Endwall Flow Development Across a Contra-Rotating Fan Unit

2000 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Kumar ◽  
Bhaskar Roy
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Data ◽  
Tip Clearance ◽  
Fluid Mechanic ◽  
Axial Fan ◽  
Flow Measurements ◽  
Blade Loading ◽  
Flow Development ◽  
Zone Of Influence ◽  
Clearance Change ◽  
Twin Rotor

An experimental study has been made to understand the development of endwall flow across a low speed twin-rotor contra-rotating fan unit. Fluid mechanic studies of flow field in the tip region of an axial fan and of a contra-rotating unit were carried out. The fluid mechanic parameters, including flow angles, velocities and static and stagnation pressures, were obtained downstream of the rotors and at one axial location upstream of the first fan (inlet). The flow measurements were done up to 50% of the span from the blade tips. The steady state experimental data of an isolated axial fan indicates that the span wise penetration of this zone is dependent on the tip clearance and the blade loading. Similar effects would normally be expected on the contra-rotating rotors. The experimental data of the contra-rotating unit, however, indicate that neither the blade loading nor the tip clearance change (of the rear fan) affect the performance of the contra-rotating stages as significantly. The span wise zone of influence near the endwall and corresponding flow development due to tip clearance and blade loading seems to be reduced by the rear contra-rotating fan.

Experimental Validation of Forced Response Methods in a Multi-Stage Axial Turbine

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas Hauptmann ◽  
Christopher E. Meinzer ◽  
Joerg R. Seume
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Data ◽  
Vibration Amplitude ◽  
Turbine Blades ◽  
Service Condition ◽  
Sensitivity Study ◽  
Forced Response ◽  
Tip Clearance ◽  
Computational Time ◽  
Reference Case ◽  
Axial Turbine

Depending on the in service condition of jet engines, turbine blades may have to be replaced, refurbished, or repaired in the course of an engine overhaul. Thus, significant changes of the turbine blade geometry can be introduced due to regeneration and overhaul processes. Such geometric variances can affect the aerodynamic and aeroelastic behavior of turbine blades. One goal in the development of the regeneration process is to estimate the aerodynamic excitation of turbine blades depending on these geometric variances caused during the regeneration. Therefore, this study presents an experimentally validated comparison of two methods for the prediction of forced response in a multistage axial turbine. Two unidirectional fluid structure interaction (FSI) methods, a time-linearized and a time-accurate with a subsequent linear harmonic analysis, are employed and the results validated against experimental data. The results show that the vibration amplitude of the time-linearized method is in good agreement with the experimental data and, also requires lower computational time than the time-accurate FSI. Based on this result, the time-linearized method is used to perform a sensitivity study of the tip clearance size of the last rotor blade row of the five stage axial turbine. The results show that an increasing tip clearances size causes an up to 1.35 higher vibration amplitude compared to the reference case, due to increased forcing and decreased damping work.

Influences of Tip Leakage Flows Discharged From Main and Splitter Blades on Flow Field in Transonic Centrifugal Compressor Stage

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Masanao Kaneko ◽  
Hoshio Tsujita
Keyword(s):  
Flow Field ◽  
Centrifugal Compressor ◽  
Leading Edge ◽  
Tip Clearance ◽  
Blade Loading ◽  
Tip Leakage Vortex ◽  
Tip Leakage ◽  
Leakage Flows ◽  
Transonic Centrifugal Compressor ◽  
Tip Leakage Flows

A transonic centrifugal compressor impeller is generally composed of the main and the splitter blades which are different in chord length. As a result, the tip leakage flows from the main and the splitter blades interact with each other and then complicate the flow field in the compressor. In this study, in order to clarify the individual influences of these leakage flows on the flow field in the transonic centrifugal compressor stage at near-choke to near-stall condition, the flows in the compressor at four conditions prescribed by the presence and the absence of the tip clearances were analyzed numerically. The computed results clarified the following noticeable phenomena. The tip clearance of the main blade induces the tip leakage vortex from the leading edge of the main blade. This vortex decreases the blade loading of the main blade to the negative value by the increase of the flow acceleration along the suction surface of the splitter blade, and consequently induces the tip leakage vortex caused by the negative blade loading of the main blade at any operating points. These phenomena decline the impeller efficiency. On the other hand, the tip clearance of the splitter blade decreases the afore mentioned acceleration by the formation of the tip leakage vortex from the leading edge of the splitter blade and the decrease of the incidence angle for the splitter blade caused by the suction of the flow into the tip clearance. These phenomena reduce the loss generated by the negative blade loading of the main blade and consequently reduce the decline of the impeller efficiency. Moreover, the tip clearances enlarge the flow separation around the diffuser inlet and then decline the diffuser performance independently of the operating points.

