Flow Instabilities in Gas Turbine Chute Seals

2020 ◽  
Vol 142 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Joshua T. M. Horwood ◽  
Fabian P. Hualca ◽  
Mike Wilson ◽  
James A. Scobie ◽  
Carl M. Sangan ◽  
...  

Abstract The ingress of hot annulus gas into stator–rotor cavities is an important topic to engine designers. Rim-seals reduce the pressurized purge required to protect highly stressed components. This paper describes an experimental and computational study of flow through a turbine chute seal. The computations—which include a 360 deg domain—were undertaken using dlrtrace's time-marching solver. The experiments used a low Reynolds number turbine rig operating with an engine-representative flow structure. The simulations provide an excellent prediction of cavity pressure and swirl, and good overall agreement of sealing effectiveness when compared to experiment. Computation of flow within the chute seal showed strong shear gradients which influence the pressure distribution and secondary-flow field near the blade leading edge. High levels of shear across the rim-seal promote the formation of large-scale structures at the wheel-space periphery; the number and speed of which were measured experimentally and captured, qualitatively and quantitatively, by computations. A comparison of computational domains ranging from 30 deg to 360 deg indicates that steady features of the flow are largely unaffected by sector size. However, differences in large-scale flow structures were pronounced with a 60 deg sector and suggest that modeling an even number of blades in small sector simulations should be avoided.

Author(s):  
Joshua T. M. Horwood ◽  
Fabian P. Hualca ◽  
Mike Wilson ◽  
James A. Scobie ◽  
Carl M. Sangan ◽  
...  

Abstract The ingress of hot annulus gas into stator-rotor cavities is an important topic to engine designers. Rim-seals reduce the pressurised purge required to protect highly-stressed components. This paper describes an experimental and computational study of flow through a turbine chute seal. The computations — which include a 360° domain — were undertaken using DLR TRACE’s time-marching solver. The experiments used a low Reynolds number turbine rig operating with an engine-representative flow structure. The simulations provide an excellent prediction of cavity pressure and swirl, and good overall agreement of sealing effectiveness when compared to experiment. Computation of flow within the chute seal showed strong shear gradients which influence the pressure distribution and secondary-flow field near the blade leading edge. High levels of shear across the rim-seal promote the formation of large-scale structures at the wheel-space periphery; the number and speed of which were measured experimentally and captured, qualitatively and quantitatively, by computations. A comparison of computational domains ranging from 30° to 360° indicate that steady features of the flow are largely unaffected by sector size. However, differences in large-scale flow structures were pronounced with a 60° sector and suggest that modelling an even number of blades in small sector simulations should be avoided.


1999 ◽  
Vol 121 (3) ◽  
pp. 577-587 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. Muldoon ◽  
S. Acharya

Results of a three-dimensional unsteady computational study of a row of jets injected normal to a crossflow are presented with the aim of understanding the dynamics of the large-scale structures in the region near the jet. The jet to crossflow velocity ratio is 0.5. A modified version of the computer program (INS3D), which utilizes the method of artificial compressibility, is used for the computations. Results obtained clearly indicate that the near-field large-scale structures are extremely dynamic in nature, and undergo breakup and reconnection processes. The dynamic near-field structures identified include the counterrotating vortex pair (CVP), the horseshoe vortex, wake vortex, wall vortex, and shear layer vortex. The dynamic features of these vortices are presented in this paper. The CVP is observed to be a convoluted structure interacting with the wall and horseshoe vortices. The shear layer vortices are stripped by the crossflow, and undergo pairing and stretching events in the leeward side of the jet. The wall vortex is reoriented into the upright wake system. Comparison of the predictions with mean velocity measurements is made. Reasonable agreement is observed.


