Development of a Turning Mid Turbine Frame With Embedded Design—Part I: Design and Steady Measurements

2014 ◽  
Vol 136 (7) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rosario Spataro ◽  
Emil Göttlich ◽  
Davide Lengani ◽  
Christian Faustmann ◽  
Franz Heitmeir
Keyword(s):  
Flow Behavior ◽  
Low Pressure ◽  
Meridional Flow ◽  
Secondary Flows ◽  
Time Resolved ◽  
Embedded Design ◽  
Oil Flow ◽  
Field Uniformity ◽  
Flow Gradients ◽  
Lp Turbine

The paper presents a new setup for the two-stage two-spool facility located at the Institute for Thermal Turbomachinery and Machine Dynamics (ITTM) of Graz University of Technology. The rig was designed in order to simulate the flow behavior of a transonic turbine followed by a counter-rotating low pressure (LP) stage like the spools of a modern high bypass aeroengine. The meridional flow path of the machine is characterized by a diffusing S-shaped duct between the two rotors. The role of turning struts placed into the mid turbine frame is to lead the flow towards the LP rotor with appropriate swirl. Experimental and numerical investigations performed on the setup over the last years, which were used as baseline for this paper, showed that wide chord vanes induce large wakes and extended secondary flows at the LP rotor inlet flow. Moreover, unsteady interactions between the two turbines were observed downstream of the LP rotor. In order to increase the uniformity and to decrease the unsteady content of the flow at the inlet of the LP rotor, the mid turbine frame was redesigned with two zero-lifting splitters embedded into the strut passage. In this first part of the paper the design process of the splitters and its critical points are presented, while the time-averaged field is discussed by means of five-hole probe measurements and oil flow visualizations. The comparison between the baseline case and the embedded design configuration shows that the new design is able to reduce the flow gradients downstream of the turning struts, providing a more suitable inlet condition for the low pressure rotor. The improvement in the flow field uniformity is also observed downstream of the turbine and it is, consequently, reflected in an enhancement of the LP turbine performance. In the second part of this paper the influence of the embedded design on the time-resolved field is investigated.

Developement of a Turning Mid Turbine Frame With Embedded Design: Part I — Design and Steady Measurements

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rosario Spataro ◽  
Emil Göttlich ◽  
Davide Lengani ◽  
Christian Faustmann ◽  
Franz Heitmeir
Keyword(s):  
Flow Behavior ◽  
Low Pressure ◽  
Meridional Flow ◽  
Secondary Flows ◽  
Time Resolved ◽  
Embedded Design ◽  
Oil Flow ◽  
Field Uniformity ◽  
Flow Gradients ◽  
Lp Turbine

The paper presents a new setup for the two-stage two-spool facility located at the Institute for Thermal Turbomachinery and Machine Dynamics (ITTM) of Graz University of Technology. The rig was designed in order to simulate the flow behavior of a transonic turbine followed by a counter rotating low pressure stage like the spools of a modern high bypass aero engine. The meridional flow path of the machine is characterized by a diffusing S-shaped duct between the two rotors. The role of turning struts placed into the mid turbine frame is to lead the flow towards the LP rotor with appropriate swirl. Experimental and numerical investigations performed on the setup over the last years, which were used as baseline for this paper, showed that wide chord vanes induce large wakes and extended secondary flows at the LP rotor inlet flow. Moreover, unsteady interactions between the two turbines were observed downstream of the LP rotor. In order to increase the uniformity and to decrease the unsteady content of the flow at the inlet of the LP rotor, the mid turbine frame was redesigned with two zero-lifting splitters embedded into the strut passage. In this first part paper the design process of the splitters and its critical points are presented, while the time-averaged field is discussed by means of five-hole probe measurements and oil flow visualizations. The comparison between the baseline case and the embedded design configuration shows that the new design is able to reduce the flow gradients downstream of the turning struts, providing a more suitable inlet condition for the low pressure rotor. The improvement in the flow field uniformity is also observed downstream of the turbine and it is consequently reflected in an enhancement of the LP turbine performance. In the second part of this paper the influence of the embedded design on the time-resolved field is investigated.

