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At least 145 records · Page 8

Supersonic flow and shock formation in turbine tip gaps

Shock formation due to overexpansion of supersonic flow at the inlet to the tip clearance gap of a turbomachine has been studied. As the flow enters the tip gap, it accelerates around the blade pressure-side corner creating a region of minimum static pressure. The 'free streamline' separates from the wall at the corner; and, for Mach numbers greater than about 1.3, it curves back to intersect the blade tip. At this point, the freestream flow is abruptly turned parallel to the surface, giving rise to an oblique shock. The results are consistent with compressible sharp-edged orifice flow calculations found in the literature and with the theory of oblique shock wave formation in supersonic flow over a wedge. For freestream Mach numbers of 1.4 to 1.8, wave angles are 43 to 54 deg, and turning angles are 9 to 20 deg; as the Mach number increases, the angle of turn also increases. It appears that in a turbine, after separating from the inlet corner, the flow reattaches on the blade tip and an oblique shock is formed at 0.4-1.4 tip gap heights into the clearance gap. The resulting shock-boundary layer interaction may contribute to further enhancement of already high heat transfer to the blade tip in this region. This in turn could lead to higher blade temperatures and adversely affect blade life and turbine efficiency.

Moore, John↗

Aerodynamically forced vibration analysis of turbomachines

An account is given of theoretical considerations for the determination of turbomachine response under aerodynamic excitation, as in the cases of advanced turboprop rotors with highly swept blades and axial flow compressors. Dynamic response is characterized in terms of the normal modal coordinates of tuned rotating cyclic structures for both rigid and flexible hubs/disks. Implementation of the scheme is in NASTRAN; coriolis and centripetal accelerations are included, together with differential stiffness effects. Analytically predicted vibratory stresses for the blades of two different advanced turboprops are compared to those determined by wind tunnel tests conducted by NASA-Lewis.

Elchuri, V.↗

Computing Flows Of Coolants In Turbomachines

Coolant Passage Flow (CPF) computer code developed to predict accurately coolant flow and heat transfer inside turbomachinery cooling passages (either radial or axial blading). Computes flow in one-inlet/one-outlet passage of any shape. Calculates rate of flow of coolant, temperature, pressure, velocity, and heat-transfer coefficients along passage. Integrates one-dimensional momentum and energy equations along defined flow path, taking into account change in area, addition or subtraction of mass, pumping, friction, and transfer of heat. Written in FORTRAN IV.

Meitner, P. L.↗

Unsteady Euler cascade analysis

The results of an investigation of the rotor-stator interaction phenomena in turbomachines are presented. Numerical study was carried out by solving the unsteady Euler equations in the blade-to-blade direction for a variety of cascade geometries. The problem of uneven rotor and stator blades is addressed by adopting the tilted time domain technique. Computed solutions are presented and discussed for a NACA 0012 type cascade and the first stage fuel turbopump of the Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME).

Liu, Jong-Shang↗

Four New Capabilities in NASTRAN for Dynamic and Aeroelastic Analyses of Rotating Cyclic Structures

Static aerothermoelastic design/analysis of axial-flow compressors, modal flutter analysis of axial-flow turbomachines, forced vibration analysis of rotating cyclic structures and modal flutter analysis of advanced turbopropellers with highly swept blades are four new capabilities developed and implemented in NASTRAN Level 17.7. The contents, applicability and usefulness of these capabilities which were developed and documented under the sponsorship of NASA's Lewis Research Center are discussed. Overall flowcharts and selected examples are presented.

Elchuri, V.↗

Aeroelastic Stability Computations for Turbomachinery

This paper describes an aeroelastic analysis program for turbomachines. Unsteady Navier-Stokes equations are solved on dynamically deforming, body fitted, grid to obtain the aeroelastic characteristics. Blade structural response is modeled using a modal representation of the blade and the work-per-cycle method is used to evaluate the stability characteristics. Nonzero interblade phase angle is modeled using phase-lagged boundary conditions. Results obtained showed good correlation with existing experimental, analytical, and numerical results. Numerical analysis also showed that given the computational resources available today, engineering solutions with good accuracy are possible using higher fidelity analyses.