2020 ◽  
Vol 61 (9) ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Fujiwara ◽  
R. Sriram ◽  
K. Kontis

Abstract Leading-edge separated flow field over a sharp flat plate is experimentally investigated in Reynolds numbers ranging from 6.2 × 103 to 4.1 × 104, using particle image velocimetry (PIV) and its statistics. It was observed that the average reattachment length is nearly independent of Reynolds number and the small secondary bubble observed near the leading edge was found to shrink with increasing Reynolds number. The wall-normal profiles of the statistical values of kinematic quantities such as the velocity components and their fluctuations scaled well with average reattachment length lR and freestream velocity U∞. Their magnitudes compare well with previous investigations even though the current triangular shaped sharp leading edge is different from previous flat-faced or semi-circular ones. The shear layer was observed to exhibit 2 different linear growth rates over 2 distinct regions. Instantaneous PIV realizations demonstrate unsteady nature of the separation bubble, whose origins in the upstream portion of the bubble are analysed. Bimodal nature of the probability density function (PDF) of fluctuating streamwise velocity at around x/lR = 0.08–0.15 indicates successive generation and passage of vortices in the region, which subsequently interact and evolve into multiscale turbulent field exhibiting nearly Gaussian PDF. Shedding of vortices with wide range of scales are apparent in most of the instantaneous realizations. Proper Orthogonal Decomposition (POD) of the velocity fluctuation magnitude field revealed that the flow structures of the dominant modes and their relative energies are independent of Reynolds number. In each of the dominant modes (first 3 modes), the length scales corresponding to the large scale structures and their spacing are the same for all Reynolds numbers, suggesting that their Strouhal number (observed to be ~ 0.09–0.2 at Reynolds number of 6.2 × 103) of unsteadiness should also be independent of Reynolds number. A single large structure- comparable in size to lR—was apparent well before reattachment in a few instantaneous realizations, as compared to multiple small-scale structures visible in most realizations; at Reynolds number of 6.2 × 103, realizations with such large-scale structures occurred approximately after every 20–30 realizations, corresponding to non-dimensional frequency of 0.4–0.6, which is identified to be the “regular shedding”. It was possible to reconstruct the large-scale structure during the instances from just the first 3 POD modes, indicating that the Strouhal number of regular shedding too is independent of Reynolds number. Graphic abstract


2005 ◽  
Vol 127 (5) ◽  
pp. 978-985 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nan Gao ◽  
Dan Ewing

The development of the flow field produced by concentric jets used in the blown-film manufacturing process was studied experimentally using hot wire anemometry. It was found that the inner jet was entrained into the outer jet before the outer jet attached to the wall. The inner shear layer of the outer jet attached to the surface 3H to 5H downstream of the jet exit, and the outside shear layer of the outer jet attaches to the surface further downstream of the jet exit. The distribution and spectra of the fluctuating wall pressure was measured using microphones. The pressure fluctuations were largest where the outer jet attached to the surface, and had characteristic frequencies of 100to900Hz. Measurements of two-point and two-time correlation of the fluctuating pressure were used to characterize the development of the large-scale structures that caused these pressure fluctuations. It was found that the structures were convected along the surface at 0.45 to 0.7 of the outer jet velocity for different ratios between inner and outer jet velocities. The convection velocity of the large scale structures in the region farther than 10H downstream of the jet exit was determined by the upper jet velocity.


Author(s):  
Frank Muldoon ◽  
Sumanta Acharya

Results of a three dimensional unsteady computational study of a row of jets injected normal to a cross-flow are presented with the aim of understanding the dynamics of the large scale structures in the region near the jet. The jet to cross-flow velocity ratio is .5. A modified version of the computer program (INS3D) which utilizes the method of artificial compressibility is used for the computations. Results obtained clearly indicate that the near field large scale structures are extremely dynamical in nature, and undergo breakup and reconnection processes. The dynamical near field structures identified include the counter rotating vortex pair (CVP), the horseshoe vortex, wake vortex, wall vortex and the shear layer vortex. The dynamical features of these vortices are presented in this paper. The CVP is observed to be a convoluted structure interacting with the wall and horseshoe vortices. The shear layer vortices are stripped by the crossflow, and undergo pairing and stretching events in the leeward side of the jet. The wall vortex is reoriented into the upright wake system. Comparison of the predictions with mean velocity measurements is made. Reasonable agreement is observed.


