bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Shock Formation in Overexpanded Tip Leakage Flow
Authors: Moore J. , Elward K. M.
Published: June 2008

Shock formation due to overexpansion of supersonic flow at the inlet to the tip clearance gap of a turbomachine has been studied. The flow was modeled on a water table using a sharp-edged rectangular channel. The flow exhibited an oblique hydraulic jump starting on the channel sidewall near the channel entrance. This flow was analyzed using hydraulic theory. The results suggest a model for the formation of the jump. The hydraulic analogy between free surface water flows and compressible gas flows is used to predict the location and strength of oblique shocks in analogous tip leakage flows. Features of the flow development are found to be similar to those of compressible flow in sharp-edged orifices. Possible implications of the results for high-temperature gas turbine design are considered.
Separated Flow in a Low-Speed Two-Dimensional Cascade: Part I—Flow Visualization and Time-Mean Velocity Measurements
Authors: Yocum A. M. , O’Brien W. F.
Published: June 2008

This study was conducted for the purpose of providing a more fundamental understanding of separated flow in cascades and to provide performance data for fully stalled blade rows. Cascades of a single blade geometry and a solidity of unity were studied for three stagger angles and the full range of angle of attack, extending well into the stalled flow regime. Results are presented from flow visualization and time-mean velocity measurements of stalled flow in the cascade. Surface and smoke flow visualization revealed that the blade stagger angle is a key parameter in determining the location of the separation line and the occurrence of propagating stall. Time-mean velocity measurements obtained with a dual hot split-film probe also showed that the separated velocity profiles within the blade passages and the profiles in the wake have distinctly different characteristics depending on the stagger angle.
Experimental Study on the Three-Dimensional Flow Within a Compressor Cascade With Tip Clearance: Part II—The Tip Leakage Vortex
Authors: Kang S. , Hirsch C.
Published: June 2008

An analysis of the experimental data of a linear compressor cascade with tip clearance is presented with special attention to the development of the tip leakage vortex. A method for determining the tip vortex core size, center position, and vorticity or circulation from the measured data is proposed, based on the assumption of a circular tip vortex core. It is observed that the axial velocity profile passing through the tip vortex center is wavelike. The vorticity of the tip vortex increases rapidly near the leading edge and reaches its highest values at a short distance downstream, from which it gradually decreases. In the whole evolution, its size is growing and its center is moving away from both the suction surface and the endwall, approximately in a linear way.
Radial Transport and Momentum Exchange in an Axial Compressor
Authors: Dring R. P.
Published: June 2008

The objective of this work was to examine radial transport in axial compressors from two perspectives. The first was to compare the mixing coefficient based on a secondary flow model (using measured radial velocities) with that based on a turbulent diffusion model. The second was to use measured airfoil pressure forces and momentum changes to assess the validity of the assumption of diffusive radial transport, which is common to both models. These examinations were carried out at both design and off-design conditions as well as for two rotor tip clearances. In general it was seen that radial mixing was strongest near the hub and that it increased dramatically at near-stall conditions. It was also seen that radial transport could cause large differences (≈ 100 percent) between the force on an airfoil and the change in momentum across the airfoil at the same spanwise location.
Investigation of Compressor Rotor Wake Structure at Peak Pressure Rise Coefficient and Effects of Loading
Authors: Prato J. , Lakshminarayana B.
Published: June 2008

This paper reports an experimental study of the three-dimensional characteristics of the mean velocity in the trailing-edge, near-wake, and far-wake regions of a highly loaded low-speed compressor rotor. The wake structure and decay characteristics are compared with the wake data in the same compressor with moderate loading. The experimental investigation was carried out using a rotating five-hole probe. The flow field was surveyed at various radial and axial locations downstream of the compressor rotor. Variations in the axial, tangential, and radial components of mean velocity at various axial and radial locations were derived from the data and compared with earlier data at lower loading to discern the effects of loading. It was found that the higher loading had the following effects: Higher total velocity defects were observed in the hub-wall region, increased wake growth rate in the tip region, faster decay of static pressure difference in the trailing-edge region, larger initial wake width in the trailing-edge region, increased rate of growth of the semi-wake width in the trailing-edge region, increased decay rate of radial velocity in the trailing-edge region, and decreased decay rate of the radial velocity in the far-wake region. Far wake properties were almost identical in both cases.
Experimental and Computational Investigation of the NASA Low-Speed Centrifugal Compressor Flow Field
Authors: Hathaway M. D. , Chriss R. M. , Wood J. R. , Strazisar A. J.
Published: June 2008