Development of a Turning Mid Turbine Frame With Embedded Design—Part II: Unsteady Measurements

2014 ◽  
Vol 136 (7) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rosario Spataro ◽  
Emil Göttlich ◽  
Davide Lengani ◽  
Christian Faustmann ◽  
Franz Heitmeir
Keyword(s):  
Flow Behavior ◽  
Low Pressure ◽  
Fast Response ◽  
Meridional Flow ◽  
Secondary Flows ◽  
Time Resolved ◽  
University Of Technology ◽  
Embedded Design ◽  
Aero Engines ◽  
Secondary Vortices

This paper, the second of two parts, presents a new setup for the two-stage two-spool facility located at the Institute for Thermal Turbomachinery and Machine Dynamics (ITTM) of Graz University of Technology. The rig was designed to reproduce the flow behavior of a transonic turbine followed by a counter-rotating low pressure stage such as those in high bypass aero-engines. The meridional flow path of the machine is characterized by a diffusing S-shaped duct between the two rotors. The role of wide chord vanes placed into the mid turbine frame is to lead the flow towards the low pressure (LP) rotor with appropriate swirl. Experimental and numerical investigations performed on this setup showed that the wide chord struts induce large wakes and extended secondary flows at the LP inlet flow. Moreover, large deterministic fluctuations of pressure, which may cause noise and blade vibrations, were observed downstream of the LP rotor. In order to minimize secondary vortices and to damp the unsteady interactions, the mid turbine frame was redesigned to locate two zero-lift splitters into each vane passage. While in the first part of the paper the design process of the splitters and the time-averaged flow field were presented, in this second part the measurements performed by means of a fast response probe will support the explanation of the time-resolved field. The discussion will focus on the comparison between the baseline case (without splitters) and the embedded design.

Development of a Turning Mid Turbine Frame With Embedded Design: Part II — Unsteady Measurements

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rosario Spataro ◽  
Emil Göttlich ◽  
Davide Lengani ◽  
Christian Faustmann ◽  
Franz Heitmeir
Keyword(s):  
Flow Behavior ◽  
Fast Response ◽  
Meridional Flow ◽  
Secondary Flows ◽  
Time Resolved ◽  
University Of Technology ◽  
Baseline Case ◽  
Embedded Design ◽  
Aero Engines ◽  
Secondary Vortices

The paper, which is constituted by two parts, presents a new setup for the two-stage two-spool facility located at the Institute for Thermal Turbomachinery and Machine Dynamics (ITTM) of Graz University of Technology. The rig was designed in order to reproduce the flow behavior of a transonic turbine followed by a counter rotating low pressure stage like those in high bypass aero-engines. The meridional flow path of the machine is characterized by a diffusing S-shaped duct between the two rotors. The role of wide chord vanes placed into the mid turbine frame is to lead the flow towards the LP rotor with appropriate swirl. Experimental and numerical investigations performed on this setup over the last years showed that the wide chord struts induce large wakes and extended secondary flows at LP inlet flow. Moreover, large deterministic fluctuations of pressure, which may cause noise and blade vibrations, were observed downstream of the LP rotor. In order to minimize secondary vortices and to damp the unsteady interactions, the mid turbine frame was redesigned to locate two zero-lifting splitters into the vane passage. While in the first part paper the design process of the splitters and the time-averaged flow field were presented, in this second part the measurements performed by means of a fast response probe will support the explanation of the time-resolved field. The discussion will focus on the comparison between the baseline case (without splitters) and the embedded design.

On the Flow Evolution Through a LP Turbine With Wide-Chord Vanes in an S-Shaped Channel

2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rosario Spataro ◽  
Cornelia Santner ◽  
Davide Lengani ◽  
Emil Göttlich
Keyword(s):  
High Pressure ◽  
Flow Field ◽  
Low Pressure ◽  
Meridional Flow ◽  
Secondary Flows ◽  
Test Facility ◽  
Special Focus ◽  
Pressure Stage ◽  
Oil Flow ◽  
Inlet Conditions

