Separation of Particles in the Secondary Air System of Gas Turbines

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Natalia Garci´a Vi´llora ◽  
Klaus Dullenkopf ◽  
Hans-Jo¨rg Bauer
Keyword(s):  
Film Cooling ◽  
Gas Turbines ◽  
Separation Efficiency ◽  
Cooling System ◽  
Turbine Blades ◽  
Spherical Particles ◽  
Experimental Investigations ◽  
Air System ◽  
Secondary Air ◽  
Aero Engines

Particles contaminating the secondary air system of land based gas turbines or aero-engines can cause serious problems in various engine components, particularly in the cooling system. The capability of the pre-swirl system in separating particles will be described in this paper. So far, only a few publications can be found on experimental investigations on this subject. The work presented in this paper attempts to give a contribution to fill this gap and thus represents a further step towards a better understanding of the behaviour of solid contaminants in the secondary air system. Due to the strong swirl in the pre-swirl cavity, the aero-dynamical forces can be used to separate particles, thus preventing depositions inside the turbine blades or even block-age of the film cooling holes. Numerous experiments in a pre-swirl system have been performed using spherical particles and non-spherical particles. As reference cases, three types of spheres, with two size ranges and different materials, were used to understand how size and density influence the separation efficiency. For further experiments, irregularly-shaped particles, more similar to the ones found in real aero-engines, were used too. The separation efficiency was investigated at different pre-swirl nozzle pressure ratios, rotational speeds and radial mass flows. The results are presented in relation to the particle Reynolds numbers, drag coefficients, Stokes numbers and swirl ratios in the pre-swirl cavity.

Simple Particle Separator for the Secondary Air System of Gas Turbines

2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Natalia García Víllora ◽  
Klaus Dullenkopf ◽  
Hans-Jörg Bauer ◽  
Cyrille Bricaud ◽  
Thomas Zierer
Keyword(s):  
Turbulent Flows ◽  
Gas Turbines ◽  
Separation Efficiency ◽  
Cooling System ◽  
Material Selection ◽  
Solid Particles ◽  
Air System ◽  
Secondary Air ◽  
Institute Of Technology ◽  
Particle Separator

In heavy-duty gas turbines as well as in aero-engines, air is extracted from the compressor and led to the hot parts of the combustor and the turbine in order to cool them. Despite active design solutions such as material selection, and inclusion of compressor inlet filters, dust holes, and so on, the cooling air can be charged with solid particles, which can block the cooling holes. Therefore prediction of the particle behaviour within the secondary air system remains crucial for the design of a robust and efficient cooling system for the hot parts. For this study a particle separator prototype was designed by Alstom and its particle separation efficiency together with its total pressure losses were measured at the Institute of Thermal Turbomachinery (ITS) at the Karlsruher Institute of Technology (KIT) for two geometrical configurations and numerous flow conditions. The test rig design was optimized to provide accurate boundary conditions for the simulations. In addition, the influence of the particle shape, size, and density on the separation efficiency was studied. The experimental results were used to validate the predicted flow field and to evaluate standard methods available in a commercial CFD-solver, to simulate the interaction of solid particles with turbulent flows and the containing walls. Comparisons between the measured and calculated separation efficiencies were performed for spherical and flat particles with different Stokes numbers. In particular, the way in which a simple modelling approach used for the prediction of sphere trajectories can be transferred to flat particles was investigated. Finally this study delivers generic data for improved modelling of solid particles, like spheres and flat particles, in turbulent flows.

scholarly journals Cooling and Sealing Air System in Industrial Gas Turbine Engines

1996 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. W. Reichert ◽  
M. Janssen
Keyword(s):  
Gas Turbine ◽  
Film Cooling ◽  
Gas Turbines ◽  
State Of The Art ◽  
Cooling System ◽  
Inlet Temperature ◽  
Turbine Inlet ◽  
Air System ◽  
Calculation System ◽  
Cooling Air

Siemens heavy duty Gas Turbines have been well known for their high power output combined with high efficiency and reliability for more than 3 decades. Offering state of the art technology at all times, the requirements concerning the cooling and sealing air system have increased with technological development over the years. In particular the increase of the turbine inlet temperature and reduced NOx requirements demand a highly efficient cooling and sealing air system. The new Vx4.3A family of Siemens gas turbines with ISO turbine inlet temperatures of 1190°C in the power range of 70 to 240 MW uses an effective film cooling technique for the turbine stages 1 and 2 to ensure the minimum cooling air requirement possible. In addition, the application of film cooling enables the cooling system to be simplified. For example, in the new gas turbine family no intercooler and no cooling air booster for the first turbine vane are needed. This paper deals with the internal air system of Siemens gas turbines which supplies cooling and sealing air. A general overview is given and some problems and their technical solutions are discussed. Furthermore a state of the art calculation system for the prediction of the thermodynamic states of the cooling and sealing air is introduced. The calculation system is based on the flow calculation package Flowmaster (Flowmaster International Ltd.), which has been modified for the requirements of the internal air system. The comparison of computational results with measurements give a good impression of the high accuracy of the calculation method used.

