Redesign of a transition piece of a gas turbine combining geometries from

an original transition piece and one optimized by the genetic algorithm

method
Jorge Valdivia
Faculty of Mechanical and Energy
Engineering
University of Engineering and
Technology
Lima, Peru
jorge.valdivia@utec.edu.pe

Abstract— The study in case propose a new geometry of
the cross sectional plane of the transition piece from the
gas turbine SGT6-5000f by Siemens, merging the
convergence section of an optimized geometry and the
divergence section of the original geometry of the piece.
For comparing performance, a steady state two
dimensional model using ANSYS FLUENT obtaining the
velocity and temperature contours at the outlet of the
transition piece, the contours are then compared to each
other and using this data a new geometry is presented.
The new geometry is also simulated under the same
conditions of the original and optimized geometries. The
relevance of this comparison relies on the velocity and
temperature profiles at the outlet of the piece, these
values have relevant impact in the first stage of the
blades of the turbine.
Keywords—CFD, lifetime, velocity and temperature
contours.
1. INTRODUCTION
The transition piece is the piece that ensures that the
velocity and temperature contours have a uniform
distribution, this is because and inadequate distribution of
even 15°C or 5% in velocity at the outlet entering the first
stage of the turbines affect directly the performance and life
of vanes and blades [2]. The velocity and temperature
contours make possible a better numerical approximation to
study the heat transfer and fluid dynamics in the vanes and
blades [6]. In this case of optimization, the Genetic
Algorithm (GA) was applied to estimate the design point of
components parameters like turbine entry temperature and
efficiency, to determine the optimal operating conditions
and design parameters of the engine under the maximum
power condition [4], also the GA can be used to optimize
the aerodynamic design of turbine blades [7] or as a strategy
to optimize the turbine stages and to minimize the adverse
effects of the three-dimensional flow features on the turbine
performance [7]. In this study, the CFD simulation and the
merging of the original geometry and the optimized
geometry are applied to obtain an optimal design of the
transition piece reaching a uniform temperature and velocity
distribution at the center of the outlet radial plane in the
transition piece. For the construction of the transition piece
over the years has been some important advances, sin 1980
the Nimonic 263, was introduced into service for transition
pieces [1]. This material is a precipitation-strengthened,
nickel-based alloy with higher strength capability than
Hastelloy-X that is the material used since 1960 for the
construction of the transition piece. It is important to
perform thermal and fluid dynamic analysis of the gas
turbine transition piece to know the profiles of velocity and
temperature at the exit mouth, affecting the performance and
life of the vanes and blades in the first stage of the turbine
[10].
Bai-Tao A. et al. [6] used two kinds of inlet total
temperature conditions at the first stage of the turbine, the
first is uniform total temperature and the second is hot streak
2D (contour) total temperature, the contours were obtained
according to the exit shape of an annular-can combustor, the
hot streak was set in six circumferential positions relative to
the vane 1 leading edge. The results showed that the hot
streak increases the non-uniform degree of the vane heat
load in comparison with uniform total temperature inlet
condition. This change of hot streak circumferential
positions leads to the circumferential parameter variation at
the stator exit, and also leads to different transient periodic
fluctuating characteristic of heat load and pressure on rotor
blade surface.
2. OBJECTIVES
Compare the behavior of a real geometry of a transition
piece and the optimized geometry by a genetic algorithm
and identify the advantages and disadvantages in order to
generate another geometry that bring up the advantages of
the two geometries analyzed. The tool to compare the
geometries and their physical behavior is Ansys Fluent, by
simulating the process and interpreting the values of the
velocity and temperature contours at the outlet of the piece.
3. DESIGN METHOD
Before the design is necessary to identify what the
customer needs, from a black box to a morphologic matrix
and the specifications needed.
After these the black box becomes a transparent box Fig. 1
with the needs for the design of the transtion piece.
Fig. 1. Transparent box. Concept definition
 The morphologic matrix in Fig.2 is necessary to Table 1.
understand why a convergence divergence type of transition Turbine characteristics
piece is needed, the objective of the trasntision piece is to Power 69MW
control the velocity and temperature distribution as the
output values, also the choice of the material of the Rotational speed 3600 rpm
transition piece, dimensions and price. Compressor stages 19
Turbine stages 4
Compressor pressure ratio 17
Compressor air flow 279.76 kg/s

Table 2.
Piece dimensions
Zone value
Length 961.3 mm
From center to center 506.6 mm
Circunferential inlet 291.3 mm
Exit mouth height 122.3 mm
Fig. 2. Morphologic matrix. Concept selection
Inlet área 66600 mm^2
Exit mouth área 41870 mm^2
Transition piece
Mínimum area 23680 mm^2
The transition piece is made from a super alloy named
Nimonic 263. Is part of a set of 14 pieces in annular form,
belongs to the turbine 501F which is called nowadays sgt6-
5000F.The turbine characteristics and the dimensions of the 4. CFD MODEL
piece are arranged in the following tables respectively.
4.1. Mathematical formulation
These are the governing equations that we are going to
use such as conservation of mass, momentum and energy,
with a turbulence model k-Є and the equations of state.

