Fast Response Aerodynamic Probe Research Articles

Novel high-pressure turbine purge control features for increased stage efficiency

AbstractRim seals throttle flow and have shown to impact the aerodynamic performance of gas turbines. The results of an experimental investigation of a rim seal exit geometry variation and its impact on the high-pressure turbine flow field are presented. A one-and-a-half stage, unshrouded and highly loaded axial turbine configuration with 3-dimensionally shaped blades and non-axisymmetric end wall contouring has been tested in an axial turbine facility. The exit of the rotor upstream rim seal was equipped with novel geometrical features which are termed as purge control features (PCFs) and a baseline rim seal geometry for comparison. The time-averaged and unsteady aerodynamic effects at rotor inlet and exit have been measured with pneumatic probes and the fast-response aerodynamic probe (FRAP) for three rim seal purge flow injection rates. Measurements at rotor inlet and exit reveal the impact of the geometrical features on the rim seal exit and main annulus flow field, highlighting regions of reduced aerodynamic losses induced by the modified rim seal design. Measurements at the rotor exit with the PCFs installed show a benefit in the total-to-total stage efficiency up to 0.4% for nominal and high rim seal purge flow rates. The work shows the potential to improve the aerodynamic efficiency by means of a well-designed rim seal exit geometry without losing the potential to block hot gas ingestion from the main annulus.

On Turbulence Measurements and Analyses in a Two-Stage Two-Spool Turbine Rig

Since the experiment in turbulence research is of very high importance for evaluating turbulence hypothesis, turbulence measurements were carried out in a two-stage two-spool transonic turbine test rig at the Institute for Thermal Turbomachinery and Machine Dynamics in Graz in which the two rotors are counter-rotating with two different rotational speeds. For the current measurement campaign, triple hot-wire probes, which represent a very new measurement technique in this test rig, were used and their results validated with a fast response aerodynamic pressure probe (FRAPP). Based on the data measured with this device, turbulence intensities may be determined using a method called Fourier filtering. If the classical ensemble averaging procedure with only one trigger is applied, the periodic fluctuations of the other rotor will artificially increase the stochastic fluctuations. Therefore, the two trigger signals of the two rotors require a special analysis method, which was established at Graz University of Technology. The results from this method will be compared to the classical triple decomposition, which uses only one trigger signal. With this analysis tool, it is not only possible to evaluate unsteady signals triggered by one of the two rotors, but also the unsteady interactions of the rotors can be determined and investigated.

Non-Ideal Compressible-Fluid Dynamics of Fast-Response Pressure Probes for Unsteady Flow Measurements in Turbomachinery

The dynamic response of pressure probes for unsteady flow measurements in turbomachinery is investigated numerically for fluids operating in non-ideal thermodynamic conditions, which are relevant for e.g. Organic Rankine Cycles (ORC) and super-critical CO2 applications. The step response of a fast-response pressure probe is investigated numerically in order to assess the expected time response when operating in the non-ideal fluid regime. Numerical simulations are carried out exploiting the Non-Ideal Compressible Fluid-Dynamics (NICFD) solver embedded in the open-source fluid dynamics code SU2. The computational framework is assessed against available experimental data for air in dilute conditions. Then, polytropic ideal gas (PIG), i.e. constant specific heats, and Peng-Robinson Stryjek-Vera (PRSV) models are applied to simulate the flow field within the probe operating with siloxane fluid octamethyltrisiloxane (MDM). The step responses are found to depend mainly on the speed of sound of the working fluid, indicating that molecular complexity plays a major role in determining the promptness of the measurement devices. According to the PRSV model, non-ideal effects can increase the step response time with respect to the acoustic theory predictions. The fundamental derivative of gas-dynamic is confirmed to be the driving parameter for evaluating non-ideal thermodynamic effects related to the dynamic calibration of fast-response aerodynamic pressure probes.

