Unsteady Wake-Induced Boundary Layer Transition in High Lift LP Turbines

1998 ◽  
Vol 120 (1) ◽  
pp. 28-35 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. Schulte ◽  
H. P. Hodson

The development of the unsteady suction side boundary layer of a highly loaded LP turbine blade has been investigated in a rectilinear cascade experiment. Upstream rotor wakes were simulated with a moving-bar wake generator. A variety of cases with different wake-passing frequencies, different wake strength, and different Reynolds numbers were tested. Boundary layer surveys have been obtained with a single hotwire probe. Wall shear stress has been investigated with surface-mounted hot-film gages. Losses have been measured. The suction surface boundary layer development of a modern highly loaded LP turbine blade is shown to be dominated by effects associated with unsteady wake-passing. Whereas without wakes the boundary layer features a large separation bubble at a typical cruise Reynolds number, the bubble was largely suppressed if subjected to unsteady wake-passing at a typical frequency and wake strength. Transitional patches and becalmed regions, induced by the wake, dominated the boundary layer development. The becalmed regions inhibited transition and separation and are shown to reduce the loss of the wake-affected boundary layer. An optimum wake-passing frequency exists at cruise Reynolds numbers. For a selected wake-passing frequency and wake strength, the profile loss is almost independent of Reynolds number. This demonstrates a potential to design highly loaded LP turbine profiles without suffering large losses at low Reynolds numbers.

Author(s):  
Volker Schulte ◽  
Howard P. Hodson

The development of the unsteady suction side boundary layer of a highly loaded LP turbine blade has been investigated in a rectilinear cascade experiment. Upstream rotor wakes were simulated with a moving-bar wake generator. A variety of cases with different wake-passing frequencies, different wake strength and different Reynolds-numbers were tested. Boundary layer surveys have been obtained with a single hot-wire probe. Wall shear stress has been investigated with surface-mounted hot-film gauges. Losses have been measured. The suction surface boundary layer development of a modern highly loaded LP turbine blade is shown to be dominated by effects associated with unsteady wake-passing. Whereas without wakes the boundary layer features a large separation bubble at a typical cruise Reynolds-number, the bubble was largely suppressed if subjected to unsteady wake-passing at a typical frequency and wake strength. Transitional patches and becalmed regions, induced by the wake, dominated the boundary layer development. The becalmed regions inhibited transition and separation and are shown to reduce the loss of the wake-affected boundary layer. An optimum wake-passing frequency exists at cruise Reynolds-numbers. For a selected wake-passing frequency and wake-strength, the profile loss is almost independent of Reynolds-number. This demonstrates a potential to design highly loaded LP turbine profiles without suffering large losses at low Reynolds-numbers.


Author(s):  
Wenhua Duan ◽  
Jian Liu ◽  
Weiyang Qiao

Abstract A numerical analysis of the effect of Mach number on the boundary layer development and aerodynamic performance of a high-lift, after loaded low pressure turbine blade is presented in this paper. The turbine blade is designed for the GTF engine and works in a low Reynolds number, high Mach number environment. Three different isentropic exit Mach numbers (0.14, 0.87 and 1.17) are simulated by large eddy simulation method, while the Reynolds number based on the axial chord length of the blade and the exit flow velocity is kept the same (1 × 105). The condition Mais,2 = 0.14 represents the lowspeeed wind tunnel environment which is usually used in the low pressure turbine investigation. The condition Mais,2 = 0.87 represents the design point of the turbine blade. The condition Mais,2 = 1.17 represents the severe environment when the shock wave shows up. A comparison of the boundary layer development is made and the total pressure loss results from the boundary layer is discussed.


2004 ◽  
Vol 126 (4) ◽  
pp. 493-500 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lothar Hilgenfeld ◽  
Michael Pfitzner

The effects of wake passing on boundary layer development on a highly loaded linear compressor cascade were investigated in detail on the suction side of a compressor blade. The experiments were performed in the High Speed Cascade Wind Tunnel of the Institut fuer Strahlantriebe at Mach and Reynolds numbers representative for real turbomachinery conditions. The experimental data were acquired using different measurement techniques, such as fast-response Kulite sensors, hot-film array and hot-wire measurements. The incoming wakes clearly influence the unsteady boundary layer development. Early forced transition in the boundary layer is followed in time by calmed regions. Large pressure fluctuations detectable in the ensemble averaged Kulite data reveal the existence of coherent structures in the boundary layer. Distinct velocity variations inside the boundary layer are amplified when approaching the blade surface. The time–mean momentum thickness values are reduced compared to the steady ones and therefore clarify the potential for a loss reduction due to wake passing effects.