Continuity equation

 (  ui ) (1)
0
xi
This equation is valid for compressible flows as it
depends on density and velocity.

Momentum equation

 (ui u j ) P ij (2)

   gi  Fi
xi xi x j
These are the forces that acts in every control volume
Fig. 3. Morphologic matrix. Concept selection defined in the system, have pressure forces and shear
stresses involved in it due to viscosity presence, also valid
for compressible flow.

Energy equation

e q u (3)
(ui )   k P k 
xi xk xk

In this equation of energy conservation, the heat flux

inside the transition piece is present as well the internal
energy and the work done by the flow, ϕ is the viscous
heating dissipation and the heat flux is given by Fourier’s
law

T (4)
qk   k
xk

Turbulence model(k-Є)

Two equation are added to our system to be solved, the

turbulent kinetic energy(k) and the dissipation of kinetic
energy rate (Є). This model is appropriate to study the
turbulence in practical engineering flows due to its
reasonable accuracy for a wide range of turbulent flows, the
equations are defined as

   t  k 
 kui         Gk  Gb     YM
(5)
xi x j   k  x j 

   t      2
  ui         C1  Gk   C2
(6)
xi x j  k  x j  k k

In these equations Gk represents the generation of

turbulent kinetic energy due to the mean velocity gradients,
Gb is the generation of turbulent kinetic energy due to
buoyancy, Ym represents the contribution of the fluctuating Fig. 4. Process FLUENT follows to solve algebraic equations

dilatation in compressible turbulence to the overall

dissipation rate, C1 and C2 are constants. The turbulent
(or eddy) viscosity t is computed by combining k and 
[1]:
t  C k 2 / 
Equation of state
The density varies according to ideal gas law depending
on the local pressure and temperature. The compressibility
effect is accommodated during the simulation
4.3. Boundary conditions
The velocity and temperature contours are set on the
surface of the circular section, pressure on the outlet and
natural convection on the outside wall of the transition piece
(7) were considered as boundary conditions. there are no film
holes of cooling on the surface and the thermal properties of
the material were considered, the assumption of the solid
wall of the transition piece is modeled with the hypothesis
that the thermal resistance by conduction is neglected sin it
is coated.

P  RT (8)

R is the gas constant

4.2. Computational Domain

Design modeler was used to create the 2d model and

Autodesk Inventor to create the 3d model of the piece. The
governing equations are transformed to algebraic equations
inside the computational domain, this process is done by
Fig. 5. Boundary consitions of the transition piece
doing a control volume balance in each control volume. The
figure x shows the structured grid used in the modeling for
The working fluid is air, although it is an exhaust-air
the inlet and the outlet.
composition the predominant mass is the air with 72% [10].
In the inlet temperatures a previous work [4] were used to
get the velocity and temperature contour and it is supplied to
the computational model.
 Table 3 present the boundary conditions in the transition
piece.

Table 3.
Boundary conditions

Boundary conditions Magnitude

Velocity contour _
Temperature contour _
Turbulent intensity inlet 5 [%]
Hydraulic diameter inlet 0.33002 [m]
Pressure outlet 965575 [Pa]
Turbulent Intensity outlet 5 [%]
Hydraulic diameter outlet 0.471705 [m]
Convection coefficient 10[ W/m 2 K ]
Temperature 273 [K]

Then the velocity profiles and temperature profiles

obtained from a past study in a combustor chamber for the
gas turbine [4] are plotted as a 2d inlet extracting the radial
values of the Fig 2 and Fig 5.
Fig. 8. Temperature profile inlet

Fig. 9. Radial temprature profile

Fig. 6. Velocity profile inlet 5. NUMERICAL SOLUTION

A steady state 2d simulation for each geometry generates
the velocity and temperature profiles at the outlet to be
compared and studied.