An experimental and computational investigation of the NASA Low-Speed Centrifugal Compressor (LSCC) flow field has been conducted using laser anemometry and Dawes’ three dimensional viscous code. The experimental configuration consists of a backswept impeller followed by a vaneless diffuser. Measurements of the three-dimensional velocity field were acquired at several measurement planes through the compressor. The measurements describe both the throughflow and secondary velocity field along each measurement plane. In several cases the measurements provide details of the flow within the blade boundary layers. Insight into the complex flow physics within centrifugal compressors is provided by the computational analysis, and assessment of the CFD predictions is provided by comparison with the measurements. Five-hole probe and hot-wire surveys at the inlet and exit to the rotor as well as surface flow visualization along the impeller blade surfaces provide independent confirmation of the laser measurement technique. The results clearly document the development of the throughflow velocity wake, which is characteristic of unshrouded centrifugal compressors.
Relative Flow and Turbulence Measurements Downstream of a Backward Centrifugal Impeller
Authors: Ubaldi M. , Zunino P. , Cattanei A.
Published: June 2008

The paper presents the results of an experimental investigation on the three-dimensional relative flow at the exit of the backward bladed centrifugal impeller of the high-pressure stage of a two-stage biregulating pump-turbine model, operating at the pump nominal point. Mean velocity, Reynolds stress tensor, and total pressure of the relative flow have been measured with stationary hot-wire probes and fast response miniature pressure transducers, by means of a phase-locked ensemble-average technique. The results, shown in terms of secondary vector plots and contours of mean flow characteristics and Reynolds stress components, give a detailed picture of the flow kinematic structure and of the complex relative total pressure loss and turbulence distributions. In spite of strongly backswept blades, the flow leaving the impeller presents a jet and wake structure and an intense secondary flow activity. Large relative total pressure losses affect the wake and the region where secondary vortices interact. The turbulence data analysis provides information about the effects of the impeller rotation on the turbulence structure and about the mechanisms of the flow mixing process and of the secondary flow decay downstream of the impeller.
Aerodesign and Performance Analysis of a Radial Transonic Impeller for a 9:1 Pressure Ratio Compressor
Authors: Colantuoni S. , Colella A.
Published: June 2008

The aerodynamic design of a centrifugal compressor for technologically advanced small aeroengines requires more and more the use of sophisticated computational tools in order to meet the goals successfully at minimum cost development. The objective of the present work is the description of the procedure adopted to design a transonic impeller having 1.31 relative Mach number at the inducer tip, 45 deg back-swept exit blade angle, and a tip speed of 636 m/s. The optimization of the blade shape has been done by analyzing the aerodynamic flowfield by extensive use of a quasi-three-dimensional code and a fully three-dimensional Euler solver based on a time-marching approach and a finite volume discretization. Testing has been done on the impeller-only configuration, using a compressor rig that simulates real engine hardware, i.e., having an S-shaped air-intake. The overall performance of the impeller is presented and discussed.
Experimental and Theoretical Analysis of the Flow in a Centrifugal Compressor Volute
Authors: Ayder E. , Van den Braembussche R. , Brasz J. J.
Published: June 2008

Detailed measurements of the swirling flow in a centrifugal compressor volute with elliptical cross section are presented. They show important variations of the swirl and throughflow velocity, total and static pressure distribution at the different volute cross sections and at the diffuser exit. The basic mechanisms defining the complex three dimensional flow structure are clarified. The different sources of pressure loss have been investigated and used to improve the prediction capability of one-dimensional mean streamline analysis correlations. The tangential flow loss model under decelerating flow conditions and the friction loss model are confirmed. New empirical loss coefficients are proposed for the exit cone loss model and the tangential flow loss model for the case of accelerating flow in the volute.
Aeroloads and Secondary Flows in a Transonic Mixed-Flow Turbine Stage
Authors: Kirtley K. R. , Beach T. A. , Rogo C.
Published: June 2008

A numerical simulation of a transonic mixed-flow turbine stage has been carried out using an average passage Navier–Stokes analysis. The mixed-flow turbine stage considered here consists of a transonic nozzle vane and a highly loaded rotor. The simulation was run at the design pressure ratio and is assessed by comparing results with those of an established throughflow design system. The three-dimensional aerodynamic loads are studied as well as the development and migration of secondary flows and their contribution to the total pressure loss. The numerical results indicate that strong passage vortices develop in the nozzle vane, mix out quickly, and have little impact on the rotor flow. The rotor is highly loaded near the leading edge. Within the rotor passage, strong spanwise flows and other secondary flows exist along with the tip leakage vortex. The rotor exit loss distribution is similar in character to that found in radial inflow turbines. The secondary flows and nonuniform work extraction also tend to redistribute a nonuniform inlet total temperature profile significantly by the exit of the stage.
The 1993 IGTI Scholar Lecture: Loss Mechanisms in Turbomachines
Authors: Denton J. D.
Published: June 2008