Development of a Fast-Response Aerodynamic Pressure Probe Based on a Waveguide Approach

Currently, fast-response aerodynamic probes are widely used for advanced experimental investigations in turbomachinery applications. The most common configuration is a virtual three-hole probe. This solution is a good compromise between probe dimension and accuracy. Several authors have attempted to extend the capabilities of these probes in terms of bandwidth and operating conditions. Even though differences exist between the solutions in the literature, all of the designs involve the positioning of a dynamic pressure sensor close to the measurement point. In general terms, the higher the frequency response, the more the sensor is exposed to the flow. This physical constraint puts a limit on the probe applicability since the measurement conditions have to comply with the maximum allowed operating conditions of the sensor. In other applications, when the conditions are particularly harsh and a direct measurement is not possible, a waveguide probe is commonly used to estimate the local pressure. In this device, the sensor is connected to the measurement point through a transmitting duct which guarantees that the sensor is operating in a less critical condition. Generally, the measurement is performed through a pressure tap and particular attention must be paid to the probe design in order to have an acceptable frequency response function. In this study, the authors conceived, developed, and tested a probe which combines the concept of a fast-response aerodynamic pressure probe with that of a waveguide probe. Such a device exploits the benefits of having the sensor far from the harsh conditions while maintaining the capability to perform an accurate flow measurement.

Modulation and Radial Migration of Turbine Hub Cavity Modes by the Rim Seal Purge Flow

In the present paper, the results of an experimental and numerical investigation of the hub cavity modes and their migration into the main annulus flow are presented. A one-and-a-half stage, unshrouded and highly loaded axial turbine configuration with three-dimensionally shaped blades and cylindrical end walls has been tested in an axial turbine facility. Both the blade design and the rim seal purge flow path are representative to modern high-pressure gas turbines. The unsteady flow field at the hub cavity exit region has been measured with the fast-response aerodynamic probe (FRAP) for two different rim seal purge flow rates. Furthermore, fast-response wall-mounted pressure transducers have been installed inside the cavity. Unsteady full-annular computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations have been employed in order to complement the experimental work. The time-resolved pressure measurements inside the hub cavity reveal clear cavity modes, which show a strong dependency on the injected amount of rim seal purge flow. The numerical predictions provide information on the origin of these modes and relate them to pronounced ingestion spots around the circumference. The unsteady probe measurements at the rim seal interface show that the signature of the hub cavity induced modes migrates into the main annulus flow up to 30% blade span. Based on that, an aerodynamic loss mechanism has been found, showing that the benefit in loss reduction by decreasing the rim seal purge flow rate is weakened by the presence of turbine hub cavity modes.

Unsteady Flow Evolution Through a Turning Midturbine Frame Part 2: Spectral Analysis

This paper analyzes the propagation of the aerodynamic deterministic stresses through a two-spool counter-rotating transonic turbine at Graz University of Technology. The test setup consists of a high-pressure stage, a diffusing midturbine frame with turning struts and a counter-rotating low-pressure rotor. The discussion of the data is carried out in this second part paper on the basis of spectral analysis. The theoretical framework for a double Fourier decomposition, in time and space, is introduced and discussed. The aim of the paper is the identification of the sources of deterministic stresses that propagate through the turbine. A fast-response aerodynamic pressure probe has been employed to provide time-resolved data downstream of the high-pressure rotor and of the turning strut. The fast-response aerodynamic pressure probe measurements were acquired together with a reference signal (a laser vibrometer) downstream of the high-pressure rotor to identify different sources of deterministic fluctuations. The discussion is completed by fast-response pressure measurements on the strut surface and computational fluid dynamics computation to detail which deterministic stress related to the high-pressure stage propagates through the duct. The double Fourier decomposition shows that structures at the periodicity of the rotor blade number decay, whereas the unsteadiness at the outlet of the duct is the result of vane–rotor–vane interaction.

Unsteady Flow Evolution Through a Turning Midturbine Frame Part 1: Time-Resolved Flow

This paper identifies and analyzes the propagation of aerodynamic deterministic stresses through a two-spool counter-rotating transonic facility representative of modern and future turbine aeroengine sections. The test setup consists of a high-pressure stage, a diffusing turning midturbine frame with turning struts, and a counter-rotating low-pressure rotor. The flowfield downstream of the high-pressure stage is strongly influenced by the stator–rotor interaction. Such a mechanism interacts again with the downstream turning midturbine frame leading to a vane–rotor–vane interaction, which affects the behavior of the low-pressure stage. The results presented were obtained using a fast-response aerodynamic pressure probe for unsteady measurements as well as three-dimensional unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes calculations. The work is presented in two parts. This first part focuses on the explanation of the flow physics that governs the convection of unsteady three-dimensional flow through the midturbine duct. Viscous and inviscid mechanisms are discussed as main drivers for the convection of wakes, secondary vortices, and shocks. The flowfield in the duct is characterized by three superimposed effects: 1) duct diffusion and radial pressure gradient together with turning strut potential field, 2) rotor unsteady work source, and 3) vane/blade interaction phenomena. The understanding of these mechanisms will eventually help to control the unsteadiness content in future architectures where reduced engine component length will enhance the interaction effects.

