwalls of a low-pressure turbine (LPT) blade (T106A) was studied. The current paper attempts to provide an improved understanding of the flow physics over these three zones under the influence of different inflow boundary conditions. These include: (a) the effect of wakes at low and high turbulence intensity on the flow at midspan and (b) the impact of the state of the incoming boundary layer on endwall flow features. On the suction surface, the pressure fluctuations on the aft portion significantly reduced at high freestream turbulence (FST). The instantaneous flow features revealed that this reduction at high FST (HF) is due to the dominance of “streak-based” transition over the “Kelvin–Helmholtz” (KH) based transition. Also, the transition mechanisms observed over the turbine blade were largely similar to those on a flat plate subjected to pressure gradients. On pressure surface, elongated vortices were observed at low FST (LF). The possibility of the coexistence of both the Görtler instability and the severe straining of the wakes in the formation of these elongated vortices was suggested. While this was true for the cases under low turbulence levels, the elongated vortices vanished at higher levels of background turbulence. At endwalls, the effect of the state of the incoming boundary layer on flow features has been demonstrated. The loss cores corresponding to the passage vortex and trailing shed vortex were moved farther from the endwall with a turbulent boundary layer (TBL) when compared to an incoming laminar boundary layer (LBL). Multiple horse-shoe vortices, which constantly moved toward the leading edge due to a low-frequency unstable mechanism, were captured.

Experimental Investigation of a High-Lift Low-Pressure Turbine Suction Surface

AIAA Journal ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 48 (11) ◽  
pp. 2465-2471 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark McQuilling ◽  
Mitch Wolff ◽  
Sergey Fonov ◽  
Jim Crafton ◽  
Rolf Sondergaard
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Investigation ◽  
Low Pressure ◽  
Suction Surface ◽  
High Lift ◽  
Low Pressure Turbine

scholarly journals Intermittent Behavior of the Separated Boundary Layer Along the Suction Surface of a Low Pressure Turbine Blade Under Periodic Unsteady Flow Conditions

2005 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. O¨ztu¨rk ◽  
M. T. Schobeiri ◽  
David E. Ashpis
Keyword(s):  
Boundary Layer ◽  
Reynolds Number ◽  
Turbine Blade ◽  
Low Pressure ◽  
Boundary Layer Transition ◽  
Wake Flow ◽  
Unsteady Boundary Layer ◽  
Flow Conditions ◽  
Suction Surface ◽  
Low Pressure Turbine

The paper experimentally and theoretically studies the effects of periodic unsteady wake flow and aerodynamic characteristics on boundary layer development, separation and re-attachment along the suction surface of a low pressure turbine blade. The experiments were carried out at Reynolds number of 110,000 (based on suction surface length and exit velocity). For one steady and two different unsteady inlet flow conditions with the corresponding passing frequencies, intermittency behavior were experimentally and theoretically investigated. The current investigation attempts to extend the intermittency unsteady boundary layer transition model developed in previously to the LPT cases, where separation occurs on the suction surface at a low Reynolds number. The results of the unsteady boundary layer measurements and the intermittency analysis were presented in the ensemble-averaged, and contour plot forms. The analysis of the boundary layer experimental data with the flow separation, confirms the universal character of the relative intermittency function which is described by a Gausssian function.

A Low Reynolds Number Experimental Evaluation of Tubercles on a Low-Pressure Turbine Cascade

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen A. Pym ◽  
Asad Asghar ◽  
William D. E. Allan ◽  
John P. Clark
Keyword(s):  
Boundary Layer ◽  
Turbine Blade ◽  
Reynolds Numbers ◽  
Low Pressure ◽  
Blade Profile ◽  
Suction Surface ◽  
Low Reynolds Numbers ◽  
Low Pressure Turbine ◽  
Low Reynolds ◽  
Highly Loaded

Abstract Aircraft are operating at increasingly high-altitudes, where decreased air density and engine power settings have led to increasingly low Reynolds numbers in the low-pressure turbine portion of modern-day aeroengines. These operating conditions, in parallel with highly-loaded blade profiles, result in non-reattaching laminar boundary layer separation along the blade suction surface, increasing loss and decreasing engine performance. This work presents an experimental investigation into the potential for integrated leading-edge tubercles to improve blade performance in this operating regime. A turn-table cascade test-section was constructed and commissioned to test a purpose-designed, forward-loaded, low-pressure turbine blade profile at various incidences and Reynolds numbers. Baseline and tubercled blades were tested at axial chord Reynolds numbers at and between 15 000 and 60 000, and angles of incidence ranging from −5° to +10°. Experimental data collection included blade surface pressure measurements, total pressure loss in the blade wakes, hot-wire anemometry, surface hot-film measurements, and surface flow visualization using tufts. Test results showed that the implementation of tubercles did not lead to a performance enhancement. However, useful conclusions were drawn regarding the ability of tubercles to generate stream-wise vortices at ultra-low Reynolds numbers. Additional observations helped to characterize the suction surface boundary layer over the highly-loaded, low-pressure turbine blade profile when at off-design conditions. Recommendations were made for future work.