The origins and effects of loss in turbomachines are discussed with the emphasis on trying to understand the physical origins of loss rather than on reviewing the available prediction methods. Loss is defined in terms of entropy increase and the relationship of this to the more familiar loss coefficients is derived and discussed. The sources of entropy are, in general: viscous effects in boundary layers, viscous effects in mixing processes, shock waves, and heat transfer across temperature differences. These are first discussed in general and then the results are applied to turbomachinery flows. Understanding of the loss due to heat transfer requires some discussion of cycle thermodynamics. Sections are devoted to discussing blade boundary layer and trailing edge loss, tip leakage loss, endwall loss, effects of heat transfer, and miscellaneous losses. The loss arising from boundary layer separation is particularly difficult to quantify. Most of the discussion is based on axial flow machines, but a separate section is devoted to the special problems of radial flow machines. In some cases, e.g., attached blade boundary layers, the loss mechanisms are well understood, but even so the loss can seldom be predicted with great accuracy. In many other cases, e.g., endwall loss, the loss mechanisms are still not clearly understood and prediction methods remain very dependent on correlations. The paper emphasizes that the use of correlations should not be a substitute for trying to understand the origins of loss, and suggests that a good physical understanding of the latter may be more valuable than a quantitative prediction.
Hot Streaks and Phantom Cooling in a Turbine Rotor Passage: Part 1—Separate Effects
Authors: Roback R. J. , Dring R. P.
Published: June 2008

This paper presents experimental documentation and analytical correlations demonstrating the effects of hot streak accumulation and phantom cooling on turbine rotor airfoil surface temperature. Results are shown that quantify the impact of (1) a nonuniform temperature profile at the entrance of a turbine due to combustor-generated hot and cold streaks, and (2) cooling air discharged from the trailing edge of the upstream stator. In Part 1 of this paper, experimental results are shown for a range of controlling variables to identify where streak accumulation and phantom cooling were most likely to be strongest. These variables include streak-to-free-stream density ratio, streak injection location, and coolant-to-free-stream density and velocity ratios. In Part 2 of this paper, experimental results are shown for the combined effects of hot streak and stator coolant. An analytical model is also presented to correlate the experimental results.
Calculation of Wake-Induced Unsteady Flow in a Turbine Cascade
Authors: Cho N.-H. , Liu X. , Rodi W. , Scho¨nung B.
Published: June 2008

Numerical predictions are reported for two-dimensional unsteady flow in a linear turbine cascade, where the unsteadiness is caused by passing wakes generated by the preceding row of blades. In particular, an experiment is simulated in which the passing wakes were generated by cylinders moving on a rotating squirrel cage. Blade-to-blade calculations were carried out by solving the unsteady two dimensional flow equations with an accurate finite-volume procedure, thereby resolving the periodic unsteady motion. The effects of stochastic turbulent fluctuations are simulated with a two-layer turbulence model, in which the standard k–ε model is applied in the bulk of the flow and a one-equation model in the near-wall region. This involves also a transition model based on an empirical formula from Abu-Ghannam and Shaw (1980), which was adapted for the unsteady situation by applying it in a Lagrangian way, following fluid parcels in the boundary layer under disturbed and undisturbed free streams on their travel downstream. The calculations are compared with experiments for various wake-passing frequencies. On the whole, the complex unsteady flow behavior is simulated realistically, including the moving forward of transition when the wake-passing frequency increases, but not all details can be reproduced.
Recent Advances in Simulating Unsteady Flow Phenomena Brought About by Passage of Shock Waves in a Linear Turbine Cascade
Authors: Collie J. C. , Moses H. L. , Schetz J. A. , Gregory B. A.
Published: June 2008

High-pressure-ratio turbines have flows dominated by shock structures that pass downstream into the next blade row in an unsteady fashion. Recent numerical results have indicated that these unsteady shocks may significantly affect the aerodynamic and mechanical performance of turbine blading. High cost and limited accessibility of turbine rotating equipment severely restrict the quantitative evaluation of the unsteady flowfield in that environment. Recently published results of the Virginia Tech transonic cascade facility indicate high integrity in simulation of the steady-state flow phenomena. The facility has recently been modified to study the unsteady effects of passing shock waves. Shock waves are generated by a shotgun blast upstream of the blade row. Shadowgraph photos and high-response pressure data are compared to previously published experimental and numerically predicted results. Plots are included that indicate large fluctuations in estimated blade lift and cascade loss.
Analysis of Steady and Unsteady Turbine Cascade Flows by a Locally Implicit Hybrid Algorithm
Authors: Hwang C. J. , Liu J. L.
Published: June 2008

For the two-dimensional steady and unsteady turbine cascade flows, the Euler/Navier–Stokes equations with Baldwin-Lomax turbulence model are solved in the Cartesian coordinate system. A locally implicit hybrid algorithm on mixed meshes is employed, where the convection-dominated part in the flow field is studied by a TVD scheme to obtain high-resolution results on the triangular elements, and the second- and fourth-order dissipative model is introduced on the O-type quadrilateral grid in the viscous-dominated region to minimize the numerical dissipation. When the steady subsonic and transonic turbulent flows are investigated, the distributions of isentropic Mach number on the blade surface, exit flow angle, and loss coefficient are obtained. Comparing the present results with the experimental data, the accuracy and reliability of the current approach are confirmed. By giving a moving wake-type total pressure profile at the inlet plane in the rotor-relative frame of reference, the unsteady transonic inviscid and turbulent flows calculations are performed to study the interaction of the upstream wake with a moving blade row. The Mach number contours, perturbation component of the unsteady velocity vectors, shear stress, and pressure distributions on the blade surface are presented. The physical phenomena, which include periodic flow separation on the suction side, bowing, chopping and distortion of incoming wake, negative jet, convection of the vortices and wake segments, and vortex shedding at the trailing edge, are observed. It is concluded that the unsteady aerodynamic behavior is strongly dependent on the wake/shock/boundary layer interactions.
An Inviscid-Viscous Interaction Approach to the Calculation of Dynamic Stall Initiation on Airfoils
Authors: Cebeci T. , Platzer M. F. , Jang H. M. , Chen H. H.
Published: June 2008