Heavy Duty Gas Turbine Simulation: Global Performances Estimation and Secondary Air System Modifications

2006 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carlo Carcasci ◽  
Bruno Facchini ◽  
Stefano Gori ◽  
Luca Bozzi ◽  
Stefano Traverso
Keyword(s):  
Gas Turbine ◽  
Gas Turbines ◽  
Cooling System ◽  
Energy System ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Coupled Analysis ◽  
Ambient Conditions ◽  
Air System ◽  
Secondary Air ◽  
And Performance

This paper reviews a modular-structured program ESMS (Energy System Modular Simulation) for the simulation of air-cooled gas turbines cycles, including the calculation of the secondary air system. The program has been tested for the Ansaldo Energia gas turbine V94.3A, which is one of the more advanced models in the family Vx4.3A with a rated power of 270 MW. V94.3A cooling system has been modeled with SASAC (Secondary Air System Ansaldo Code), the Ansaldo code used to predict the structure of the flow through the internal air system. The objective of the work was to investigate the tuning of the analytical program on the basis of the data from design and performance codes in use at Ansaldo Energy Gas Turbine Department. The results, both at base load over different ambient conditions and in critical off-design operating points (full-speed-no-load and minimum-load), have been compared with APC (Ansaldo Performance Code) and confirmed by field data. The coupled analysis of cycle and cooling network shows interesting evaluations for components life estimation and reliability during off-design operating conditions.

An Efficient Procedure for the Analysis of Heavy Duty Gas Turbine Secondary Flows in Different Operating Conditions

2010 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matteo Cerutti ◽  
Luca Bozzi ◽  
Federico Bonzani ◽  
Carlo Carcasci
Keyword(s):  
Gas Turbine ◽  
Gas Turbines ◽  
Cooling System ◽  
Secondary Flows ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Heavy Duty ◽  
Efficient Procedure ◽  
Air System ◽  
Secondary Air ◽  
Flow Functions

Combined cycle and partial load operating of modern heavy-duty gas turbines require highly efficient secondary air systems to supply both cooling and sealing air. Accurate performance predictions are then a fundamental demand over a wide range of operability. The paper describes the development of an efficient procedure for the investigation of gas turbine secondary flows, based on an in-house made fluid network solver, written in Matlab® environment. Fast network generation and debugging are achieved thanks to Simulink® graphical interface and modular structure, allowing predictions of the whole secondary air system. A crucial aspect of such an analysis is the calculation of blade and vane cooling flows, taking into account the interaction between inner and outer extraction lines. The problem is closed thanks to ad-hoc calculated transfer functions: cooling system performances and flow functions are solved in a pre-processing phase and results correlated to influencing parameters using Response Surface Methodology (RSM) and Design of Experiments (DOE) techniques. The procedure has been proved on the secondary air system of the AE94.3A2 Ansaldo Energia gas turbine. Flow functions for the cooling system of the first stage blade, calculated by RSM and DOE techniques, are presented. Flow functions based calculation of film cooling, tip cooling and trailing edge cooling air flows is described in details.

Investigation of Internal Cooling Air Flow of Gas Turbines With Attention to Heat Transfer

2003 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Brillert ◽  
F.-K. Benra ◽  
H. J. Dohmen ◽  
O. Schneider
Keyword(s):  
Heat Transfer ◽  
Gas Turbines ◽  
Turbine Blades ◽  
Internal Cooling ◽  
Flow Physics ◽  
Cooling Flow ◽  
Air System ◽  
Secondary Air ◽  
Cooling Air ◽  
Material Temperature

The cooling air in the secondary air system of gas turbines is routed through the inside of the rotor shaft. The air enters the rotor through an internal extraction in the compressor section and flows through different components to the turbine blades. Constant improvements of the secondary air system is a basic element to increase efficiency and power of heavy duty gas turbines. It is becoming more and more important to have a precise calculation of the heat transfer and air temperature in the internal cooling air system. This influences the cooling behavior, the material temperature and consequently the cooling efficiency. The material temperature influences the stresses and the creep behavior which is important for the life time prediction and the reliability of the components of the engine. Furthermore, the material temperature influences the clearances and again the cooling flow, e.g. the amount of mass flow rate, hot gas ingestion etc. This paper deals with an investigation of the influence of heat transfer on the internal cooling air system and on the material temperature. It shows a comparison between numerical calculations with and without heat transfer. Firstly, the Navier-Stokes CFD calculation shows the cooling flow physics of different parts of the secondary air system passages with solid heat transfer. In the second approach, the study is expanded to consider the cooling flow physics under conditions without heat transfer. On the basis of these investigations, the paper shows a comparison between the flow with and without heat transfer. The results of the simulation with heat transfer show a negligible influence on the cooling flow temperature and a stronger influence on the material temperature. The results of the calculations are compared with measured data. The influence on the material temperature is verified with measured material temperatures from a Siemens Model V84.3A gas turbine prototype.