Experimental characterization of stall phenomena in a single-stage low-pressure axial compressor

The experimental characterization of the rotating stall phenomena appearing in a single-stage high-speed low-pressure axial compressor is presented in this paper. The compressor design is representative of an advanced direct drive turbofan booster. The stage is equipped with both fast response and steady instrumentation. Fast response pressure sensors are placed in the rotor casing and in the hub at the outlet of each row. The former are employed to perform a detailed survey on the tip leakage flows, and the latter allow to determine the extension of the stall cells across the stage. A fast response aerodynamic pressure probe is located at the rotor outlet to detect the size of the stall cells. The global performances of the machine are recorded by time-averaged measurements at the inlet and at the outlet of the stage. Tests recording the stall inception and the complete stall transients are performed at different speed lines in the VKI-R4 closed loop compressor test rig. The inception mechanism is determined by the comparison between the time mean and the time-resolved data. In terms of stall inception, the compressor exhibits long length scale at lower rotational speed and an abrupt stall at higher rotational speed. The characterization of the stall cells is performed in terms of number, size, and speed by using the unsteady data acquired with the fast response instrumentation. The compressor presents a single full span stall cell in all the speed lines investigated.

Experimental Investigation of Purge Flow Effects on a High Pressure Turbine Stage

In the present paper, an experimental investigation of the effects of rim seal purge flow on the performance of a highly loaded axial turbine stage is presented. The test configuration consists of a one-and-a-half stage, unshrouded, turbine, with a blading representative of high pressure (HP) gas turbines. Efficiency measurements for various purge flow injection levels have been carried out with pneumatic probes at the exit of the rotor and show a reduction of isentropic total-to-total efficiency of 0.8% per percent of injected mass flow. For three purge flow conditions, the unsteady aerodynamic flow field at rotor inlet and rotor exit has been measured with the in-house developed fast response aerodynamic probe (FRAP). The time-resolved data show the unsteady interaction of the purge flow with the secondary flows of the main flow and the impact on the radial displacement of the rotor hub passage vortex (HPV). Steady measurements at off-design conditions show the impact of the rotor incidence and of the stage flow factor on the resulting stage efficiency and the radial displacement of the rotor HPV. A comparison of the effect of purge flow and of the off-design conditions on the rotor incidence and stage flow factor shows that the detrimental effect of the purge flow on the stage efficiency caused by the radial displacement of the rotor HPV is dominated by the increase of stage flow factor in the hub region rather than by the increase of negative rotor incidence.

Measurement and decomposition of periodic flow structures downstream of a test turbine

This paper shows the experimental methodology which has been employed for the simultaneous aerodynamic and aeroacoustic analysis of a test turbine by means of a fast-response aerodynamic pressure probe. Two different phase references are used to resolve the fluctuations in time of the velocity and the pressure of phenomena occurring at different and unrelated periodicity. The phase-averaged fields are further post-processed by decomposing them into spatial-temporal Fourier coefficients. The deterministic unsteadiness is then simply represented by a limited number of Fourier coefficients, the physical meaning of which is discussed in details. In particular, this approach has been used to distinguish between propagating and non-propagating noise sources.