The paper discusses the time averaged flow field in a test facility located at the Institute for Thermal Turbomachinery and Machine Dynamics (ITTM) of Graz University of Technology. The rig was designed in order to reproduce the flow leaving a transonic turbine through a following counter rotating low pressure stage. This configuration is common in modern multi-shaft jet engines and will become a standard in the future. The discussion on the flow field is based on numerical results obtained by a commercial CFD code and validated by aerodynamic measurements and oil flow visualization performed on the facility itself. The meridional flow path of the machine is characterized by a diffusing S-shaped duct between the two rotors. Within the duct turning struts lead the flow to the following rotor. The LP stage inlet condition is given by the outlet flow of the high pressure turbine whose spanwise distribution is strongly affected by the shape of the downstream S-channel. A special focus is concentrated on the generation and propagation of secondary flows in such a turning mid turbine frame (TMTF). The aim of the present work is to isolate the flow structures moving from the outlet of the transonic stage through the low pressure stage and identify their effect on the time-averaged flow. The main outcome of this paper is that, whenever a TMTF is placed between counter-rotating high pressure and low pressure turbines, the structures coming from the upstream rotor will not decay (like in a co-rotating setup), but they will be convected and transported towards the downstream rotor. Moreover, the turning of the struts will enhance the vorticities generated by the upstream turbine. The application of technical solutions such as embedded TMTF designs or endwall contouring should be aimed to reach LP rotor uniform inlet conditions, minimize the TMTF secondary flows and thus to damp the rotor-rotor interaction.

The Application of Low-Profile Vortex Generators in an Intermediate Turbine Diffuser

2011 ◽  
Vol 134 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Santner ◽  
E. Göttlich ◽  
A. Marn ◽  
J. Hubinka ◽  
B. Paradiso
Keyword(s):  
Flow Behavior ◽  
Adverse Pressure Gradient ◽  
Low Pressure ◽  
Vortex Generators ◽  
Passive Flow Control ◽  
Turbofan Engines ◽  
Flow Control Devices ◽  
Flow Disturbances ◽  
Low Profile ◽  
Oil Flow

The demand of further increased bypass ratios for turbofan engines will lead to low pressure turbines with larger diameter and lower rotational speed in conventional high-bypass aeroengine architectures. Due to that, it is necessary to guide the flow leaving the high pressure turbine to the low pressure turbine at a larger diameter without any severe loss generating separation or flow disturbances. To reduce costs and weight this turbine duct has to be as short as possible. This results in superaggressive (very high diffusion) S-shaped geometries where the boundary layers are not able to withstand the strong adverse pressure gradient, which results in flow separation. This paper describes the flow through a fully separated duct as a baseline configuration. In a next step the influence of passive flow control devices onto this separation has been investigated. Therefore, low-profile vortex generators were applied within the first bend of this S-shaped intermediate turbine diffuser in order to energize the boundary layer and further reduce or even suppress the occurring separation. This configuration was investigated downstream a transonic turbine stage. Measurements were performed by means of five-hole-probes, static wall pressure taps, and oil flow visualization at the duct endwalls. For a better understanding of the flow behavior the vortex generators were also investigated in a two-dimensional rectangular S-shaped duct using the same Mach number level. Results showed that the vortex generators reduce the separation in the 2D-duct but have no distinct influence on the separation within the turbine duct due to wakes as well as strong secondary flow effects.

Reynolds and Mach Number Effects on the Flow in a Low-Pressure Turbine

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maxime Fiore
Keyword(s):  
Boundary Layer ◽  
Reynolds Number ◽  
Mach Number ◽  
Kinetic Energy ◽  
Gas Turbine ◽  
Guide Vane ◽  
Flow Behavior ◽  
Low Pressure ◽  
Secondary Flows ◽  
Low Pressure Turbine