Investigations of Dust Separation in the Internal Cooling Air System of Gas Turbines

2003 ◽  
Author(s):  
O. Schneider ◽  
H. J. Dohmen ◽  
F.-K. Benra ◽  
D. Brillert
Keyword(s):  
Gas Turbine ◽  
Film Cooling ◽  
Gas Turbines ◽  
Turbine Blades ◽  
Internal Cooling ◽  
Flow Conditions ◽  
Test Rig ◽  
Complex Flow ◽  
Air System ◽  
Cooling Air

Improvements in efficiency and performance of gas turbines require a better understanding of the internal cooling air system which provides the turbine blades with cooling air. With the increase of cooling air passing through the internal air system, a greater amount of air borne particles is transported to the film cooling holes at the turbine blade surface. In spite of their small size, these holes are critical for blockage. Blockage of only a few holes could have harmful effects on the cooling film surrounding the blade. As a result, a reduced mean time between maintenance or even unexpected operation faults of the gas turbine during operation could occure. Experience showed a complex interaction of cooling air under different flow conditions and its particle load. To get more familiar with all these influences and the system itself, a test rig has been built. With this test rig, the behaviour of particles in the internal cooling air system could be studied at realistic flow conditions compared to a modern, heavy duty gas turbine. It is possible to simulate different particle sizes and dust concentrations in the coolant air. The test rig has been designed to give information about the quantity of separated particles at various critical areas of the internal air system [1]. The operation of the test rig as well as analysis of particles in such a complex flow system bear many problems, addressed in the previous paper [1]. New measurements and analysis methods give new and more accurate results, which will be shown in this paper. Furthermore the inspection of the test rig shows dust deposits at unexpected positions of the flow path. Theoretical studies to characterize the flow behaviour of the disperse phase in a continuous fluid using Lagrangian Tracking were also performed. A comparison between the numerical solution and the measurements will be shown in the paper.

Experimental Study on Pressure Losses in Circular Orifices With Inlet Cross Flow

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Feseker ◽  
Mats Kinell ◽  
Matthias Neef
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Study ◽  
Film Cooling ◽  
Gas Turbines ◽  
Discharge Coefficient ◽  
Pressure Ratio ◽  
Cross Flow ◽  
Pressure Losses ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Air System ◽  
Secondary Air

The cooling air in the secondary air system of gas turbines is controlled and metered by numerous restrictors, mainly in the shape of orifices. The ability to understand and predict the associated pressure losses are important in order to improve the air flow in the secondary air system. This experimental study investigates the behavior of the discharge coefficient for circular orifices with inlet cross flow which is a common flow case in gas turbines. Examples of this are at the inlet of a film cooling hole or the feeding of air to a blade through an orifice in a rotor disc. Measurements were conducted for a total number of 38 orifices, covering a wide range of length-to-diameter ratios, including short and long orifices with varying inlet geometries. Up to five different chamfer-to-diameter and radius-to-diameter ratios were tested per orifice length. Furthermore, the static pressure ratio across the orifice was varied between 1.05 and 1.6 for all examined orifices. The results of this comprehensive investigation demonstrate the beneficial influence of rounded inlet geometries and the ability to decrease pressure losses, which is especially true for higher cross flow ratios where the reduction of the pressure loss in comparison to sharp edged holes can be as high as 54%. With some exceptions, the chamfered orifices show a similar behavior as the rounded ones but with generally lower discharge coefficients. Nevertheless, a chamfered inlet yields lower pressure losses than a sharp edged inlet. The obtained experimental data was used to develop two correlations for the discharge coefficient as a function of geometrical as well as flow properties.

Novel Technology for Gas Turbine Blade Effusion Cooling

2006 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lorenzo Battisti ◽  
Roberto Fedrizzi ◽  
Giovanni Cerri
Keyword(s):  
Gas Turbine ◽  
Turbine Blade ◽  
Film Cooling ◽  
Gas Turbines ◽  
Cooling System ◽  
Turbine Blades ◽  
Innovative Technology ◽  
Gas Turbine Blade ◽  
Combustion Chambers ◽  
Reliable Technique

