TPFL: Turbine Cascade Unsteady Boundary Layer Research

Cascade Flow Research Capability

Following figures present experimental results dealing with the
measurement of boundary layer development along the suction
surface of a low pressure turbine blade under periodic unsteady
wake flow conditions.

For more details, please see the publication list in CV

CV of Dr. Schobeiri
Introduction: Wake Interaction

 Boundary transition in turbomachines is determined by:

 Change of frame of reference that inherently causes periodic unsteady flow
consisting of wakes with high TI- vortical cores and low TI- flow region
 Wake flow impinges on the surface of the following cascade and periodically
changes the portion of the laminar boundary layer to turbulent and affects the
turbine aerodynamics, efficiency, performance and heat transfer

Schematics of Rotor-Stator Interaction

 TPFL Unsteady Turbine Cascade Research Facility
Simulation of periodic unsteady wakes impinging on turbine blades
U

U
V Wake generator Air supply unit

S1
U 8
W 6

S2
1 5

Spacing S3
2
7
1
Test section

Spacing S4
15

16
(a) Wakes from turbine blades
4

U
16

10
12 14
End View
V
U
W 11

Adjustable height: y =130 mm

1 Static pressure blade 5 Traversing system 9 Inlet nozzle 13 Large silence chamber with
2 Blade with hot film sensors honeycom and five screens
6 Transition duct 10 Hydraulic cylinders 14 Telescope supprt
3 Wake generating rods 7 Straight duct 11 Pivot point 15 Honeycomb flow straightener
(b) Wakes from turbine rods Traversing slots
4 Wake generator 8 Timing belts with rod attachments 12 Wake generator e-motor 16

TPFL: The Turbomachinery Performance and Flow Research Laboratory

Texas A&M University
M. T. Schobeiri
INTRODUCTION: LOW-PRESSUER TURBINE AERODYNAMICS

Low Pressure Turbine (LPT) stage of aircraft gas turbine engines operates
within the following Re-range:
 Take off: Re = 400,000 (high Re)
 Cruise: Re = 100,000 (low Re)
LP-Turbine
 Routine operations Re = 400,000 to 100,000

Fig. 1: A twin-spool aircraft gas turbine with a fan-stage, HP, IP, and LP
compressor and turbine stages
Introduction: LPT-Aerodynamics

Suction Surface S
tea
dyIn
letF
low: R
e=1
000
00

-4
-3
.5
-3 S
uctio
nsu
rfa
ce

-2
.5
-2

Cp
-1
.5
-1
-0
.5

Pressure Surface 0 P
res
sures
urfa
ce

0
.5
1
0 0
.2 0
.4 0
.6 0
.8 1
s
/so

Fig. 2: LPT-blade, suction side

Fig. 3: Pressure distribution
On Suction surface:
Negative pressure gradient: Acceleration, stable laminar boundary layer
Change of pressure gradient: Onset of a separation bubble, manifestation
Further change of pressure gradient: Re-attachment of separated flow
Parameters Affecting LPT-Aerodynamics

Flow parameters:

 Re Number, Mach Number

 Unsteady Wakes
- Wake Frequency
- Wake Width
- Wake Turbulence
 Freestream Turbulence Intensity

Blade geometry:

 Suction, pressure surface configuration (front, aft-load)

 Inlet, exit angle (total flow deflection)

- Responsible for pressure distribution, location of separation bubble

RESEARCH OBJECTIVES

 To investigate the impact of the periodic unsteady inlet flow conditions on the development of
the boundary layer separation.

 To provide detailed steady and unsteady boundary flow information to understand the
underlying physics of the onset and the extent of the separation zone under the unsteady
wake effects.

 To extend the intermittency based unsteady boundary layer transition model developed by
Schobeiri and his co-workers to the boundary layer cases with separation.

 To create a bench mark data base for comparison with numerical computation using DNS or
RANS-codes.
UNSTEADY FLOW TURBINE CASCADE RESEARCH FACILITY
SIMULATION OF PERIODIC UNSTEADY WAKE FLOW CONDITION

S3= 80 mm

S2=160 mm

S1=
RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS:Unsteady Wake Flow
Investigations

Time-averaged velocity profiles along the suction surface of the blade at Ω=0
Periodic Generation and Suppression of the Separation Bubble

Contour plot of the ensemble averaged velocity distribution showing the effect of
periodic wakes an the separation zone at different streamwise positions at Ω =1.59
(a) =1.59,s/so=0.52 (b) =1.59,s/so=0.546
10 10
9 9
V(m/s) V(m/s)
8 8.29 8 7.79
7.94 7.46
7 7.58
7.22
7 7.13
6.80
6.87 6.46
6 6.51 6 6.13
y(mm)

y(mm)
6.15 5.80
5.80 5.47
5 5.44 5 5.13
5.08 4.80
4 4.72 4 4.47
4.37 4.14
4.01 3.80
3 3.65 3 3.47
3.30 3.14
2 2.00 2 2.00