Volume 3 ◽  
2004 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nan Gao ◽  
Dan Ewing

The development of the flow field produced by concentric jets used in the blown-film manufacturing process was studied experimentally using hot wire anemometry. It was found that the inner jet was entrained into the outer jet before the outer jet attached to the wall. The inner shear layer of the outer jet attached to the surface 3H to 5H downstream of the jet exit, and the outside shear layer of the outer jet attaches to the surface approximately 12H downstream of the jet exit. The distribution and the spectra of the fluctuating wall pressure was measured using microphones. Measurements of two-point two-time correlation of the fluctuating pressure were used to characterize the development of the large-scale structures. It was found that the structures were convected along the surface at 0.45 to 0.7 of the outer jet velocity for different ratios between inner and outer jet velocities. It was also found that the convection velocity of the large scale structures in the region farther than 10H down stream of the jet exit was determined by the upper jet velocity.


Author(s):  
Frank Muldoon ◽  
Sumanta Acharya

Results of a three dimensional unsteady computational study of a row of jets injected normal to a cross-flow are presented with the aim of understanding the dynamics of the large scale structures in the region near the jet. The jet hole is square in cross-section, and the jet to cross-flow velocity ratio is 0.5. The calculations are based on higher-order finite differences, and are performed on extremely refined spatial and temporal meshes so that all the important energy-carrying scales are resolved. Results obtained indicate that the near field large scale structures include the shear layer vortices, the counter rotating vortex pair (CVP), the horseshoe vortex system, and wake and wall vortices. The dynamics of these structures appear to be significantly influenced by a time-periodic interaction between the jet hole boundary layer and the approaching crossflow. This periodic behavior involves the approaching crossflow periodically ingressing into the jet hole region and pushing the injected jet back toward the trailing edge at a Strouhal number of 0.44 based on the jet velocity and diameter. A new mechanism for the formation of shear layer vortices is identified and consists of alternate shedding of positive vorticity from the hole leading edge boundary layer and negative vorticity from the leading horseshoe vortex. Comparison of the predicted turbulent statistics with experimental measurements are made and reasonable agreement is observed.


Author(s):  
Steve Julien ◽  
Julie Lefrancois ◽  
Guy Dumas ◽  
Guillaume Boutet-Blais ◽  
Simon Lapointe ◽  
...  

Preliminary results of unsteady numerical simulations of disk cavity flow in interaction with the main gaspath flow in an axial turbine are presented in this article. A large periodic sector including vanes, blades and disk cavity of approximately 74° has been used in order to allow for the formation of large scale flow structures within the cavity. Three purge flow rates have been tested, namely no purge, low purge and high purge flow rates. Energetic large scale flow structures are detected through flow visualizations for the two lowest purge flow rates. They are found to rotate at an angular velocity slightly less than the rotor speed. The presence of the large scale structures involves important pressure perturbations inside the cavity that may lead to deep mass flow ingress, whereas the unsteady vane-blade interaction seems to cause only shallow ingress. Increasing purge flow rate appears to have a stabilizing effect on the pressure fluctuations inside the cavity and to reduce the intensity of the large scale flow structures.


1999 ◽  
Vol 173 ◽  
pp. 243-248
Author(s):  
D. Kubáček ◽  
A. Galád ◽  
A. Pravda

AbstractUnusual short-period comet 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1 inspired many observers to explain its unpredictable outbursts. In this paper large scale structures and features from the inner part of the coma in time periods around outbursts are studied. CCD images were taken at Whipple Observatory, Mt. Hopkins, in 1989 and at Astronomical Observatory, Modra, from 1995 to 1998. Photographic plates of the comet were taken at Harvard College Observatory, Oak Ridge, from 1974 to 1982. The latter were digitized at first to apply the same techniques of image processing for optimizing the visibility of features in the coma during outbursts. Outbursts and coma structures show various shapes.


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