Gas turbine combustion chambers and turbine blades require better cooling techniques to cope with the increase in operating temperatures with each new engine model. Current gas turbine inlet temperatures are approaching 2000 K. Such extreme temperatures, combined with a highly dynamic environment, result in major stress on components, especially combustion chamber and blades of the first turbine stages. A technique that has been extensively investigated is transpiration cooling, for both combustion chambers and turbine blades. Transpiration-cooled components have proved an effective way to achieve high temperatures and erosion resistance for gas turbines operating in aggressive environments, though there is a shortage of durable and proven technical solutions. Effusion cooling (full-coverage discrete hole film cooling), on the other hand, is a relatively simpler and more reliable technique offering a continuous coverage of cooling air over the component’s hot surfaces. This paper presents an innovative technology for the efficient effusion cooling of the combustor wall and turbine blades. The dedicated electroforming process used to manufacture effusive film cooling systems, called Poroform®, is illustrated. A numerical model is also presented, developed specifically for designing the distributions of the diameter and density of the holes on the cooled surface with a view to reducing the metal’s working temperature and achieving isothermal conditions for large blade areas. Numerical simulations were used to design the effusive cooling system for a first-stage gas turbine blade. The diameter, density and spacing of the holes, and the adiabatic film efficiency are discussed extensively to highlight the cooling capacity of the effusive system.

Secondary Air Systems in Aeroengines Employing Vortex Reducers

2001 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dimitrie Negulescu ◽  
Michael Pfitzner
Keyword(s):  
Flow Path ◽  
Supporting Evidence ◽  
Excessive Pressure ◽  
Pressure Losses ◽  
Low Pressure Turbine ◽  
Hot Gas ◽  
Air System ◽  
High Integrity ◽  
Secondary Air ◽  
Aero Engines

A secondary air system in modern aero engines is required to cool the compressor and turbine discs and make sure that no hot gas ingestion occurs into the cavities between the turbine discs, which could cause an inadvertent reduction of disc life. A high integrity solution for guiding the air from the compressor to the turbine is through an inner bleed from the compressor platform and through the space between the disc bores and the shaft connecting the fan with the low pressure turbine. Since strongly swirling air is taken from the compressor platforms to a much lower radius, a means of deswirling the air has to be used to avoid excessive pressure losses along the flow path. The paper describes a system utilizing tubeless vortex reducers to accomplish this deswirl, which are compared to a more conventional air system utilizing tubes. The working principles of both types of vortex reducer and guidelines for the design of a secondary air system using vortex reducers are explained with supporting evidence from rig tests and CFD calculations. Opportunities for the aerodynamic optimisation of the tubeless vortex reducer are elaborated and the experience gained using the system during the development of the BR700 engine is described.

An Integrated Approach to Simulate Gas Turbine Secondary Air System

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ali Izadi ◽  
Seyed Hossein Madani ◽  
Seyed Vahid Hosseini ◽  
Mahmoud Chizari
Keyword(s):  
Heat Transfer ◽  
Gas Turbine ◽  
Turbine Blades ◽  
Great Influence ◽  
Integrated Approach ◽  
Cfd Modeling ◽  
Connectivity Matrix ◽  
Analysis Tool ◽  
Air System ◽  
Secondary Air

Abstract One of the most critical parts of a modern gas turbine that its reliability and performance has a great influence on cycle efficiency is the secondary air system (SAS). Modern systems functions to supply not only cooling air flow for turbine blades and vanes but sealing flow for bearing chambers and turbine segments as well as turbine disks’ purge flow in order to eliminate hot gas ingestion. Due to the various interactions between SAS and main gas, consideration of the former is substantially crucial in design and analysis of the whole engine. Geometrical complexities and centrifugal effects of rotating blades and disks, however, make the flow field and heat transfer of the problem so complicated AND too computationally costly to be simulated utilizing full 3-D CFD methods. Therefore, developing 1-D and 0-D tools applying network methods are of great interests. The present article describes a modular SAS analysis tool that is consisted of a network of elements and nodes. Each flow branch of a whole engine SAS network is substituted with an element and then, various branches (elements) intersect with each other just at their end nodes. These elements which might include some typical components such as labyrinth seals, orifices, stationary/rotating pipes, pre-swirls, and rim-seals, are generally articulated with characteristic curves that are extracted from high fidelity CFD modeling using commercial software such as Flowmaster or ANSYS-CFX. Having these curves, an algorithm is developed to calculate flow parameters at nodes with the aid of iterative methods. The procedure is based on three main innovative ideas. The first one is related to the network construction by defining a connectivity matrix which could be applied to any arbitrary network such as hydraulic or lubrication networks. In the second one, off-design SAS calculation will be proposed by introducing some SAS elements that their characteristic non-dimensional curves are influenced by their inlet total pressure. The last novelty is the integration of the blades coolant calculation process that incorporates external heat transfer calculation, structural conduction and coolant side modeling with SAS network simulation. Finally, SAS simulation of an industrial gas turbine is presented to illustrate capabilities of the presented tool in design point and off-design conditions.

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