Design and Modeling of Turbine Airfoils with Active Flow Control in Realistic Engine Conditions
Abstract
Flow separation limits the efficiency of low-pressure turbines (LPTs) in aircraft engines. Experiments with vortex generator jets (VGJs), conducted in AFRL's low-speed cascade at Wright-Patterson AFB, have demonstrated dramatic reductions in separation losses. Before flow control can become an integral part of LPT design, research must be conducted in more realistic engine conditions. This can best be accomplished through a combined experimental and computational program that uses both tools in a complementary fashion. Such a program was initiated at BYU in 2007 to better understand the basic physics of the separation control phenomenon and establish the quantitative links between the underlying flow physics and LPT performance under a variety of conditions. A new, high performance LPT blade design (L1A) was received from AFRL. CFD was used to design a new 3-passage cascade facility with the L1A blade. The new cascade was completed at Ohio State University under a subcontract agreement between BYU and OSU since the PI moved to OSU in July 2007. CFD was also used to determine the appropriate diameter and location for an upstream wake generator. The wake generator was used to assess the impact of upstream wakes on the implementation of pulsed VGJ flow control for the Pack B baseline LPT design. The convecting wakes have a first order influence on the LPT flow field.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jul 16, 2008
- Accession Number
- ADA484892
Entities
People
- Jeffrey P. Bons
Organizations
- Brigham Young University