Experimentally Observed Unsteady Work at Inlet to and Exit From an Axial Flow Turbine Rotor

World literature has introduced the aerodynamic importance of unsteadiness in turbines. In particular, the unsteady static pressure field determines the work of the machine. The unsteadiness can redistribute the total pressure in a cascade with wake interaction. It has been shown that differences in work between wake and free stream can act to rectify the wakes and boost efficiency. In this paper, fast response aerodynamic probe (FRAP) data are used to study the nature of the unsteady work in the flow at entry to and exit from a rotating turbine blade. The topic is addressed experimentally, theoretically, and computationally. It is found at both rotor inlet and exit that upstream wakes influence the unsteady work distribution. The relationship between the unsteady work in the absolute frame, the relative frame, and the momentum of the fluid circumferentially is derived and verified experimentally. Computational results (unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (URANS)) are compared to the experimental results: reasonable agreement is found at rotor exit, but significant differences at rotor inlet are found. The computational fluid dynamics (CFD) has failed to capture the von Karman vortices and has dramatically lower levels of unsteady work. The experimental unsteady work distribution suggests possible effects of wake bending and vortex instability.

Unsteady Rotor Hub Passage Vortex Behavior in the Presence of Purge Flow in an Axial Low Pressure Turbine

The paper presents an experimental and computational study of the unsteady behavior of the rotor hub passage vortex in an axial low-pressure turbine. Different flow structures are identified as having an effect on the size, strength, shape, position, and the unsteady behavior of the rotor hub passage vortex. The aim of the presented study is to analyze and quantify the sensitivities of the different flow structures and to investigate their combined effects on the rotor hub passage vortex. Particular attention is paid to the effect of the rim seal purge flow and of the unsteady blade row interaction. The rotor under investigation has nonaxisymmetric end walls on both hub and shroud and is tested at three different rim seal purge flow injection rates. The rotor has separated pressure sides at the operating point under investigation. The nondimensional parameters of the tested turbine match real engine conditions. The 2-sensor fast response aerodynamic probe (FRAP) technique and the fast response entropy probe (FENT) systems developed by ETH Zurich are used in this experimental campaign. Time-resolved measurements of the unsteady pressure, temperature and entropy fields between the rotor and stator blade rows are taken and analyzed. Furthermore, the results of URANS simulations are compared to the measurements and the computations are also used to detail the flow field. The experimental results show a 30% increase of the maximum unsteadiness and a 4% increase of the loss in the hub passage vortex per percent of injected rim seal cooling flow. Compared to a free stream particle, the rim seal purge flow was found to do 60% less work on the rotor.

A Low Pressure Turbine With Profiled Endwalls and Purge Flow Operating With a Pressure Side Bubble

This paper presents an experimental and computational study of non-axisymmetric rotor endwall profiling in a low pressure turbine. Endwall profiling has been proven to be an effective technique to reduce both turbine blade row losses and the required purge flow. For this work, a rotor with profiled endwalls on both hub and shroud is considered. The rotor tip and hub endwalls have been designed using an automatic numerical optimization that is implemented in an in-house MTU code. The endwall shape is modified up to the platform leading edge. Several levels of purge flow are considered in order to analyze the combined effects of endwall profiling and purge flow. The non-dimensional parameters match real engine conditions. The 2-sensor Fast Response Aerodynamic Probe (FRAP) technique system developed at ETH Zurich is used in this experimental campaign. Time-resolved measurements of the unsteady pressure, temperature and entropy fields between the rotor and stator blade rows are made. For the operating point under investigation, the turbine rotor blades have pressure side separations. The unsteady behavior of the pressure side bubble is studied. Furthermore, the results of unsteady RANS simulations are compared to the measurements and the computations are also used to detail the flow field with particular emphasis on the unsteady purge flow migration and transport mechanisms in the turbine main flow containing a rotor pressure side separation. The profiled endwalls show the beneficial effects of improved measured efficiency at this operating point, together with a reduced sensitivity to purge flow.

Effect of tip clearance on impeller discharge flow and vaneless diffuser performance of a centrifugal compressor

To see the tip clearance effect on a centrifugal compressor, time-resolved flow measurements are carried out at the discharge of a centrifugal compressor impeller with a diameter of 280 mm. The impeller is 30° back swept and is operated at a blade tip speed of 260 m/s, which is a rather high speed for measuring time-resolved flow. Six levels of tip clearance ratio ranging from 0.06 to 0.21 were tested. A fast response aerodynamic probe equipped with a single pressure sensor is used for the flow measurements. The correlation between the impeller efficiency and the tip clearance is presented. The mean flow variation from hub to shroud is obtained and its dependence on the tip clearance is discussed. The measured time-resolved flow at impeller exit differs from the classical jet-wake flow model. Four kinds of flow patterns (blade wake, jet, channel wake, and tip clearance flow) are observed at the impeller discharge plane. By increasing the tip clearance, the total pressure loss in the vaneless diffuser decreases, while the impeller loss increases. One-dimensional flow calculations of the vaneless diffuser show that the matching constant of a skin friction coefficient is decreased by increasing the tip clearance.