Experiments on an Axial Fan Stage: Time-Resolved Analysis of Rotating Instability Modes

2015 ◽  
Vol 137 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
Benjamin Pardowitz ◽  
Ulf Tapken ◽  
Lars Neuhaus ◽  
Lars Enghardt
Keyword(s):  
Leading Edge ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Tip Clearance ◽  
Axial Fan ◽  
Time Resolved ◽  
Instability Waves ◽  
Instability Modes ◽  
Mode Decomposition ◽  
Rotating Instability ◽  
Annular Cascade

Rotating instability (RI) occurs at off-design conditions in axial compressors, predominantly in rotor configurations with large tip clearances. Characteristic spectral signatures with side-by-side peaks below the blade passing frequency (BPF) are typically referred to RI located in the clearance region next to the leading edge (LE). Each peak can be assigned to a dominant circumferential mode. RI is the source of the clearance noise (CN) and an indicator for critical operating conditions. Earlier studies at an annular cascade pointed out that RI modes of different circumferential orders occur stochastically distributed in time and independently from each other, which is contradictory to existing explanations of RI. Purpose of the present study is to verify this generally with regard to axial rotor configurations. Experiments were conducted on a laboratory axial fan stage mainly using unsteady pressure measurements in a sensor ring near the rotor LE. A mode decomposition based on cross spectral matrices was used to analyze the spectral and modal RI patterns upstream of the rotor. Additionally, a time-resolved analysis based on a spatial discrete-Fourier-transform (DFT) was applied to clarify the temporal characteristics of the RI modes and their potential interrelations. The results and a comparison with the previous findings on the annular cascade corroborate a new hypothesis about the basic RI mechanism. This hypothesis implies that instability waves of different wavelengths are generated stochastically in a shear layer resulting from a backflow in the tip clearance region.

Effects of Tip Clearance on Hot Streak Migration in a High-Subsonic Single-Stage Turbine

2000 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel J. Dorney ◽  
Douglas L. Sondak
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Data ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Single Stage ◽  
Rotor Blades ◽  
Tip Clearance ◽  
Navier Stokes ◽  
Radial Spreading ◽  
Rotor Surface ◽  
Hot Streak ◽  
Turbine Airfoils

Experimental data have shown that combustor temperature non-uniformities can lead to the excessive heating of first-stage rotor blades in turbines. This heating of the rotor blades can lead to thermal fatigue and degrade turbine performance. The results of recent studies have shown that variations in the circumferential location, or clocking, of the first-stage vane airfoils can be used to minimize the adverse effects of the hot streaks due to the hot fluid mixing with the cooler fluid contained in the vane wake. In addition, the effects of the hot streak/airfoil count ratio on the heating patterns of turbine airfoils have been quantified. In the present investigation, three-dimensional unsteady Navier-Stokes simulations have been performed for a single-stage high-pressure turbine geometry operating in high subsonic flow to study the effects of tip clearance on hot streak migration. Baseline simulations were initially performed without hot streaks to compare with the experimental data. Two simulations were then performed with a superimposed combustor hot streak; in the first the tip clearance was set at the experimental value, while in the second the rotor was allowed to scrape along the outer case (i.e., the limit as the tip clearance goes to zero). The predicted results for the baseline simulations show good agreement with the available experimental data. The simulations with the hot streak indicate that the tip clearance increases the radial spreading of the hot fluid, and increases the integrated rotor surface temperature compared to the case without tip clearance.