Srivastava, R.↗

Design of an Object-Oriented Turbomachinery Analysis Code: Initial Results

Performance prediction of turbomachines is a significant part of aircraft propulsion design. In the conceptual design stage, there is an important need to quantify compressor and turbine aerodynamic performance and develop initial geometry parameters at the 2-D level prior to more extensive Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) analyses. The Object-oriented Turbomachinery Analysis Code (OTAC) is being developed to perform 2-D meridional flowthrough analysis of turbomachines using an implicit formulation of the governing equations to solve for the conditions at the exit of each blade row. OTAC is designed to perform meanline or streamline calculations; for streamline analyses simple radial equilibrium is used as a governing equation to solve for spanwise property variations. While the goal for OTAC is to allow simulation of physical effects and architectural features unavailable in other existing codes, it must first prove capable of performing calculations for conventional turbomachines.OTAC is being developed using the interpreted language features available in the Numerical Propulsion System Simulation (NPSS) code described by Claus et al (1991). Using the NPSS framework came with several distinct advantages, including access to the pre-existing NPSS thermodynamic property packages and the NPSS Newton-Raphson solver. The remaining objects necessary for OTAC were written in the NPSS framework interpreted language. These new objects form the core of OTAC and are the BladeRow, BladeSegment, TransitionSection, Expander, Reducer, and OTACstart Elements. The BladeRow and BladeSegment consumed the initial bulk of the development effort and required determining the equations applicable to flow through turbomachinery blade rows given specific assumptions about the nature of that flow. Once these objects were completed, OTAC was tested and found to agree with existing solutions from other codes; these tests included various meanline and streamline comparisons of axial compressors and turbines at design and off-design conditions.

compressors↗

A method for calculating turbulent boundary layers and losses in the flow channels of turbomachines

An interactive inviscid core flow-boundary layer method is presented for the calculation of turbomachine channel flows. For this method, a one-dimensional inviscid core flow is assumed. The end-wall and blade surface boundary layers are calculated using an integral entrainment method. The boundary layers are assumed to be collateral and thus are two-dimensional. The boundary layer equations are written in a streamline coordinate system. The streamwise velocity profiles are approximated by power law profiles. Compressibility is accounted for in the streamwise direction but not in the normal direction. Equations are derived for the special cases of conical and two-dimensional rectangular diffusers. For these cases, the assumptions of a one-dimensional core flow and collateral boundary layers are valid. Results using the method are compared with experiment and good quantitative agreement is obtained.

Schumann, Lawrence F.↗

Unsteady stator/rotor interaction

The major thrust of the computational analysis of turbomachinery to date has been the steady-state solution of isolated blades using mass-averaged inlet and exit conditions. Unsteady flows differ from the steady solution due to interaction of pressure waves and wakes between blade rows. To predict the actual complex flow conditions one must look at the time accurate solution of the entire turbomachine. Three quasi-three-dimensional Euler and thin layer Navier-Stokes equations are solved for unsteady turbomachinery flows.

Jorgenson, Philip C. E.↗

A method for calculating turbulent boundary layers and losses in the flow channels of turbomachines

An interactive inviscid core flow-boundary layer method is presented for the calculation of turbomachine channel flows. For this method, a one-dimensional inviscid core flow is assumed. The end-wall and blade surface boundary layers are calculated using an integral entrainment method. The boundary layers are assumed to be collateral and thus are two-dimensional. The boundary layer equations are written in a streamline coordinate system. The streamwise velocity profiles are approximated by power law profiles. Compressibility is accounted for in the streamwise direction but not in the normal direction. Equations are derived for the special cases of conical and two-dimensional rectangular diffusers. For these cases, the assumptions of a one-dimensional core flow and collateral boundary layers are valid. Results using the method are compared with experiment and good quantitative agreement is obtained.

