Unsteady Flow in a Single Stage Turbine

Abstract

This paper presents unsteady pressure and heat transfer measurements made on a high pressure turbine stage at DERA Pyestock, and compares them with numerical simulations made using the 2D unsteady code UNSFLO. The aim of the work was to evaluate the performance of the code, and to use the predictions to allow a fuller interpretation of the flow physics than could have been achieved from the measurements alone. The unsteady heat transfer and pressure fluctuations around the mid height section of the rotor blade have been examined in detail. Agreement between measured and predicted pressure fluctuations on the rotor was excellent. Interaction with the ngv potential field dominated the pressure surface, while the suction surface showed pressure waves moving forward over the blade, possibly as a result of shock/wake interaction.