An interactive boundary-layer method is described for computing unsteady incompressible flows over airfoils, including the initiation of dynamic stall. The inviscid unsteady panel method developed by Platzer and Teng is extended to include viscous effects. The solutions of the boundary-layer equations are obtained with an inverse finite-difference method employing an interaction law based on the Hilbert integral, and the algebraic eddy-viscosity formulation of Cebeci and Smith. The method is applied to airfoils subject to periodic and ramp-type motions and its abilities are examined for a range of angles of attack, reduced frequency, and pitch rate.
Unsteady Aerodynamics and Gust Response in Compressors and Turbines
Authors: Manwaring S. R. , Wisler D. C.
Published: June 2008

A comprehensive series of experiments and analyses was performed on compressor and turbine blading to evaluate the ability of current, practical, engineering/analysis models to predict unsteady aerodynamic loading of modern gas turbine blading. This is part of an ongoing effort to improve methods for preventing blading failure. The experiments were conducted in low-speed research facilities capable of simulating the relevant aerodynamic features of turbomachinery. Unsteady loading on compressor and turbine blading was generated by upstream wakes and, additionally for compressors, by a rotating inlet distortion. Fast-response hot-wire anemometry and pressure transducers embedded in the airfoil surfaces were used to determine the aerodynamic gusts and resulting unsteady pressure responses acting on the airfoils. This is the first time that gust response measurements for turbines have been reported in the literature. Several different analyses were used to predict the unsteady component of the blade loading: (1) a classical flat-plate analysis, (2) a two-dimensional linearized flow analysis with a ‘frozen gust’ model, (3) a two-dimensional linearized flow analysis with a “distorted gust” model, (4) a two-dimensional linearized Euler analysis, and (5) a two-dimensional nonlinear Euler analysis. Also for the first time, a detailed comparison of these analyses methods is made and the importance of properly accounting for both vortical and potential disturbances is demonstrated. The predictions are compared with experiment and their abilities assessed to help guide designers in using these prediction schemes.
Forcing Function Effects on Unsteady Aerodynamic Gust Response: Part 1—Forcing Functions
Authors: Henderson G. H. , Fleeter S.
Published: June 2008

The fundamental gust modeling assumption is investigated by means of a series of experiments performed in the Purdue Annular Cascade Research Facility. The unsteady periodic flow field is generated by rotating rows of perforated plates and airfoil cascades. In this paper, the measured unsteady flow fields are compared to linear-theory vortical gust requirements, with the resulting unsteady gust response of a downstream stator cascade correlated with linear theory predictions in an accompanying paper. The perforated-plate forcing functions closely resemble linear-theory forcing functions, with the static pressure fluctuations small and the periodic velocity vectors parallel to the downstream mean-relative flow angle over the entire periodic cycle. In contrast, the airfoil forcing functions exhibit characteristics far from linear-theory vortical gusts, with the alignment of the velocity vectors and the static pressure fluctuation amplitudes dependent on the rotor-loading condition, rotor solidity, and the inlet mean-relative flow angle. Thus, these unique data clearly show that airfoil wakes, both compressor and turbine, are not able to be modeled with the boundary conditions of current state-of-the-art linear unsteady aerodynamic theory.
Forcing Function Effects on Unsteady Aerodynamic Gust Response: Part 2—Low Solidity Airfoil Row Response
Authors: Henderson G. H. , Fleeter S.
Published: June 2008

The fundamental gust modeling assumption is investigated by means of a series of experiments performed in the Purdue Annular Cascade Research Facility. The unsteady periodic flow field is generated by rotating rows of perforated plates and airfoil cascades, with the resulting unsteady periodic chordwise pressure response of a downstream low-solidity stator row determined by miniature pressure transducers embedded within selected airfoils. When the forcing function exhibited the characteristics of a linear-theory vortical gust, as was the case for the perforated-plate wake generators, the resulting response on the downstream stator airfoils was in excellent agreement with the linear-theory models. In contrast, when the forcing function did not exhibit linear-theory vortical gust characteristics, i.e., for the airfoil wake generators, the resulting unsteady aerodynamic responses of the downstream stators were much more complex and correlated poorly with the linear-theory gust predictions. Thus, this investigation has quantitatively shown that the forcing function generator significantly affects the resulting gust response, with the complexity of the response characteristics increasing from the perforated-plate to the airfoil-cascade forcing functions.
Advances in the Numerical Integration of the Three-Dimensional Euler Equations in Vibrating Cascades
Authors: Gerolymos G. A.
Published: June 2008