Effect of Hot Streak Migration on Unsteady Blade Row Interaction in an Axial Turbine

This paper presents an experimental study of the effect of unsteady blade row interaction on the migration of hot streaks in an axial turbine. The hot streaks can cause localized hot spots on the blade surfaces in a high-pressure turbine, leading to high heat loads and potentially catastrophic failure of the blades. An improved understanding of the effect of unsteady blade row interaction on an inlet temperature distortion is of crucial importance. The impact of hot streaks on the aerodynamic performance of a turbine stage is also not well understood. In the current experiment, the influence of hot streaks on a highly loaded 1.5-stage unshrouded model axial turbine is studied. A hot streak generator has been developed specifically for this project to introduce hot streaks that match the dimensional parameters of real engines. The temperature profile, spanwise position, circumferential position, and cross-section shape of the hot streak can be independently varied. The recently developed ETH Zurich two-sensor high temperature (260 °C) fast response aerodynamic probe (FRAP) technique and the fast response entropy. Probe (FENT) systems are used in this experimental campaign. Time resolved measurements of the unsteady pressure, temperature, and entropy are made at the NGV inlet and between the rotor and stator blade rows. From the nozzle guide vane inlet to outlet the measurements show a reduction in the maximum relative entropy difference between the free stream and the hot spot of 30% for the highest temperature gases in the core of the hot streak, indicating a region of heat loss. Time resolved flow field measurements at the rotor exit based on both measurement methods showed the hot gases traveling towards the hub and tip casing on the blade pressure side and interacting with secondary flows such as the hub passage vortex.

Analysis tools for the unsteady interactions in a counter-rotating two-spool turbine rig

Counter-rotating turbines represent the state of the art of actual and future aero-engines, built for a considerable reduction of weight and fuel consumption. However, in the open literature there is a limited number of experimental and computational research about the unsteady interactions in such complex configurations. The paper presents an experimental investigation on the two-spool counter-rotating transonic turbine at Graz University of Technology. The rig was designed in cooperation with MTU Aero Engines and Volvo Aero and considerable efforts were put on the adjustment of all relevant model parameters. The test setup consists of a high pressure (HP) stage, a diffusing mid turbine frame with turning struts and a shrouded low pressure (LP) rotor.A two-sensor fast response aerodynamic pressure probe (2S-FRAPP) has been employed to provide time-resolved aerodynamic area traverses downstream of the LP turbine. Structures at the blade passing frequency of each rotor are resolved by the use of the shaft encoders. Furthermore, a newly developed phase averaging procedure is introduced to take into account the combined rotor–rotor interactions. Different reconstructions of the time resolved flow field are then presented in the paper, where a detailed description of the post-processing tools and their interpretation is provided.

A High Temperature High Bandwidth Fast Response Total Pressure Probe for Measurements in a Multistage Axial Compressor

Over the last decades, fast response aerodynamic probes have been recognized as a robust measurement technique to provide time-resolved flow field data in turbomachinery environments. Still, most of the existing probe designs are restricted to low temperature applications (<120 °C) either because of sensor temperature range limitations or packaging issues. Measurements in turbomachines also require a small probe size often with a very high bandwidth which are conflicting constraints difficult to satisfy simultaneously. This contribution therefore presents the development of a novel miniature (∅ 2.5 mm ) high temperature single sensor total pressure probe, designed for operation up to 250 °C with a very high bandwidth of 250 kHz. The probe main element is a 1.7 mm diameter commercial piezoresistive transducer placed in a Pitot type arrangement with a flush mounted sensor to provide the highest bandwidth. The details of the probe design are presented as well as the probe calibrations in pressure and in temperature. The effects of using a thermal compensation module or a sense resistor to monitor the temperature drift are described in the context of measurement uncertainty. The probes were characterized in terms of aerodynamic characteristics versus flow angle and Mach number. Shock tube tests have shown a dynamic response of the probe with sensor resonance frequencies well over 300 kHz, with a flat frequency range up to 250 kHz. Two probe prototypes were manufactured and first used in the 3½-stage high speed axial compressor CREATE of the LMFA at École Centrale de Lyon in France. The probes were traversed at each interblade row plane up to temperatures of 180 °C and absolute pressure of 3 bars. The probe was able to resolve the high blade passing frequencies (∼16 kHz) and several harmonics including rotor-stator interaction frequencies up to 200 kHz. Besides the average total pressure distributions from the radial traverses, phase-locked averages and random unsteadiness are presented. The probe spatial and temporal resolutions are discussed in the context of those results.

