Experimental and Numerical Investigations of Aerodynamic Behavior of a Three-Stage HP-Turbine at Different Operating Conditions

Abstract

This paper describes experimental and numerical investigations of a three-stage high pressure research turbine which incorporates fully 3-D bowed blades at various operating conditions. Experimental data were obtained using interstage aerodynamic measurements at three measurement stations, namely, downstream of the first rotor row, the second stator row and the second rotor row. Measurements were conducted through the use of five-hole probes traversed in both circumferential and radial directions to create a measurement window. Aerodynamics measurements were carried out within a rotational speed range of 1800 to 2800 RPM. Numerical simulation of the aforementioned turbine was performed through the use of a commercial computational fluid dynamics code. A detailed mesh of the three-stages was created and used to simulate the corresponding operating conditions and a comparison was made between experimentally and numerically determined aerodynamics and turbine performance.