In the present work an algorithm for the numerical integration of the three-dimensional unsteady Euler equations in vibrating transonic compressor cascades is described. The equations are discretized in finite-volume formulation in a mobile grid using isoparametric brick elements. They are integrated in time using Runge-Kutta schemes. A thorough discussion of the boundary conditions used and of their influence on results is undertaken. The influence of grid refinement on computational results is examined. Unsteady convergence of results is discussed.
An Investigation of Boundary Layer Development in a Multistage LP Turbine
Authors: Hodson H. P. , Huntsman I. , Steele A. B.
Published: June 2008

This paper describes an investigation of the behavior of suction surface boundary layers in a modern multistage Low-Pressure turbine. An array of 18 surface-mounted hot-film anemometers was mounted on a stator blade of the third stage of a four-stage machine. Data were obtained at Reynolds numbers between 0.9 × 105 and 1.8 × 105. At the majority of the test conditions, wakes from upstream rotors periodically initiated transition at about 40 percent surface length. In between these events, laminar separation occurred at about 75 percent surface length. Because the wake-affected part of the flow appeared to be only intermittently turbulent, laminar separation also occurred at about 75 percent surface length while this flow was instantaneously laminar. At all but the lowest Reynolds numbers, the time-mean boundary layer appeared to have re-attached by the trailing edge even though it was not fully turbulent. It is inferred that the effect of the wakes on the performance of the blade row is limited and that steady flow design methods should provide an adequate assessment of LP turbine performance during design.
The Effect of Wake-Passing and Free-Stream Turbulence on Laminar Gas Turbine Blade Boundary Layers
Authors: Greenblatt D.
Published: June 2008

A computational procedure has been developed that accounts for the combined time-mean effect of wake-passing and free-stream turbulence on laminar turbine blade boundary layers. The procedure has the advantage of being computationally efficient as well as providing a realistic model of the unsteady nature of the flow. The procedure yielded the parameter TuReD/σD/2 for characterizing the time-mean flow in the leading edge region and the parameter Γ (≡ 2T˜Tu2σx/γ) for describing the flow downstream of the stagnation point. A provisional comparison with stagnation flow experimental data showed that the procedure may be more general than initially expected.
Effects of Leaning and Curving of Blades With High Turning Angles on the Aerodynamic Characteristics of Turbine Rectangular Cascades
Authors: Wanjin Han , Zhongqi Wang , Chunqing Tan , Hong Shi , Mochun Zhou
Published: June 2008

To understand the effects of the origination and development of centralized vortices on the aerodynamic characteristics of turbine rectangular cascades with high turning angles, experiments with five-hole microspherical probes, accompanied by color helium bubble flow displays, were carried out. The measurement planes are arranged as three before, six in, and one after the cascade. The experiments reveal that the origination and development of horseshoe vortices and passage vortices as well as the interaction of the latters almost dominate the whole flow field of traditional linear cascades. Lean linear cascades favor the horseshoe vortices and passage vortices in the acute angle zone, and impede those in the obtuse angle zone. So it is a logical result to adopt the negatively curved blades, whose pressure surfaces and both endwalls compose both obtuse angles, respectively, to improve the cascade aerodynamic characteristics.
An Analytical Model of Axial Compressor Off-Design Performance
Authors: Camp T. R. , Horlock J. H.
Published: June 2008

An analysis is presented of the off-design performance of multistage axial-flow compressors. It is based on an analytical solution, valid for small perturbations in operating conditions from the design point, and provides an insight into the effects of choices made during the compressor design process on performance and off-design stage matching. It is shown that the mean design value of stage loading coefficient (ψ = Δh0/U2) has a dominant effect on off-design performance, whereas the stage-wise distribution of stage loading coefficient and the design value of flow coefficient have little influence. The powerful effects of variable stator vanes on stage-matching are also demonstrated and these results are shown to agree well with previous work. The slope of the working line of a gas turbine engine, overlaid on overall compressor characteristics, is shown to have a strong effect on the off-design stage-matching through the compressor. The model is also used to analyze design changes to the compressor geometry and to show how errors in estimates of annulus blockage, decided during the design process, have less effect on compressor performance than has previously been thought.
Behavior of Three-Dimensional Boundary Layers in a Radial Inflow Turbine Scroll
Authors: Hara K. , Furukawa M. , Inoue M.
Published: June 2008