An Axial Compressor End-Wall Boundary Layer Calculation Method

1979 ◽  
Vol 101 (2) ◽  
pp. 233-245 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. De Ruyck ◽  
C. Hirsch ◽  
P. Kool
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Data ◽  
Boundary Layer ◽  
Velocity Profile ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Axial Compressor ◽  
Tip Clearance ◽  
Wall Region ◽  
Wall Boundary Layer ◽  
Wall Boundary ◽  
End Wall

An axial compressor end-wall boundary layer theory which requires the introduction of three-dimensional velocity profile models is described. The method is based on pitch-averaged boundary layer equations and contains blade force-defect terms for which a new expression in function of transverse momentum thickness is introduced. In presence of tip clearance a component of the defect force proportional to the clearance over blade height ratio is also introduced. In this way two constants enter the model. It is also shown that all three-dimensional velocity profile models present inherent limitations with regard to the range of boundary layer momentum thicknesses they are able to represent. Therefore a new heuristic velocity profile model is introduced, giving higher flexibility. The end-wall boundary layer calculation allows a correction of the efficiency due to end-wall losses as well as calculation of blockage. The two constants entering the model are calibrated and compared with experimental data allowing a good prediction of overall efficiency including clearance effects and aspect ratio. Besides, the method allows a prediction of radial distribution of velocities and flow angles including the end-wall region and examples are shown compared to experimental data.

Behavior of Tip Leakage Flow Behind an Axial Compressor Rotor

1986 ◽  
Vol 108 (1) ◽  
pp. 7-14 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Inoue ◽  
M. Kuroumaru ◽  
M. Fukuhara
Keyword(s):  
Incidence Angle ◽  
Axial Compressor ◽  
Performance Testing ◽  
Tip Clearance ◽  
Vortex Center ◽  
Tip Leakage Flow ◽  
Flow Measurements ◽  
Wall Boundary Layer ◽  
Compressor Rotor ◽  
Work Done

Performance testing and detailed flow measurements were made in an axial compressor rotor with various tip clearances. The experiments were conducted on the condition of the same incidence angle at midspan. Thus, the effect of tip clearance distinguished from that of incidence angle was investigated on the overall performance, work-done factor, blockage factor, and increases in displacement, momentum, and blade-force-deficit thicknesses of the casing wall boundary layer, The phase-locked flow patterns obtained by the multisampling technique show clear evidence of a leakage vortex core behind the rotor. Behavior of the leakage vortex was clarified for various tip clearances by examining loci of the vortex center, decay characteristics of the vorticity at the center, and the total amount of vorticity shed from the blade tip. These results were compared with the leakage vortex model presented by Lakshminarayana.

scholarly journals Leakage Noise and Related Flow Pattern in a Low-Speed Axial Fan with Rotating Shroud

2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edward Canepa ◽  
Andrea Cattanei ◽  
Fabio Mazzocut Zecchin
Keyword(s):  
Flow Separation ◽  
Sound Pressure Level ◽  
Rotational Speed ◽  
Sound Pressure ◽  
Pressure Level ◽  
Leakage Flow ◽  
Axial Fan ◽  
Blade Loading ◽  
Flow Noise ◽  
Blade Tip

The effect of rotational speed and pressure rise on the leakage flow noise radiated by a low-speed axial fan, provided with rotating shroud, has been systematically investigated. The flow in the gap region has been studied by means of particle image velocimetry (PIV) measurements taken in the meridional plane. At low blade loading, the leakage flow is restrained close to the rotor ring and, at higher loading, it forms a wide recirculation zone. In the latter conditions, an unsteady flow separation likely takes place in the blade tip region which may be observed in the instantaneous flow field only. The leakage flow noise generally increases with the blade loading, but is non-monotonic, as the overall sound pressure level (OASPL) growth is interrupted by local minima; such a trend is qualitatively independent of the rotational speed. As the loading increases, the sound pressure level (SPL) spectrum shows important modifications, since the characteristic frequency of the subharmonic narrowband humps related to the leakage noise decreases; furthermore, height and width of the humps vary non-monotonically. Such a complicated behavior is likely related to the modifications in the leakage flow pattern and also to the appearance of the flow separation at the blade tip.

