Numerical Geometric Sensitivity Analysis Of Flow And Thermal Patterns Within A Combustor Simulator

Abstract

Developing high performance gas turbine engines depend greatly on the understanding the turbine and combustor sections and their interaction. Combustor exit flow is known to be highly nonuniform in the radial and circumferential directions especially near the end wall flow regions. These endwall flows are known to effect turbine passage secondary flows which can greatly affect heat transfer to the vane surface as well as vane performance. To date much of the research performed on combustor and turbine engine sections have been independent of one another. It is for this reason that the Turbine Research Facility (TRF) at Wright Patterson Air Force Base has added a non-reactive full scale annular combustor simulator to the facility to study combustor vane interaction. That is, to investigate the effect that engine representative combustor exit profiles has on overall turbine performance and heat transfer. In order to help facilitate the experimental efforts performed by the TRF a fully three dimensional CFD analysis has been undertaken. The CFD analysis allows an understanding of how the simulator exit profiles are obtained by tracking the flow through two rows of staggered dilution holes and six rows of staggered film cooling holes on both the ID and OD liners of the main simulator chamber. The simulators chamber annuli liners are adjustable and interchangeable allowing for a multitude of configuration possibilities. This study will focus on these geometric parameters and determine the overall exit profile sensitivity to various configurations. The dilution jets diameter as well as jet pitch angle offset will be varied. In addition, mass flux distribution will be varied. Understanding the exit profile sensitivity due to geometric and mass flux parameters will enable the experiment to be optimally configured to study turbine section aerodynamic performance and heat transfer.