Abstract This paper presents the Large Eddy Simulation (LES) of a Low-Pressure Turbine (LPT) Nozzle Guide Vane (NGV) for different Reynolds (Re) and Mach number (Ma). The analysis is based on a slice of the blade that may be representative of midspan flow where secondary flows, hub and shroud contributions are lower. In LPT, the variation of the Re during the mission of the gas turbine is a well-known effect since its value can vary of a factor four between take-off and cruise. This can induce performance variations due to various phenomena with among them suction side boundary layer separation on the aft portion of the blade due to an adverse pressure gradient and laminar boundary layer that can be maintained due to the relatively low Re in LPT. Similarly, the Ma in the LPT may vary depending on the thrust required from the gas turbine at the considered mission phase. The current paper investigates through numerical simulation the flow representative of a medium-sized LPT with three different Reynolds number Re = 175’000 (cruise), 280’000 (mid-level altitude) and 500’000 (take-off) keeping the same characteristic Mach number Ma = 0.2 and three different Mach number Ma = 0.2, 0.5 and 0.8 keeping the same Reynolds number Re = 280’000. The study focuses on different flow characteristics: pressure distribution around the blade, near-wall flow behavior and wake analysis. This includes the related generation of losses and the effect of Re and Ma on these different phenomena. A special emphasis is given to the generation of loss based on an entropy approach and the redistribution of mean kinetic energy towards turbulent kinetic energy. The results show that the increase of the Re has a destabilizing effect on potential separation while the increase of the Ma has a stabilizing effect. The peak in the TKE downstream of the blade is also moved upstream closer to the trailing edge when the Ma is increased.

Turbine Noise Reduction: Axial Spacing and Embedded Design

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Faustmann ◽  
S. Zerobin ◽  
S. Bauinger ◽  
A. Marn ◽  
F. Heitmeir ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Power Level ◽  
Low Pressure ◽  
Sound Power ◽  
Noise Generation ◽  
Turbine Stage ◽  
Noise Emission ◽  
Low Pressure Turbine ◽  
Sound Power Level ◽  
Embedded Design ◽  
Lp Turbine

This paper deals with the investigation on the acoustics of different turning mid turbine frames (TMTF) in the two-stage two-spool test turbine located at the Institute for Thermal Turbomachinery and Machine Dynamics (ITTM) of Graz University of Technology. The facility is a continuously operating cold-flow open-circuit plant which is driven by pressurized air. The flow path consists of a transonic turbine stage (HP) followed by a low pressure turbine stage made of a turning mid turbine frame (TMTF) and a counter-rotating low pressure rotor. Downstream of the low pressure turbine a measurement section is instrumented with acoustic sensors. Three TMTF setups have been investigated at engine like flow conditions. The first configuration (C1) consists of 16 highly 3D-shaped turning struts. The goal of the second design (C2) was to reduce the length of the TMTF by 10% without increasing the losses and providing comparable inflow to the LP turbine rotor. This was achieved by applying 3D-contoured endwalls at the hub. The third one (C3) is a new embedded concept for the turning mid turbine frame with two zero-lift splitters placed into the strut passages. In total 48 vanes (16 struts plus 32 splitter vanes) guide the flow from the HP rotor to the LP rotor. The comparison in terms of noise generation and propagation of the turbines is done by the microphones signal spectra, the emitted sound pressure and sound power level of each TMTF setup. Therefore the acoustic field is characterized by azimuthal and radial modes by means of a microphone array at the outer casing traversed over 360 degrees. By comparing the first two setups (C1 and C2) in terms of noise generation the propagating modes due to the HP turbine were found to be the same, while a difference of 5 dB in amplitude of the modes related to the LP turbine was found due to the different axial spacing between both setups. In the multi-splitter configuration (C3), the overall sound power level depending on the blade passing frequency (BPF) of the HP turbine is reduced by 7 dB and depending on the BPF of the LP turbine by 4 dB compared to C1, respectively. The overall effect is a reduction of the noise emission for the HP turbine due to the embedded design as well as for the LP turbine due to increasing the axial spacing between the TMTF Vanes and LP Blades on the one hand and considerably due to the embedded design on the other hand.