A detailed experimental investigation was carried out to examine the three-dimensional boundary layer characteristics in a radial inflow turbine scroll. Some basic flow phenomena and growth of secondary flow were also investigated. In the inlet region of the scroll, the incoming boundary layer begins to have a skewed nature, namely the radially inward secondary flow caused by the radial pressure gradient. From the inlet region to one third of the scroll circumference, the secondary flow grows so strongly that most of the low-momentum fluid in the incoming boundary layer is transported to the nozzle region. The succeeding elimination of the low-momentum fluid in the boundary layer suppresses growth of the boundary layer farther downstream, where the boundary layer shows a similar velocity profile. The distributions of the boundary layer properties in the scroll correspond well to those of the flow properties at the nozzle. The behavior of the boundary layer in the scroll is found to affect the circumferential nonuniformity of the nozzle flow field.
Numerical Analysis of the Three-Dimensional Swirling Flow in Centrifugal Compressor Volutes
Authors: Ayder E. , Van den Braembussche R.
Published: June 2008

The improvement of centrifugal compressor performance and the control of the radial forces acting on the impeller due to the circumferential variation of the static pressure caused by the volute require a good understanding of the flow mechanisms and an accurate prediction of the flow pattern inside the volute. A three-dimensional volute calculation method has been developed for this purpose. The volute is discretized by means of hexahedral elements. A cell vertex finite volume approach is used in combination with a time-marching procedure. The numerical procedure makes use of a central space discretization and a four-step Runge–Kutta time-stepping scheme. The artificial dissipation used in the solver is based on the fourth-order differences of the conservative variables. Implicit residual smoothing improves the convergence rate. The loss model implemented in the code accounts for the losses due to internal shear and friction losses on the walls. A comparison of the calculated and measured results inside a volute with elliptical cross section reveals that the modified Euler solver accurately predicts the velocity and pressure distribution inside and upstream of the volute.
Passive Control of Flow-Induced Vibrations by Splitter Blades
Authors: Chiang H. W. D. , Fleeter S.
Published: June 2008

Splitter blades as a passive control technique for flow-induced vibrations are investigated by developing an unsteady aerodynamic model to predict the effect of incorporating splitter blades into the design of an axial flow blade row operating in an incompressible flow field. The splitter blades, positioned circumferentially in the flow passage between two principal blades, introduce aerodynamic and/or combined aerodynamic-structural detuning into the rotor. The unsteady aerodynamic gust response and resulting oscillating cascade unsteady aerodynamics, including steady loading effects, are determined by developing a complete first-order unsteady aerodynamic analysis together with an unsteady aerodynamic influence coefficient technique. The torsion mode flow induced vibrational response of both uniformly spaced tuned rotors and detuned rotors are then predicted by incorporating the unsteady aerodynamic influence coefficients into a single-degree-of-freedom aero-elastic model. This model is then utilized to demonstrate that incorporating splitters into axial flow rotor designs is beneficial with regard to flow induced vibrations.
Unsteady Aerodynamic Analysis of Subsonic Oscillating Cascade
Authors: Chen S. H. , Eastland A. H. , Jackson E. D.
Published: June 2008

This paper describes the development of the source-doublet-based potential paneling method for oscillating cascade unsteady aerodynamic load predictions. By using the integral influence coefficient method and by using the interblade phase angles, the unsteady loads on an oscillating cascade can be accurately predicted at a minimum cost. As the grids are placed only on the blade surfaces, the blades are allowed to vibrate without grid deformation problems. Four notable subsonic oscillating cascade test cases that cover most important parameters, e.g., blade geometry, interblade phase angle, flow coefficient, flow speed, frequency, etc., are studied in this paper. The agreement between the present solutions and other numerical/experimental results demonstrates the robustness of the present model. Applicability of the method for realistic compressible flow cascades is also discussed.
Effect of Wind Tunnel Acoustic Modes on Linear Oscillating Cascade Aerodynamics
Authors: Buffum D. H. , Fleeter S.
Published: June 2008

The aerodynamics of a biconvex airfoil cascade oscillating in torsion is investigated using the unsteady aerodynamic influence coefficient technique. For subsonic flow and reduced frequencies as large as 0.9, airfoil surface unsteady pressures resulting from oscillation of one of the airfoils are measured using flush-mounted high-frequency-response pressure transducers. The influence coefficient data are examined in detail and then used to predict the unsteady aerodynamics of a cascade oscillating at various interblade phase angles. These results are correlated with experimental data obtained in the traveling-wave mode of oscillation and linearized analysis predictions. It is found that the unsteady pressure disturbances created by an oscillating airfoil excite wind tunnel acoustic modes, which have detrimental effects on the experimental results. Acoustic treatment is proposed to rectify this problem.
Flow Pattern and Heat Transfer in a Closed Rotating Annulus
Authors: Bohn D. , Dibelius G. H. , Deuker E. , Emunds R.
Published: June 2008

