Faculty Publications

Now showing 1 - 3 of 3

An investigation on the effect of pitchwise endwall design in a turbine cascade at different incidence angles
(Elsevier Masson SAS 62 rue Camille Desmoulins Issy les Moulineaux Cedex 92442, 2017) Kiran, K.N.; Anish, S.
This paper describes the effects of non-axisymmetric endwall profiling on the aerodynamic performance of a linear turbine cascade at different incidence angles. The sinusoidal profiling is carried out with constant profile curvature along the mean streamline path. Three different profiles, with varying hump to dip height, are analyzed numerically and the performances are compared with the planar profile. Reynolds Averaged Navier Stokes (RANS) equations are solved in their conservative form using Finite Volume Method with SST turbulence model. The calculated results indicate that the profiled endwall minimizes the lateral movement of weaker boundary layer fluid from the hub-pressure side corner. In comparison with planar case, the flow deviations are largely contained with endwall profiling but closer to the endwall it enhances the overturning and secondary flow kinetic energy. The reduction in loss coefficient is estimated to be 1.3%, 8.7% and 38% for incidence angles of ?10°, nominal and +15° respectively. The sinusoidal profiling has brought down the pitch averaged flow deviation and secondary flow kinetic energy at nominal and positive incidence angles but the impact is insignificant at negative incidence. Profiling minimizes the rolling up of the passage vortex and makes the passage vortex to migrate closer to the endwall. This flow modification brings down the losses in the core flow but enhances the losses near the endwall. © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS
Computational investigation on secondary flows in a linear turbine cascade with tapered dual fence
(Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers, 2019) Kiran, K.N.; Babu, B.; Anish, S.
The focus of the present work is to minimize the secondary flow losses inside a linear turbine cascade by means of a novel design of streamwise dual fence. The leading edge and trailing edge of the fences have been modified so as to reduce the total pressure loss coefficient in the passage. The study has been carried out computationally based on RANS simulations with SST turbulence model. Numerous simulations have been undertaken with single fence and dual fence models and compared with the base case model. The dual fence model with tapered trailing edge exhibits significant loss reduction compared to the base case. A suitable fence height ratio (FHR) has been identified for the dual fence model. The FHR = 2 configuration reduces the secondary flow kinetic energy by 78 % within the blade passage and it reduces the exit angle deviation significantly throughout the span. Detailed flow field analysis has been carried out to understand the physical mechanism behind the loss reduction with dual fence models. It is observed that fence-1 breaks the pressure side leg of the horse shoe vortex at the beginning of their formation itself. The radial penetration of the suction side leg of the horse shoe vortex is restrained by fence-2. These combined effects prevent the formation and mixing of two prominent loss core regions thereby avoiding the accumulation of low energy fluid near the suction side of blade. © 2019, KSME & Springer.
Aerodynamic performance of profiled endwalls with upstream slot purge flow in a linear turbine cascade having pressure side separation
(American Institute of Physics Inc., 2021) Babu, S.; Anish, S.
In aeroengines, purge flow directly fed from the compressor (which bypasses the combustor) is introduced through the disk space between blade rows to prevent the hot ingress. Higher quantity of purge gas fed through the wheel space can provide additional thermal protection to the passage endwall and blade surfaces. However, the interaction of purge flow with the mainstream flow leads to higher secondary losses. Secondary losses inside a turbine blade passage can be reduced effectively by endwall contouring. This paper presents computational investigation on the influence of non-axisymmetric endwall contouring over endwall secondary flow modification in the presence of purge flow with the pressure side bubble (PSB). The experimental analysis was conducted for the base case without purge and base case with purge (BCP) configurations having flat endwalls. The total pressure loss coefficient and exit yaw angle deviation were measured with the help of a five-hole pressure probe. Static pressure distribution over the blade midspan was obtained by 16 channel Scanivalve. Aerodynamic performances of three different profiled endwalls are numerically analyzed and are compared against the BCP configuration. The effects of different contoured endwall geometries on endwall static pressure distribution and secondary kinetic energy were also discussed. Analysis shows that in the first contoured endwall configuration (EC1), the formation of stagnation zones at a contour valley close to the suction surface causes the exit total pressure loss coefficient to increase. The shifting of the contour valley near to the pressure surface (EC2 configuration) has resulted in local acceleration of the diverted pressure side leg of the horseshoe vortex over the hump toward the end of the passage. In the third configuration (EC3 configuration), reduced valley depth and optimum hump height have effectively redistributed the endwall pitchwise pressure gradient. The increased static pressure coefficient at the endwall near to the pressure surface has eliminated the PSB formation. In addition, computational results of unsteady Reynolds averaged Navier-Stokes simulations are obtained for analyzing transient behavior of PSB, with more emphasis on its migration on the pressure surface and transport across the blade passage. The additional work done by the mainstream fluid to transport the low momentum PSB fluid has caused higher aerodynamic penalty at the blade exit region. In this viewpoint, the implementation of contoured endwalls has shown beneficial effects by eliminating the PSB and related secondary vortices. At 27% of axial chord downstream of the blade trailing edge, a 4.1% reduction in the total pressure loss coefficient was achieved with endwall contouring. © 2021 Author(s).

Faculty Publications

Browse

Filters

Settings

Sort By

Results per page

Search Results