Abstract
This paper presents experimental and numerical results of three carefully designed Flow Control Concepts (FCCs) — additional geometric features on the stator surfaces, which were optimized to minimize the windage torque within a scaled, engine-representative stator-well cavity. FCC1 and FCC2 featured rows of guide vanes at the inlet to the downstream and upstream wheel-spaces, respectively. FCC3 combined FCC1 and FCC2. Superposed flows were introduced to the upstream section of the cavity, which modelled the low radius coolant and higher radius leakage between the rotor blades. In addition to torque measurements, total and static pressures were collected, from which the cavity swirl ratio was derived. Additional swirl measurements were collected using a five-hole aerodynamic probe, which traversed radially at the entrance and exit of the cavity.
A cavity windage torque reduction of 55% on the baseline (which has no flow control) was measured for FCC3, at the design condition with superposed flow. For this concept, an increase in the cavity swirl in both the upstream and downstream wheel-spaces was demonstrated experimentally and numerically. With increasing superposed flow, the contribution of FCC1 surpassed FCC2, due to more mass flow entering the downstream wheel-space across the rotor fins (passing FCC1), and less ingestion from the annulus into the upstream wheel-space (passing FCC2). The torque changes from the concepts are explained using the fluid dynamic evidence from experimental swirl measurements and computational simulations. The simulations allow translation to engine-operating conditions and practical information to the engine designer.
Original language | English |
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Title of host publication | Turbomachinery - Axial Flow Turbine Aerodynamics |
Subtitle of host publication | Axial Flow Turbine Aerodynamics |
Number of pages | 11 |
Volume | 13B |
ISBN (Electronic) | 9780791887097 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 28 Sept 2023 |
Event | ASME Turbo Expo 2023: Turbomachinery Technical Conference and Exposition - Boston, Massachusetts, USA Duration: 26 Jun 2023 → 30 Jun 2023 |
Publication series
Name | Proceedings of the ASME Turbo Expo |
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Volume | 13B |
Conference
Conference | ASME Turbo Expo 2023: Turbomachinery Technical Conference and Exposition |
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Period | 26/06/23 → 30/06/23 |
Funding
This project was funded by Clean Sky 2 Joint Undertaking under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program (H2020-GAP-886112-ACUHRA). The authors thank Matt Hawthorne at Added Scientific Ltd for his support in this project. The calculations were performed using the University of Nottingham HPC Facility and Sulis at HPC Midlands Plus, which was funded by EPSRC grant EP/T022108/1. This project was funded by Clean Sky 2 Joint Undertaking under the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation program (H2020-GAP-886112-ACUHRA). The authors thank Matt Hawthorne at Added Scientific Ltd for his support in this project. The calculations were performed using the University of Nottingham HPC Facility and Sulis at HPC Midlands Plus, which was funded by EPSRC grant EP/T022108/1.
Funders | Funder number |
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Horizon 2020 Framework Programme | |
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council | EP/T022108/1 |
University of Nottingham | |
Horizon 2020 | H2020-GAP-886112-ACUHRA |