The prediction of the temperature distribution in a gas turbine rotor containing gasfilled closed cavities, for example between two disks, has to account for the heat transfer conditions encountered inside these cavities. In an entirely closed annulus no forced convection is present, but a strong natural convection flow occurs induced by a nonuniform density distribution in the centrifugal force field. A computer code has been developed and applied to a rotating annulus with square cross section as a base case. The co-axial heat flux from one side wall to the other was modeled assuming constant temperature distribution at each wall but at different temperature levels. Additionally the inner and outer walls were assumed to be adiabatic. The code was first verified for the annulus approaching the plane square cavity in the gravitational field, i.e., the ratio of the radius r over the distance h between outer and inner cylindrical wall was set very large. The results obtained agree with De Vahl Davis’ benchmark solution. By reducing the inner radius to zero, the results could be compared with Chew’s computation of a closed rotating cylinder, and again good agreement was found. Parametric studies were carried out varying the Grashof number Gr, the rotational Reynolds number Re, and the r/h ratio, i.e., the curvature of the annulus. A decrease of this ratio at constant Gr and Re number results in a decrease of heat transfer due to the Coriolis forces attenuating the relative gas velocity. The same effect can be obtained by increasing the Re number with the h/r ratio and the Gr number being constant. By inserting radial walls into the cavity the influence of the Coriolis forces is reduced, resulting in an increase of heat transfer.
M. J. Hartmann Memorial Session Paper: A Review of Research on Turbomachinery at MIT Traceable to Support From Mel Hartmann
Authors: Kerrebrock J. L.
Published: June 2008

Research conducted at MIT since 1968 stemming from early initiatives on the Blow-down Compressor Experiment and on transonic three-dimensional CFD is reviewed from the viewpoint of the consequences of enlightened support of research by exceptionally capable leaders of government research. Among the consequences in this case are development of detailed understanding of the unsteady flows in transonic compressors and their contribution to losses, and the ability to compute the three-dimensional transonic flow in such machines. Analogous results for turbines include the ability to measure and compute the unsteady heat flux distribution on turbine blades and vanes as well as the flow field. In addition to these research results, the programs traceable to Mel Hartmann’s early support have produced more than seven faculty members who continue to teach and conduct research in aircraft propulsion and closely related fields, and a corresponding number of students.
M. J. Hartmann Memorial Session Paper: Some Results of NASA-Iowa State University Research on Axial-Flow Pumps
Authors: Serovy G. K. , Okiishi T. H.
Published: June 2008

This paper is a commentary on a small chapter in the recent history of turbomachinery research. It was written to describe the positive influence of an individual, Melvin J. Hartmann, working in a federal research center, on a particular university research program. However, in its final form, it cannot help but shed some light on the long-term effects of small-scale, mission-oriented, federal agency funding of engineering research in universities. Secondarily, it will recall a series of experimental investigations of axial-flow pump configurations, which produced data of possible relevance to current compressor and pump problems.
M. J. Hartmann Memorial Session Paper: Turbulence Characteristics in a Supersonic Cascade Wake Flow
Authors: Andrew P. L. , Ng Wing-fai
Published: June 2008

The turbulent character of the supersonic wake of a linear cascade of fan airfoils has been studied using a two-component laser-doppler anemometer. The cascade was tested in the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University intermittent wind tunnel facility, where the Mach and Reynolds numbers were 2.36 and 4.8 × 106, respectively. In addition to mean flow measurements, Reynolds normal and shear stresses were measured as functions of cascade incidence angle and streamwise locations spanning the near-wake and the far-wake. The extremities of profiles of both the mean and turbulent wake properties´ were found to be strongly influenced by upstream shock-boundary -layer interactions, the strength of which varied with cascade incidence. In contrast, the peak levels of turbulence properties within the shear layer were found to be largely independent of incidence, and could be characterized in terms of the streamwise position only. The velocity defect turbulence level was found to be 23 percent, and the generally accepted value of the turbulence structural coefficient of 0.30 was found to be valid for this flow. The degree of similarity of the mean flow wake profiles was established, and those profiles demonstrating the most similarity were found to approach a state of equilibrium between the mean and turbulent properties. In general, this wake flow may be described as a classical free shear flow, upon which the influence of upstream shock-boundary-layer interactions has been superimposed.
Development of a New Front Stage for an Industrial Axial Flow Compressor
Authors: Eisenberg B.
Published: June 2008

Industrial axial flow compressors are specially designed to achieve a wide operating range. The analysis of an existing six-stage axial flow research compressor indicated that the front stage could be improved significantly using modern design technique. To demonstrate the advantages of such a technique a redesign of the current front stage was conducted. By controlling the diffusion inside the blade sections with an inverse design method, loading was enlarged. Higher loading normally results in a reduction of profile incidence range. For compensation a wide chord application was chosen. Compared to the original compressor version, experiments resulted in steeper characteristic curves together with larger usable operating range. Keeping the same outer and inner diameter, mass flow was increased by 6 percent. Measurements of performance curves with variable speed and for guide vane control are presented. Theoretical calculations achieve a high degree of agreement with measured performance.
Suppression of Mixed-Flow Pump Instability and Surge by the Active Alteration of Impeller Secondary Flows
Authors: Goto A.
Published: June 2008