Influence of Wake Structure on Unsteady Flow in a Low Pressure Turbine Blade Passage

2009 ◽  
Vol 131 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Sarkar
Keyword(s):  
Shear Layer ◽  
Turbine Blade ◽  
Suction Side ◽  
Low Pressure ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Suction Surface ◽  
Low Pressure Turbine ◽  
Eddy Simulation ◽  
Flow Past A Cylinder ◽  
Scale Motion

The effect of wake structures on the evolution of the boundary layer over the suction side of a high-lift low-pressure turbine blade is studied using large-eddy simulation (LES) for a Reynolds number Re=7.8×104 (based on the axial chord and the inlet velocity). The wake data of different characteristics (defined by the wake deficit and the small-scale motion) are extracted from a precursor LES of flow past a cylinder. This replaces a moving bar that generates wakes in front of a cascade. LES results illustrate that apart from the wake kinematics, the large pressure oscillations and rollup of the separated shear layer along the rear half of the suction surface depend on the length scale of the convective wake. The transition of this rolled-up shear layer is influenced by the wake turbulence and the small-scale motion.

Numerical Investigation of Contrasting Flow Physics in Different Zones of a High-Lift Low Pressure Turbine Blade

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Cui ◽  
V. Nagabhushana Rao ◽  
P. G. Tucker
Keyword(s):  
Boundary Layer ◽  
Turbine Blade ◽  
Low Pressure ◽  
The State ◽  
Suction Surface ◽  
Flow Physics ◽  
Pressure Surface ◽  
Low Pressure Turbine ◽  
Flow Features ◽  
The Impact

Using a range of high fidelity large eddy simulations, the contrasting flow physics on the suction surface, pressure surface and endwalls of a low pressure turbine blade (T106A) was studied. The current paper attempts to provide an improved understanding of the flow physics over these three zones under the influence of different inflow boundary conditions. These include: (a) the effect of wakes at low and high turbulence intensity on the flow at mid-span and (b) the impact of the state of the incoming boundary layer on endwall flow features. On the suction surface, the pressure fluctuations on the aft portion significantly reduced at high Free-Stream Turbulence (FST). The instantaneous flow features revealed that this reduction at high FST is due to the dominance of ‘streak-based’ transition over the ‘Kelvin-Helmholtz’ based transition. Also, the transition mechanisms observed over the turbine blade were largely similar to those on a flat plate subjected to pressure gradients. On pressure surface, elongated vortices were observed at low FST. The possibility of the co-existence of both the Görtler instability and the severe straining of the wakes in the formation of these elongated vortices was suggested. While this was true for the cases under low turbulence levels, the elongated vortices vanished at higher levels of background turbulence. At endwalls, the effect of the state of the incoming boundary layer on flow features has been demonstrated. The loss cores corresponding to the passage vortex and trailing shed vortex were moved farther from the endwall with a turbulent boundary layer when compared to an incoming laminar boundary layer. Multiple horse-shoe vortices, which constantly moved towards the leading edge due to a low-frequency unstable mechanism, were captured.

Designing Low-Pressure Turbine Blades With Integrated Flow Control

2005 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeffrey P. Bons ◽  
Laura C. Hansen ◽  
John P. Clark ◽  
Peter J. Koch ◽  
Rolf Sondergaard
Keyword(s):  
Reynolds Number ◽  
Flow Control ◽  
Turbine Blade ◽  
Separation Bubble ◽  
Low Pressure ◽  
Suction Surface ◽  
Flow Measurements ◽  
Blade Loading ◽  
Low Pressure Turbine ◽  
Wide Range

A low pressure turbine blade was designed to produce a 17% increase in blade loading over an industry-standard airfoil using integrated flow control to prevent separation. The design was accomplished using two-dimensional CFD predictions of blade performance coupled with insight gleaned from recently published work in transition modeling and from previous experiments with flow control using vortex generator jets (VGJs). In order to mitigate the Reynolds number lapse in efficiency associated with LPT airfoils, a mid-loaded blade was selected. Also, separation predictions from the computations were used to guide the placement of control actuators on the blade suction surface. Three blades were fabricated using the new design and installed in a two-passage linear cascade facility. Flow velocity and surface pressure measurements taken without activating the VGJs indicate a large separation bubble centered at 68% axial chord on the suction surface. The size of the separation and its growth with decreasing Reynolds number agree well with CFD predictions. The separation bubble reattaches to the blade over a wide range of inlet Reynolds numbers from 150,000 down to below 20,000. This represents a marked improvement in separation resistance compared to the original blade profile which separates without reattachment below a Reynolds number of 40,000. This enhanced performance is achieved by increasing the blade spacing while simultaneously adjusting the blade shape to make it less aft-loaded but with a higher peak cp. This reduces the severity of the adverse pressure gradient in the uncovered portion of the modified blade passage. With the use of pulsed VGJs, the design blade loading was achieved while providing attached flow over the entire range of Re. Detailed phase-locked flow measurements using three-component PIV show the trajectory of the jet and its interaction with the unsteady separation bubble. Results illustrate the importance of integrating flow control into the turbine blade design process and the potential for enhanced turbine performance.

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