Turbine blade-tip clearance excitation forces

The results of an effort to assess the existing knowledge and plan the required experimentation in the area of turbine blade tip excitation forces is summarized. The work was carried out in three phases. The first was a literature search and evaluation, which served to highlight the state of the art and to expose the need for an articulated theoretical experimental effort to provide not only design data, but also a rational framework for their extrapolation to new configurations and regimes. The second phase was a start in this direction, in which several of the explicit or implicit assumptions contained in the usual formulations of the Alford force effect were removed and a rigorous linearized flow analysis of the behavior of a nonsymmetric actuator disc was carried out. In the third phase a preliminary design of a turbine test facility that would be used to measure both the excitation forces themselves and the flow patterns responsible for them were conducted and do so over a realistic range of dimensionless parameters

A theory of post-stall transients in multistage axial compression systems

A theory is presented for post stall transients in multistage axial compressors. The theory leads to a set of coupled first-order ordinary differential equations capable of describing the growth and possible decay of a rotating-stall cell during a compressor mass-flow transient. These changing flow features are shown to have a significant effect on the instantaneous compressor pumping characteristic during unsteady operation, and henace on the overall system behavior. It is also found from the theory that the ultimate mode of system response, stable rotating stall or surge, depends not only on the B parameter but also on other parameters, such as the compressor length-to-diameter ratio. Small values of this latter quantity tend to favor the occurrence of surge, as do large values of B. A limited parametric study is carried out to show the impact of the different system features on transient behavior. Based on analytical and numerical results, several specific topics are suggested for future research on post-stall transients

Active stabilization to prevent surge in centrifugal compression systems

This report documents an experimental and analytical study of the active stabilization of surge in a centrifugal engine. The aims of the research were to extend the operating range of a compressor as far as possible and to establish the theoretical framework for the active stabilization of surge from both an aerodynamic stability and a control theoretic perspective. In particular, much attention was paid to understanding the physical limitations of active stabilization and how they are influenced by control system design parameters. Previously developed linear models of actively stabilized compressors were extended to include such nonlinear phenomena as bounded actuation, bandwidth limits, and robustness criteria. This model was then used to systematically quantify the influence of sensor-actuator selection on system performance. Five different actuation schemes were considered along with four different sensors. Sensor-actuator choice was shown to have a profound effect on the performance of the stabilized compressor. The optimum choice was not unique, but rather shown to be a strong function of some of the non-dimensional parameters which characterize the compression system dynamics. Specifically, the utility of the concepts were shown to depend on the system compliance to inertia ratio ('B' parameter) and the local slope of the compressor speedline. In general, the most effective arrangements are ones in which the actuator is most closely coupled to the compressor, such as a close-coupled bleed valve inlet jet, rather than elsewhere in the flow train, such as a fuel flow modulator. The analytical model was used to explore the influence of control system bandwidth on control effectiveness. The relevant reference frequency was shown to be the compression system's Helmholtz frequency rather than the surge frequency. The analysis shows that control bandwidths of three to ten times the Helmholtz frequency are required for larger increases in the compressor flow range. This has important implications for implementation in gas turbine engines since the Helmholtz frequencies can be over 100 Hz, making actuator design extremely challenging

Helicopter rotor noise due to ingestion of atmospheric turbulence

A theoretical study was conducted to develop an analytical prediction method for helicopter main rotor noise due to the ingestion of atmospheric turbulence. This study incorporates an atmospheric turbulence model, a rotor mean flow contraction model and a rapid distortion turbulence model which together determine the statistics of the non-isotropic turbulence at the rotor plane. Inputs to the combined mean inflow and turbulence models are controlled by atmospheric wind characteristics and helicopter operating conditions. A generalized acoustic source model was used to predict the far field noise generated by the non-isotropic flow incident on the rotor. Absolute levels for acoustic spectra and directivity patterns were calculated for full scale helicopters, without the use of empirical or adjustable constants. Comparisons between isotropic and non-isotropic turbulence at the rotor face demonstrated pronounced differences in acoustic spectra. Turning and contraction of the flow for hover and low speed vertical ascent cases result in a 3 dB increase in the acoustic spectrum energy and a 10 dB increase in tone levels. Compared to trailing edge noise, turbulence ingestion noise is the dominant noise mechanism below approximately 30 rotor harmonics, while above 100 harmonics, trailing edge noise levels exceed turbulence ingestion noise by 25 dB

Performance Limits of Axial Compressor Stages

This paper presents a framework for estimating the upper limit of compressor stage efficiency. Using a compressor stage model with a representative design velocity distribution with turbulent boundary layers, losses are calculated as the sum of selected local irreversibilities, rather than from correlations based on data from existing machines. By considering only losses that cannot be eliminated and optimizing stage design variables for minimum loss, an upper bound on stage efficiency can be determined as a function of a small number of stage design parameters. The impact of the stage analysis results are evaluated in the context of gas turbine cycle performance. The implication from the results of the stage level and cycle analyses is that compressor efficiency improvements that result in substantial increases in cycle thermal efficiency are still to be realized.Fundamental Aeronautics Program (U.S.) (Agreement Number NNX08AW63A

Stalled flow performance of a single stage transonic compressor

Originally presented as the first author's thesis, M.S. in the M.I.T. Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, 1978Includes bibliographical references (page 48)The stalled flow performance of a single stage transonic compressor is examined, using data from the MIT Gas Turbine Laboratory's Blowdown Compressor Facility. Measurements of the blowdown corrected weightflow are included, as well as stage exit static to inlet total pressure rise, and rotating stall cell measurements. A comparison of the flow blockage, as represented by stall cell circumferential extent, with the blowdown corrected weightflow is made. The 100% design speed stalled flow performance characteristic is presented. Radial traverse.data is also presented including flow angles, static and total pressures, and Mach number components.Supported by the NASA Lewis Research Center grant NGL 22-009-38

Analysis of Fan Stage Conceptual Design Attributes for Boundary Layer Ingestion

This paper describes a new conceptual framework for three-dimensional turbomachinery flow analysis and its use to assess fan stage attributes for mitigating adverse effects of inlet distortion due to boundary layer ingestion (BLI). A nonaxisymmetric throughflow analysis has been developed to define fan flow with inlet distortion. The turbomachinery is modeled using momentum and energy source distributions that are determined as a function of local flow conditions and specified blade camber surface geometry. Comparison with higher-fidelity computational and experimental results shows the analysis captures the principal flow redistribution and distortion transfer effects associated with BLI. Distortion response is assessed for a range of (i) design flow and stagnation enthalpy rise coefficients, (ii) rotor spanwise work profiles, (iii) rotor-stator spacings, and (iv) nonaxisymmetric stator geometries. Of the approaches examined, nonaxisymmetric stator geometry and increased stage flow and stagnation enthalpy rise coefficients provide the greatest reductions in rotor flow nonuniformity, and may offer the most potential for mitigating performance loss due to BLI inlet distortion

Overview Report: Normal and Emergency Operation Visualization

This is an overview report to document and illustrate methods used in a project entitled “Normal and Emergency Operations Visualization” for a utility company, conducted in 2009-2010 timeframe with funding from the utility company and the U.S. Department of Energy. The original final report (about 180 pages) for the project is not available for distribution because it alludes to findings that assessed the design of an operational system that contained proprietary information; this abridged version contains descriptions of methods and some findings to illustrate the approach used, while avoiding discussion of sensitive or proprietary information. The client has approved this abridged version of the report for unlimited distribution to give researchers and collaborators the benefit of reviewing the research concepts and methods that were applied in this study