Geometries

Fig. 7. Radial velocity profile

Fig. 10. Original Geometry


Fig. 11. Optimized geometry
Temperature profiles
Fig. 12. Radial temperature profile for the original geometry
Fig. 13. Radial temperature profile for the optimized geometry
Velocity profiles
Fig. 14. Radial velocity profile for the original geometry
Fig. 15. Radial velocity profile for the optimized geometry
6. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Fig.12 and Fig 13 shows a comparison between the
radial temperature profiles in the original and the optimized
geometry, the temperature in the optimized geometry is
200K greater and has a minimum temperature of 1150K,
while the minimum tamperature for the walls of the original
geometry are 1250K.
Fig 14 and Fig.15 are the radial velocity profiles for the
original and the optimized geometry of the transition piece,
here the original piece is the one that shows the best
distribution while the optimized geometry increase the
velocity near the center of the outlet.
After having this results, proceed to merge the
convergence section of the optimized geometry and the
divergence section of the original geometry, under the same
simulation conditions the new profiles are.
Fig. 16. Radial temperature profile for the hybrid geometry
 Nomenclature

C specific heat
C circumferential direction
e energy
F external forces
gi gravity
Gk turbulent kinetic energy generation
Gb turbulent kinetic energy generation due to floatability
k thermal conductivity, turbulent kinetic energy
P pressure
qk heat flux
R gas constant, radial direction
T temperature
ui, v velocity
YM fluctuation of expansion in turbulence
yþ dimensional parameter

Fig. 17. Radial velocity profile for the hybrid geometry Greek symbols
 dissipation rate
 viscosity
Fig. 16 and Fig. 17 are the new temperature profile and
velocity profile after the merge of the geometries, the  viscous heating dissipation
temperature profile shows a performance nearly the same as t turbulent viscosity
the inlet of the transition piece pointy and with temperatures
near 900K near the walls. The velocity profile is a hybrid
 density
profile between the original and optimized geometry, the  k turbulent Prandtl number by k
averaged velocity here has raised to more than 2000K
maintaining almost a continuity with variantions of 50 m/s.
  se Turbulent Prandtl number by e
 ij Stress tensor
7. CONCLUSIONS
REFERENCES
The determination of the temperature and velocity
profiles at the outlet of the transition piece would give a
[1] A. Gallegos, V. Ayala, J.A. Alfaro and B.M. Toledo, “Optimization
better understanding to the heat transfer, fluid dynamics and of the transition piece applying genetic algorithms,” (2011) Applied
structural analysis in components like vanes and blades, Thermal Engineering . Salamanca, Gto., Mexico.
because with these values as an inlet is possible to simulate [2] J.A. Alfaro-Ayala, A. Gallegos-Muñoz, A. Zaleta-Aguilar, A.
the real conditions at the first stage of the turbine. Campos-Amezcua, M. Zdzislaw, Thermal and Fluid Dynamic
Analysis of the Gas Turbine Transition Piece (2009) Proceeding of
The merge of the two geometries has demonstrated a the ASME Turbo Expo 2009: Power for Land, Sea and Air. Orlando,
hybrid result specially in the new velocity profile, because Flo. USA.
the raise in velocity is accompanied with a correction in [3] Ansys FLUENT, Version 18.2. Theory Guide.
distribution, almost like the sum of the two curves, a raise of [4] J. Fernández. Tecnicas numericas en ingenieria de fluidos :
almost 15 m/s vs the original geometry without the introducción a la dinamica de fluidos computacional (CFD) por el
correction of the fluctuations in Fig15. metodo de volumenes finitos / Jesus Manuel Fernandez Oro . –
Barcelona: Reverté, 2012.
It is important to reduce the peak values for the new
[5] F.M. White.”Mecánica de Fluidos”, 1979, ed. McGraw-Hill.
temperature profile Fig16, it almost show the same
[6] A. Bai-Tao, I Jian-Jun, J. Hong-De. Numerical Investigation of
behaviour as the inlet temperature profile, this is due to the Unsteady Effects of Hot Streak on Flow and Heat transfer in a turbine
smooth contour that the geometry provides. This peak Stage (2008) Proceedings of ASME turbo Expo 2008: Powerfor Land,
temperature may damage the vanes and blades in the first Sea and Air, Berlin, Germany.
stage of the turbine. [7] J.A. Alfaro-Ayala, A. Gallegos-Muñoz, A. Zaleta-Aguilar, A.
Campos-Amezcua, M. Zdzislaw, Analysis of the flow in the
It’s true that the velocity at the outlet has raised with the combustor-transition piece considering the variation in the fuel
new hybrid geometry, however it’s important to include composition, Journal of Thermal Science And Engineering
parameters like thermal efficiency and power in the Applications Vol.3 (2) (2011).
optimization to obtain better results, an increase of velocity
at the outlet does not mean a better performance of the
turbine.