Schumann, Lawrence F.↗

Time-dependent transonic flow solutions for axial turbomachinery

Three-dimensional unsteady transonic flow through an axial turbomachine stage is described in terms of a pair of two-dimensional formulations pertaining to orthogonal surfaces, namely, a blade-to-blade surface and a hub-to-casing surface. The resulting systems of nonlinear, inviscid, compressible equations of motion are solved by an explicit finite-difference technique. The blade-to-blade program includes the periodic interaction between rotor and stator blade rows. Treatment of the boundary conditions and of the blade slipstream motion by a characteristic type procedure is discussed in detail. Harmonic analysis of the acoustic far field produced by the blade row interaction, including an arbitrary initial transient, is outlined. Results from the blade-to-blade program are compared with experimental measurements of the rotating pressure field at the tip of a high-speed fan. The hub-to-casing program determines circumferentially averaged flow properties on a meridional plane. Blade row interactions are neglected in this formulation, but the force distributions over the entire blade surface for both the rotor and stator are obtained. Results from the hub-to-casing program are compared with a relaxation method solution for a subsonic rotor. Results are also presented for a quiet fan stage which includes transonic flow in both the rotor and stator and a normal shock in the stator.

Erdos, J.↗

A study of the viscous and nonadiabatic flow in radial turbines

A method for analyzing the viscous nonadiabatic flow within turbomachine rotors is presented. The field analysis is based upon the numerical integration of the incompressible Navier-Stokes equations together with the energy equation over the rotors blade-to-blade stream channels. The numerical code used to solve the governing equations employs a nonorthogonal boundary fitted coordinate system that suits the most complicated blade geometries. Effects of turbulence are modeled with two equations; one expressing the development of the turbulence kinetic energy and the other its dissipation rate. The method of analysis is applied to a radial inflow turbine. The solution obtained indicates the severity of the complex interaction mechanism that occurs between different flow regimes (i.e., boundary layers, recirculating eddies, separation zones, etc.). Comparison with nonviscous flow solutions tend to justify strongly the inadequacy of using the latter with standard boundary layer techniques to obtain viscous flow details within turbomachine rotors. Capabilities and limitations of the present method of analysis are discussed.

Khalil, I.↗

Nonlinear Dynamic Analysis of Disordered Bladed-Disk Assemblies

In a effort to address current needs for efficient, air propulsion systems, we have developed some new analytical predictive tools for understanding and alleviating aircraft engine instabilities which have led to accelerated high cycle fatigue and catastrophic failures of these machines during flight. A frequent cause of failure in Jets engines is excessive resonant vibrations and stall flutter instabilities. The likelihood of these phenomena is reduced when designers employ the analytical models we have developed. These prediction models will ultimately increase the nation's competitiveness in producing high performance Jets engines with enhanced operability, energy economy, and safety. The objectives of our current threads of research in the final year are directed along two lines. First, we want to improve the current state of blade stress and aeromechanical reduced-ordered modeling of high bypass engine fans, Specifically, a new reduced-order iterative redesign tool for passively controlling the mechanical authority of shroudless, wide chord, laminated composite transonic bypass engine fans has been developed. Second, we aim to advance current understanding of aeromechanical feedback control of dynamic flow instabilities in axial flow compressors. A systematic theoretical evaluation of several approaches to aeromechanical feedback control of rotating stall in axial compressors has been conducted. Attached are abstracts of two .papers under preparation for the 1998 ASME Turbo Expo in Stockholm, Sweden sponsored under Grant No. NAG3-1571. Our goals during the final year under Grant No. NAG3-1571 is to enhance NASA's capabilities of forced response of turbomachines (such as NASA FREPS). We with continue our development of the reduced-ordered, three-dimensional component synthesis models for aeromechanical evaluation of integrated bladeddisk assemblies (i.e., the disk, non-identical bladeing etc.). We will complete our development of component systems design optimization strategies for specified vibratory stresses and increased fatigue life prediction of assembly components, and for specified frequency margins on the Campbell diagrams of turbomachines. Finally, we will integrate the developed codes with NASA's turbomachinery aeromechanics prediction capability (such as NASA FREPS).