Tip Leakage Flow in Axial Compressors

1991 ◽  
Vol 113 (2) ◽  
pp. 252-259 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. A. Storer ◽  
N. A. Cumpsty
Keyword(s):  
Pressure Field ◽  
Numerical Solutions ◽  
Stokes Equations ◽  
Tip Clearance ◽  
Leakage Flow ◽  
Tip Leakage Flow ◽  
Local Pressure ◽  
Flow Measurements ◽  
Tip Leakage ◽  
Numerical Predictions

Experimental measurements in a linear cascade with tip clearance are complemented by numerical solutions of the three-dimensional Navier–Stokes equations in an investigation of tip leakage flow. Measurements reveal that the clearance flow, which separates near the entry of the tip gap, remains unattached for the majority of the blade chord when the tip clearance is similar to that typical of a machine. The numerical predictions of leakage flow rate agree very well with measurements, and detailed comparisons show that the mechanism of tip leakage is primarily inviscid. It is demonstrated by simple calculation that it is the static pressure field near the end of the blade that controls chordwise distribution of the flow across the tip. Although the presence of a vortex caused by the roll-up of the leakage flow may affect the local pressure field, the overall magnitude of the tip leakage flow remains strongly related to the aerodynamic loading of the blades.

Aerodynamic Damping Predictions Using a Linearized Navier-Stokes Analysis

1999 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Hoyniak ◽  
William S. Clark
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Data ◽  
High Speed ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
The Other ◽  
Navier Stokes ◽  
Turbine Cascade ◽  
Blade Loading ◽  
Operating Condition ◽  
Linear Cascade ◽  
Aerodynamic Damping

A recently developed two dimensional, linearized Navier-Stokes algorithm, capable of modeling the unsteady flows encountered in turbomachinery applications, has been benchmarked and validated for use in the prediction of the aerodynamic damping. Benchmarking was accomplished by comparing numerical simulations with experimental data for two geometries. The first geometry investigated is a high turning turbine cascade. For this configuration, two different steady operating conditions were considered. The exit flow for one operating condition is subsonic whereas the exit flow for the other operating condition is supersonic. The second geometry investigated is a tip section from a high speed fan. Again, two separate steady operating conditions were examined. For this fan geometry, one operating condition falls within an experimentally observed flutter region whereas the other operating condition was observed experimentally to be flutter free. For both geometries considered, experimental measurements of the unsteady blade surface pressures were acquired for a linear cascade subjected to small amplitude torsional vibrations. Comparisons between the numerical calculations and the experimental data demonstrate the ability of the present computational model to predict accurately the steady and unsteady blade loading, and hence the aerodynamic damping, for each configuration presented.

Prediction of an axial turbomachine performance degradation due to sand ingestion

2005 ◽  
Vol 219 (4) ◽  
pp. 273-287 ◽  
Author(s):  
A Ghenaiet ◽  
S C Tan ◽  
R L Elder
Keyword(s):  
Gas Turbines ◽  
Numerical Study ◽  
Axial Compressor ◽  
Performance Degradation ◽  
Tip Clearance ◽  
Cumulative Impacts ◽  
Axial Fan ◽  
Compressor Blades ◽  
Subsequent Performance ◽  
Blade Geometry

Erosion of compressor blades due to operation in particulate environments is a serious problem for the manufacturers and users of industrial and aeronautical gas turbines, because of drastic degradations in performance, mostly through blunting of blade leading edges, reduction of chord and increase of tip clearance and surface roughness. This paper presents a numerical study to assess the effects of erosion by sand ingestion on blade geometry deterioration and the subsequent performance degradation. These computations were carried out for an axial turbomachine in steps; first, calculations of particle trajectories and erosion resulting from cumulative impacts by sand particles (MIL-E 5007E, 0–1000 μm) were carried out, then, the required data were used in the estimation of performance degradation based on a mean-line method that included Lieblein and Koch-Smith loss correlations, in addition to an erosion fault model derived from blade geometry deterioration. This global procedure was successfully validated upon an axial fan stage, and can be generalized easily to other axial compressor designs.

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