Identification of Spinning Mode in the Unsteady Flow Field of a Low Pressure Turbine

2012 ◽  
Vol 134 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Davide Lengani ◽  
Berardo Paradiso ◽  
Andreas Marn ◽  
Emil Göttlich
Keyword(s):  
Flow Field ◽  
Guide Vane ◽  
Low Pressure ◽  
Fast Response ◽  
Turbine Rotor ◽  
Pressure Probe ◽  
Model Parameters ◽  
Time Resolved ◽  
Flow Angle ◽  
Lp Turbine

This paper presents an experimental investigation of the vane-blade unsteady interaction in an unshrouded low pressure (LP) turbine research rig with uneven blade/vane count (72 blades and 96 vanes). The rig was designed in cooperation with MTU Aero Engines and considerable efforts were put on the adjustment of all relevant model parameters. In particular blade count ratio, airfoil aspect ratio, reduced mass flow, reduced speed, and Mach and Reynolds numbers were chosen to reproduce the full scale LP turbine at take off condition. Measurements by means of a fast-response pressure probe were performed adopting a phase-locked acquisition technique in order to provide the time resolved flow field downstream of the turbine rotor. The probe has been fully traversed both in circumferential and radial traverses. The rotor exit is characterized by strong perturbations due to the tip leakage vortex and the rotor blade wake. Circumferential nonuniformities due to the upstream vane wake and to the downstream exit guide vane potential effects are also identified. Furthermore, in the present configuration with an uneven blade/vane count the nonuniformities due to the stator and rotor row are misaligned along the whole turbine circumference and create a spinning mode that rotates in direction opposite to the rotor at a high frequency. The aeroacoustic theory is employed to explain such further unsteady pattern. The variations of the exit flow angle within a cycle of such pattern are not negligible and almost comparable to the ones within the blade passing period.

The Application of Low-Profile Vortex Generators in an Intermediate Turbine Diffuser

2010 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Santner ◽  
E. Go¨ttlich ◽  
A. Marn ◽  
J. Hubinka ◽  
B. Paradiso
Keyword(s):  
Flow Behavior ◽  
Adverse Pressure Gradient ◽  
Low Pressure ◽  
Vortex Generators ◽  
Passive Flow Control ◽  
Turbofan Engines ◽  
Flow Control Devices ◽  
Flow Disturbances ◽  
Low Profile ◽  
Oil Flow

The demand of further increased bypass ratios for turbofan engines will lead to low pressure turbines with larger diameter and lower rotational speed in conventional high-bypass aero engine architectures. Due to that, it is necessary to guide the flow leaving the high pressure turbine to the low pressure turbine at a larger diameter without any severe loss generating separation or flow disturbances. To reduce costs and weight this turbine duct has to be as short as possible. This results in super-aggressive (very high diffusion) s-shaped geometries where the boundary layers are not able to withstand the strong adverse pressure gradient which results in flow separation. This paper describes the flow through a fully separated duct as a baseline configuration. In a next step the influence of passive flow control devices onto this separation has been investigated. Therefore, low-profile vortex generators were applied within the first bend of this s-shaped intermediate turbine diffuser in order to energize the boundary layer and further reduce or even suppress the occurring separation. This configuration was investigated downstream a transonic turbine stage. Measurements were performed by means of five-hole-probes, static wall pressure taps and oil flow visualization at the duct endwalls. For a better understanding of the flow behavior the vortex generators were also investigated in a two-dimensional rectangular s-shaped duct using the same Mach number level. Results showed that the vortex generators reduce the separation in the 2D-duct but have no distinct influence on the separation within the turbine duct due to wakes as well as strong secondary flow effects. This work is part of the European project AIDA (Contract: AST3-CT-2003-502836).

The Influence of Blade Wakes on the Performance of Interturbine Diffusers

1996 ◽  
Vol 118 (2) ◽  
pp. 347-352 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. G. Dominy ◽  
D. A. Kirkham
Keyword(s):  
Performance Modeling ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Secondary Flows ◽  
Two Dimensional ◽  
Correct Performance ◽  
Analysis Methods ◽  
Flow Factor ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Lp Turbine

Interturbine diffusers provide continuity between HP and LP turbines while diffusing the flow upstream of the LP turbine. Increasing the mean turbine diameter offers the potential advantage of reducing the flow factor in the following stages, leading to increased efficiency. The flows associated with these interturbine diffusers differ from those in simple annular diffusers both as a consequence of their high-curvature S-shaped geometry and of the presence of wakes created by the upstream turbine. It is shown that even the simplest two-dimensional wakes result in significantly modified flows through such ducts. These introduce strong secondary flows demonstrating that fully three-dimensional, viscous analysis methods are essential for correct performance modeling.

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