McGee, Oliver G., III↗

Three-dimensional flow in transonic axial compressor blade rows

Recent developments in the three-dimensional aerodynamic theory of inviscid flow in transonic axial compressors are reviewed. Emphasis is placed on the newly completed lifting surface theory of a transonic ducted rotor. The relationship between the lifting surface theory and axisymmetric through-theories of turbomachines is illustrated; a few examples of the additional information obtainable from the new theory are then given. Quasi-two-dimensional cascade theory can also be extracted from the present analysis and the relevance of cascade theory to the actual three-dimensional problem assessed. Details are reported elsewhere, but some of the qualitative conclusions are discussed here. Even moderate departure from uniform spanwise loading of the rotor blades, for example, leads to a rather profound influence of the downstream wakes, suggesting the need for considerable care in applying cascade data on a direct quasi-two-dimensional basis.

Mccune, J. E.↗

Centrifugal Compressor Aeroelastic Analysis Code

Centrifugal compressors are very widely used in the turbomachine industry where low mass flow rates are required. Gas turbine engines for tanks, rotorcraft and small jets rely extensively on centrifugal compressors for rugged and compact design. These compressors experience problems related with unsteadiness of flowfields, such as stall flutter, separation at the trailing edge over diffuser guide vanes, tip vortex unsteadiness, etc., leading to rotating stall and surge. Considerable interest exists in small gas turbine engine manufacturers to understand and eventually eliminate the problems related to centrifugal compressors. The geometric complexity of centrifugal compressor blades and the twisting of the blade passages makes the linear methods inapplicable. Advanced computational fluid dynamics (CFD) methods are needed for accurate unsteady aerodynamic and aeroelastic analysis of centrifugal compressors. Most of the current day industrial turbomachines and small aircraft engines are designed with a centrifugal compressor. With such a large customer base and NASA Glenn Research Center being, the lead center for turbomachines, it is important that adequate emphasis be placed on this area as well. Currently, this activity is not supported under any project at NASA Glenn.

Keith, Theo G., Jr.↗

A calculation procedure for viscous flow in turbomachines, volume 1

A method for analyzing the nonadiabatic viscous flow through turbomachine rotors is presented. The field analysis is based upon the numerical integration of the full incompressible stream function vorticity form of the Navier-Stokes equations, together with the energy equation, over the rotor blade-to-blade stream channels. The numerical code used to solve the governing equations employs a nonorthogonal boundary fitted coordinate system that suits the most complicated blade geometries. A numerical scheme is used to carry out the necessary integration of the elliptic governing equations. The flow characteristics within the rotor of a radial inflow turbine are investigated over a wide range of operating conditions. The calculated results are compared to existing experimental data. The flow in a radial compressor is analyzed in order to study the behavior of viscous flow in diffusing cascades. The results are compared qualitatively to known experimental trends. The solution obtained provides insight into the flow phenomena in this type of turbomachine. It is concluded that the method of analysis is quite general and gives a good representation of the actual flow behavior within turbomachine passages.

Khalil, I.↗

A proposed through-flow inverse method for the design of mixed-flow pumps

A through-flow (hub-to-shroud) truly inverse method is proposed and described. It uses an imposition of mean swirl, i.e., radius times mean tangential velocity, given throughout the meridional section of the turbomachine as an initial design specification. In the present implementation, it is assumed that the fluid is inviscid, incompressible, and irrotational at inlet and that the blades are supposed to have zero thickness. Only blade rows that impart to the fluid a constant work along the space are considered. An application of this procedure to design the rotor of a mixed-flow pump is described in detail. The strategy used to find a suitable mean swirl distribution and the other design inputs is also described. The final blade shape and pressure distributions on the blade surface are presented, showing that it is possible to obtain feasible designs using this technique. Another advantage of this technique is the fact that it does not require large amounts of CPU time.

Borges, Joao Eduardo↗