%0 Journal Article
%T Effect of the Radial Pressure Gradient on the Secondary Flow Generated in an Annular Turbine Cascade
%A Hesham M. El-Batsh
%J International Journal of Rotating Machinery
%D 2012
%I Hindawi Publishing Corporation
%R 10.1155/2012/509209
%X This paper introduces an investigation of the effect of radial pressure gradient on the secondary flow generated in turbine cascades. Laboratory measurements were performed using an annular sector cascade which allowed the investigation using relatively small number of blades. The flow was measured upstream and downstream of the cascade using a calibrated five-hole pressure probe. The three-dimensional Reynolds Averaged Navier Stokes equations were solved to understand flow physics. Turbulence was modeled using eddy-viscosity assumption and the two-equation Shear Stress Transport (SST) k-¦Ø model. The results obtained through this study showed that the secondary flow is significantly affected by the pressure gradient along blade span. The experimental measurements and the numerical calculations predicted passage vortex near blade hub which had larger and stronger values than that predicted near blade tip. The loss distribution revealed that secondary flow loss was concentrated near blade hub. It is recommended that attempts of reducing secondary flow in annular cascade should put emphasis on the passage vortex near the hub. 1. Introduction Large-scale steam and gas turbines are always used in power generation and industrial applications. Therefore, turbine efficiency and performance have major concern. The losses in a turbine can be divided into profile loss, secondary flow loss, and tip clearance loss. The profile loss is caused by the growth of the boundary layer on the blades. Secondary flow loss is generated due to the deflection through blade channel. Tip leakage loss is induced due to pressure difference between blade pressure side and blade suction side when the tip clearance gap exists. There are many factors which influence turbine losses. The pressure gradient, turbulence level, blade geometry, incoming velocity, and inlet boundary layer thickness represent important parameters affecting turbine efficiency. It is practically very difficult to perform detailed flow field measurements in an engine at operating conditions. Understanding the physics that governs the flow and the associated turbine cascade losses has been obtained through wind tunnel experiments. These laboratory tests not only allow detailed flow field measurements but also give the experimenter the possibility to investigate the effect of several parameters separately. Experimental studies using linear turbine cascades introduce the aspect of flow periodicity by arranging a number of blades of constant cross-sections separated by a constant pitch. Linear cascade experiments
%U http://www.hindawi.com/journals/ijrm/2012/509209/