A method for the determination of turbulence intensity by means of a fast response pressure probe and its application in a LP turbine

This paper describes the measurements and the post-processing procedure adopted for the determination of the turbulence intensity in a low pressure turbine (LPT) by means of a single sensor fast response aerodynamic pressure probe. The rig was designed in cooperation with MTU Aero Engines and considerable efforts were put into the adjustment of all relevant model parameters. Blade count ratio, airfoil aspect ratio, reduced massflow, reduced speed, inlet turbulence intensity and Reynolds numbers were chosen to reproduce the full scale LP turbine. Measurements were performed adopting a phase-locked acquisition technique in order to provide the time resolved flow field downstream of the turbine rotor. The total pressure random fluctuations are obtained by selectively filtering, in the frequency domain, the deterministic unsteadiness due to the rotor blades and coherent structures. The turbulence intensity is derived from the inverse Fourier transform and the correlations between total pressure and velocity fluctuations. The determination of the turbulence intensity allows the discussion of the interaction processes between the stator and rotor for engine-representative operating conditions of the turbine.

Full-Scale Wind Turbine Near-Wake Measurements Using an Instrumented Uninhabited Aerial Vehicle

In this paper, the first-ever measurements of the wake of a full-scale wind turbine using an instrumented uninhabited aerial vehicle (UAV) are reported. The key enabler for this novel measurement approach is the integration of fast response aerodynamic probe technology with miniaturized hardware and software for UAVs that enable autonomous UAV operation. The measurements, made to support the development of advanced wind simulation tools, are made in the near-wake (0.5D–3D, where D is rotor diameter) region of a 2 MW wind turbine that is located in a topography of complex terrain and varied vegetation. Downwind of the wind turbine, profiles of the wind speed show that there is strong three-dimensional shear in the near-wake flow. Along the centerline of the wake, the deficit in wind speed is a consequence of wakes from the rotor, nacelle, and tower. By comparison with the profiles away from the centerline, the shadowing effects of nacelle and tower diminish downstream of 2.5D. Away from the centerline, the deficit in wind speed is approximately constant ≈ 25%. However, along the centerline, the deficit is ≈ 65% near to the rotor, 0.5D–1.75D, and only decreases to ≈ 25% downstream of 2.5D.

Impact of Time-Resolved Entropy Measurement on a One-and-One-Half-Stage Axial Turbine Performance

An accurate assessment of unsteady interactions in turbines is required, so that this may be taken into account in the design of the turbine. This assessment is required since the efficiency of the turbine is directly related to the contribution of unsteady loss mechanisms. This paper presents unsteady entropy measurements in an axial turbine. The measurements are conducted at the rotor exit of a one–and-one-half-stage unshrouded turbine that is representative of a highly loaded, high-pressure stage of an aero-engine. The unsteady entropy measurements are obtained using a novel miniature fast-response probe, which has been developed at ETH Zurich. The entropy probe has two components: a one-sensor fast-response aerodynamic probe and a pair of thin-film gauges. The probe allows the simultaneous measurement of the total temperature and the total pressure from which the time-resolved entropy field can be derived. The measurements of the time-resolved entropy provide a new insight into the unsteady loss mechanisms that are associated with the unsteady interaction between rotor and stator blade rows. A particular attention is paid to the interaction effects of the stator wake interaction, the secondary flow interaction, and the potential field interaction on the unsteady loss generation at the rotor exit. Furthermore, the impact on the turbine design of quantifying the loss in terms of the entropy loss coefficient, rather than the more familiar pressure loss coefficient, is discussed in detail.