2009 ◽  
Vol 132 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Xue Feng Zhang ◽  
Howard Hodson

The effects of Reynolds numbers and the freestream turbulence intensities (FSTIs) on the unsteady boundary layer development on an ultra-high-lift low-pressure turbine airfoil, so-called T106C, are investigated. The measurements were carried out at both Tu=0.5% and 4.0% within a range of Reynolds numbers, based on the blade chord and the isentropic exit velocity, between 100,000 and 260,000. The interaction between the unsteady wake and the boundary layer depends on both the strength of the wake and the status of the boundary layer. At Tu=0.5%, both the wake’s high turbulence and the negative jet behavior of the wake dominate the interaction between the unsteady wake and the separated boundary layer on the suction surface of the airfoil. Since the wake turbulence cannot induce transition before separation on this ultra-high-lift blade, the negative jet of the wake has the opportunity to induce a rollup vortex. At Tu=4.0%, the time-mean separation on the suction surface is much smaller. With elevated FSTI, the turbulence in the wake just above the boundary layer is no longer distinguishable from the background turbulence level. The unsteady boundary layer transition is dominated by the wake’s negative jet induced boundary layer variation.


Author(s):  
Francesca Satta ◽  
Daniele Simoni ◽  
Marina Ubaldi ◽  
Pietro Zunino ◽  
Francesco Bertini

The boundary layer development on the suction side of a high-lift LP turbine profile has been experimentally investigated under steady and unsteady flow conditions in the range of Reynolds numbers between 70000 and 300000. Upstream wake periodic perturbations are generated by means of a tangential wheel of radial rods. The paper reports the results of the investigations performed for both steady and unsteady inflow cases (reduced frequency f+ = 0.62) for Re = 300000 and Re = 70000, representative of nominal and reduced Reynolds number operating conditions, respectively. A phase-locked ensemble-averaging technique has been employed to reconstruct the phase-averaged velocity and unresolved unsteadiness boundary layer profiles from the hotwire instantaneous velocities. Phase sequences of the boundary layer development, as well as time-space plots of velocity and unresolved unsteadiness in normal and streamwise directions highlight the complex wake/boundary layer interaction mechanism. While at the larger test Reynolds number the wake/boundary layer interaction does not substantially influence the transition process, at the lower test Reynolds number the boundary layer wake receptivity triggers the transition process, strongly attenuating the large separation bubble occurring at steady conditions.


1982 ◽  
Vol 33 (2) ◽  
pp. 174-198 ◽  
Author(s):  
C.J. Baker ◽  
L.C. Squire

SummaryDetailed measurements have been made of the boundary-layer development on a small two-dimensional aerofoil with supercritical flow and a weak shock wave, together with similar measurements on the tunnel side wall opposite the aerofoil surface. The Reynolds number of the test is similar to that found in the turbines of jet engines and there is a strong favourable pressure gradient ahead of the interaction of the shock with the boundary layer as often occurs in turbine blade passages. However, whereas the boundary layer on the aerofoil is thin and of the same thickness as that on a turbine blade, the thicker boundary layer on the wall is more typical of that on the hub or casing. The experimental results are compared with results from a wide range of calculation methods. One interesting conclusion from these comparisons is the fact that prediction methods which perform well for the thin boundary layers on the aerofoil do not necessarily perform as well for the thicker boundary layers on the wall.


Author(s):  
Xue Feng Zhang ◽  
Howard Hodson

The effects of Reynolds numbers and the freestream turbulence intensities (FSTI) on the unsteady boundary layer development on an ultra-high-lift low-pressure (LP) turbine airfoil, so-called T106C, are investigated. The measurements were carried out at both Tu = 0.5% and 4.0% within a range of Reynolds numbers, based on the blade chord and the isentropic exit velocity, between 100,000 and 260,000. The interaction between the unsteady wake and the boundary layer depends on both the strength of the wake and the status of the boundary layer. At Tu = 0.5%, both the wake’s high turbulence and the negative jet behaviour of the wake dominate the interaction between the unsteady wake and the separated boundary layer on the suction surface of the airfoil. Since the wake turbulence cannot induce transition before separation on this ultra-high-lift blade, the negative jet of the wake has the opportunity to induce a rollup vortex. At Tu = 4.0%, the time-mean separation on the suction surface is much smaller. With elevated FSTI, the turbulence in the wake just above the boundary layer is no longer distinguishable from the background turbulence level. The unsteady boundary layer transition is dominated by the wake’s negative jet induced boundary layer variation.