1 1

1 2 1 2
t/ t/
Periodic Generation and Suppression of the Separation Bubble

Contour plot of the ensemble averaged velocity distribution showing the effect of
periodic wakes an the separation zone at different streamwise positions at Ω =1.59

(e) =1.59,s/so=0.651 (f) =1.59,s/so=0.674

10
14
9
V(m/s) V(m/s)
8.16 8.40
8 7.69 12 7.93
7.22 7.46
7 6.75 6.99
6.28 10 6.52
5.81 6.05
6 5.34 5.58
y(mm)

y(mm)
4.87 5.11
8
5 4.40
3.92
4.64
4.17
3.45 3.70
4 2.98 6 3.23
2.51 2.76
2.04 2.29
3 2.00 4 2.00

2
2
1

1 2 1 2
t/ t/
Periodic Generation and Suppression of the Separation Bubble

Temporal behavior of the separation zone behavior unsteady case Ω =1.59

(SR =160mm)

=1.59, t/=0.05 =1.59, t/=0.25

10 10
9 9
V/Uµ V/Uµ
8 1.08 8 1.12
1.01 1.05
7 0.94
0.88
7 0.98
0.91
0.81 0.83
6 0.74 6 0.76
y(mm)

y(mm)
0.67 0.69
0.60 0.62
5 0.54 5 0.55
0.47 0.48
4 0.40 4 0.40
0.33 0.33
0.27 0.26
3 0.20 3 0.19
0.13 0.12
2 2
1 1

0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8

s/so s/so
Periodic Generation and Suppression of the Separation Bubble

Temporal behavior of the separation zone behavior unsteady case Ω =1.59

(SR =160mm). Note the development of the separation bubble.

=1.59, t/=0.50 =1.59, t/=0.75

10 10
9 9
V/Uµ V/Uµ
8 1.01 8 1.07
0.95 1.00
7 0.89
0.83
7 0.93
0.86
0.77 0.80
6 0.71 6 0.73
y(mm)

y(mm)
0.65 0.66
0.59 0.60
5 0.53 5 0.53
0.47 0.46
4 0.41 4 0.39
0.35 0.33
0.29 0.26
3 0.23 3 0.19
0.17 0.13
2 2
1 1

0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8

s/so s/so
Periodic Generation and Suppression of the Separation Bubble

Physics of Contraction, Separation and Regeneration of the Separation Zone

4
SR=160mm, s/so=0.651

regeneration begins
Contraction begins

Suppression ends
Contraction ends
3

at t/ = 1.41
at t/ = 1.25

at t/ = 2.0
y(mm)

0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5

t/
More Details on Generation and Suppression of the Separation Bubble

Contraction, Separation and Regeneration of the Separation Zone

s/s0=0.651, y= 2.85mm
5
velocity

Wake external region

high V
4
vx4, V(m/s)

high v
2 fluctuation
Vortical
core
1
0 1 t/ 2 3
Periodic Generation and Suppression of the Separation Bubble

5
Contraction end
at t/ = 1.41
4 Contraction begin Re-generation
at tt = 1.25
vx4, V(m/s)

starts at t/ = 2.0

3 (a) (b) (c) (d)

suppression from 1.41 to 2.0

1
0 1 t/ 2 3
Details: Contraction phase starts at the point, where vrms/t > 0 start,
Regeneration phase starts at the point, where of vrms/t < 0 starts
Boundary Layer Integral Quantities

Boundary layer ensemble-averaged integral momentum deficiency thickness for

steady case Ω =0 (SR = )and unsteady cases Ω =1.59(SR =160mm) and Ω =3.18
(SR =80mm) 1.15
(a) SR=160mm
1.15
(b) SR=160mm
1.10 s/so=0.422 1.10 s/so=0.588

1.05
1.05
2/(2)=0

2/(2)=0
1.00
1.00
0.95
0.95
0.90
0.90
0.85 s/so=0.617
s/so=0.368 s/so=0.52
s/so=0.384
0.85
0.80
0 1 2 3 0 1 2 3
t/ t/
1.80
1.70 (c) SR=160mm
1.60 s/so=0.705
1.50
s/so=0.767
1.40
1.30
2/(2)=0

1.20
1.10
1.00
0.90
0.80
s/so=0.805
0.70 s/so=0.849
0.60
0 1 2 3
t/
Boundary Layer Integral Quantities

Boundary layer momentum thickness time-averaged

25
10
160mm 160mm
20 80mm 80mm
norod norod

1
15


5
10

0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8

s/so s/so

8
5
7
160mm 160mm
4 80mm
80mm 6
norod norod
H12
3
2

2 4

3
1
2
0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 0.4 0.6 0.8
s/so s/so