An active method for enhancing pump stability, featuring water jet injection at impeller inlet, was applied to a mixed-flow pump. The stall margin, between the design point and the positive slope region of the head-flow characteristic, was most effectively enlarged by injecting the jet in the counterrotating direction of the impeller. The counterrotating streamwise vorticity along the casing, generated by the velocity discontinuity due to the jet injection, altered the secondary flow pattern in the impeller by opposing the passage vortex and assisting the tip leakage vortex motion. The location of the wake flow was displaced away from the casing-suction surface corner of the impeller, thus avoiding the onset of the extensive corner separation, the cause of positive slope region of the head-flow characteristic. This method was also confirmed to be effective for stabilizing a pump system already in a state of surge.
Thermal Tip Clearance Control for Centrifugal Compressor of an APU Engine
Authors: Eisenlohr G. , Chladek H.
Published: June 2008

To master today’s demand for efficiency and compactness of centrifugal compressor components for small gas turbine engines the main attention must not only be given to the aerodynamic design of the impeller and diffuser components, but also to the installation situation of the surrounding parts. A vital aspect is the tip clearance control between impeller and shroud casing over the total operating range. Using the radial compressor for a small gas turbine engine, developed at BMW Rolls-Royce, the importance of tip clearance control is demonstrated. The possibilities for influencing and optimizing passive tip clearance control by design features are described; transient expansion processes must be considered when using a thermal tip clearance control. The results of the design calculations are compared with the results on the test stand and the engine itself. An effort is made to find a qualitative influence of tip clearance to the engine power output at operating conditions. This qualitative description is substantiated by test results with different tip clearances at the compressor teststand.
Endwall Effects at Two Tip Clearances in a Multistage Axial Flow Compressor With Controlled Diffusion Blading
Authors: Howard M. A. , Ivey P. C. , Barton J. P. , Young K. F.
Published: June 2008

Effects of tip clearance, secondary flow, skew, and corner stall on the performance of a multistage compressor with controlled diffusion blading have been studied experimentally. Measurements between 1 and 99 percent annulus height were carried out in both the first and the third stages of a four-stage low-speed compressor with repeating-stage blading. Measurements were obtained at a datum rotor tip clearance and at a more aerodynamically desirable lower clearance. The consequences of the modified rotor tip clearance on both rotor and stator performance are examined in terms of loss coefficient and gas exit angle. Stator losses close to the casing are found to increase significantly when the clearance of an upstream rotor is increased. These increased stator losses cause 30 percent of the stage efficiency reduction that arises with increased rotor tip clearance. The deviation angles due to tip clearance from the multistage measurements are found to be similar to data from single-stage machines with conventional blading, which suggests that the unsteady flow phenomena associated with the multistage environment do not dominate the physics of the flow.
An Approximate Analysis and Prediction Method for Tip Clearance Loss in Axial Compressors
Authors: Storer J. A. , Cumpsty N. A.
Published: June 2008

A simple model for loss created by the tip clearance flow in axial compressors is presented, based on an experimental program performed in conjunction with the Dawes three-dimensional Navier–Stokes calculation method. The principal mechanism of loss (entropy creation) caused by tip leakage flow has been established to be the mixing of flows of similar speeds but different direction. Calculations show that relative motion of the endwall relative to the tip has a small effect on clearance flow. The simple model correctly predicts the magnitude of tip clearance loss and the trend with changes of tip clearance for the cascade tested. For a given geometry the loss is almost exactly proportional to the ratio of tip clearance to blade span; the loss directly associated with the clearance is smaller than often assumed. The simple model for tip clearance loss has been expressed in terms of conventional nondimensional design variables (for example: solidity, aspect ratio, flow coefficient, loading coefficient) and from these the contribution to the overall loss of efficiency caused by tip leakage flow is conveniently represented. The trends are illustrated for a number of possible compressor design choices. Blade row loss increases more slowly than blade loading (for example, diffusion factor). As a result the decrement in stage efficiency associated with clearance flow decreases as the stage loading is raised in the practical range of flow and loading coefficients.
Unsteady Aerodynamic Forcing Functions: A Comparison Between Linear Theory and Experiment
Authors: Feiereisen J. M. , Montgomery M. D. , Fleeter S.
Published: June 2008

The unsteady flow field generated by rotating rows of perforated plates and airfoil cascades is mathematically split into vortical and potential components using two methods, one relying entirely on velocity data and the other utilizing both velocity and unsteady static pressure data. The propagation and decay of these split flow perturbations are then examined and compared to linear theory predictions. The perforated plate gusts closely resemble linear theory vortical gusts. Both splitting methods indicate that they are dominantly vortical gusts with insignificant unsteady static pressure perturbations. The airfoil gusts resemble linear theory combined vortical and potential gusts. The recombined airfoil gusts using the vortical and potential components calculated by the method using only unsteady velocity data do not necessarily resemble the measured gusts, nor do they behave axially as predicted by linear theory. The recombined airfoil gusts using the linear theory components calculated by the method using both unsteady velocity and unsteady static pressure data do resemble the measured gusts and behave axially as predicted by linear theory, with the vortical component propagating unattenuated and the potential component decaying at the rate predicted by linear theory.