Author(s):  
Peter Stadtmüller ◽  
Leonhard Fottner

The paper presents a compilation of experimental data on the effects of wake-induced transition on a highly loaded LP turbine cascade intended to be used for further numerical work. Although the underlying physics is not yet completely understood, the benefits of wake passing are already known and employed in the design process of modern gas turbines. For further optimizations, the next step seems to be now to enable numerical simulations detailed enough to capture the major effects while being as uncomplicated as possible at the same time to be cost-effective. The experimental results constituted in this systematic investigation are available for download and should serve as a basic data set for future calculations with different turbulence and transition models, thereby shedding some light on the complexity and modeling required for a suitable numerical treatment of the wake-induced transition process. The data introduced in this test case was acquired using a turbine cascade called T106D-EIZ with increased blade pitch compared to design point conditions in order to achieve a higher loading. A large separation bubble forms on the suction side and allows to study boundary layer development in great detail. The upstream blade row was simulated by a moving bar type wake generator. The measurements comprise hot wire data of the bar wake characteristics in the cascade inlet plane (velocity deficit and turbulence level), boundary layer surveys with surface-mounted hot films sensors and a hot wire probe at various locations and measurements of the total pressure loss coefficient. Unsteady pressure transducers are embedded into the suction side of a cascade blade and in a wake rake to resolve the local pressure distributions over time. They yield quantitative values easily comparable to the output of numerical simulations. The objective of this paper is to enable and to invite interested researchers to validate their code on the data set. From the extensive test program, a very limited number of operating points have been selected to focus the work. The standardized data files include a “reference” case with an exit Reynolds number of 200.000 and an exit Mach number of 0.4 as well as two points with higher Mach or lower Reynolds number for constant wake passing frequencies and background turbulence levels.


Author(s):  
B. O¨ztu¨rk ◽  
M. T. Schobeiri ◽  
David E. Ashpis

The paper experimentally studies the effects of periodic unsteady wake flow and different Reynolds numbers on boundary layer development, separation and re-attachment along the suction surface of a low pressure turbine blade. The experimental investigations were performed on a large scale, subsonic unsteady turbine cascade research facility at Turbomachinery Performance and Flow Research Laboratory (TPFL) of Texas A&M University. The experiments were carried out at Reynolds numbers of 110,000 and 150,000 (based on suction surface length and exit velocity). One steady and two different unsteady inlet flow conditions with the corresponding passing frequencies, wake velocities, and turbulence intensities were investigated. The reduced frequencies chosen cover the operating range of LP turbines. In addition to the unsteady boundary layer measurements, surface pressure measurements were performed. The inception, onset, and the extent of the separation bubble information collected from the pressure measurements were compared with the hot wire measurements. The results presented in ensemble-averaged, and the contour plot forms help to understand the physics of the separation phenomenon under periodic unsteady wake flow and different Reynolds number. It was found that the suction surface displayed a strong separation bubble for these three different reduced frequencies. For each condition, the locations defining the separation bubble were determined carefully analyzing and examining the pressure and mean velocity profile data. The location of the boundary layer separation was dependent of the Reynolds number. It is observed that starting point of the separation bubble and the re-attachment point move further downstream by increasing Reynolds number from 110,000 to 150,000. Also, the size of the separation bubble is smaller when compared to that for Re = 110,000.


2005 ◽  
Vol 129 (1) ◽  
pp. 92-107 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. T. Schobeiri ◽  
B. Öztürk ◽  
David E. Ashpis

The paper experimentally studies the effects of periodic unsteady wake flow and Reynolds number on boundary layer development, separation, reattachment, and the intermittency behavior along the suction surface of a low pressure turbine blade. Extensive unsteady boundary layer experiments were carried out at Reynolds numbers of 110,000 and 150,000 based on suction surface length and exit velocity. One steady and two different unsteady inlet flow conditions with the corresponding passing frequencies, wake velocities, and turbulence intensities were investigated. The analysis of the experimental data reveals details of boundary layer separation dynamics which is essential for understanding the physics of the separation phenomenon under periodic unsteady wake flow and different Reynolds numbers. To provide a complete picture of the transition process and separation dynamics, extensive intermittency analysis was conducted. Ensemble-averaged maximum and minimum intermittency functions were determined, leading to the relative intermittency function. In addition, the detailed intermittency analysis was aimed at answering the question as to whether the relative intermittency of a separated flow fulfills the universality criterion.


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