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This research is dedicated to advancing gas turbine technology for greener and more cost-effective commercial air transportation. The focus lies in optimizing the High Pressure Compressor (HPC) component of NASA’s Energy Efficient Engine (EEE) which compresses air prior to entering the combustion chamber. The goal for the research project was to improve the compressor’s pressure ratio from inlet to outlet to enhance the efficiency of the combustion process. Factors affecting compressor performance, such as blade twist angle, blade geometry, and shroud and hub tip clearance, are analyzed and optimized to improve efficiency and overall performance. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) models were created within the Ansys software suite and successfully optimized by leveraging the San Diego Supercomputer Center. This research achieved a pressure ratio increase across the first four stages of a ten-stage compressor, surpassing NASA's 1980 model. This paper outlines the methodology, including geometry generation using Ansys BladeModeler, blade row meshing with TurboGrid, and CFX (Fluid dynamics) simulations. The optimization process involved multiple design iterations and a response surface method to attain the highest pressure ratio. The multidisciplinary approach underscores the potential of leveraging emerging technologies of CFD and High Performance Computing to significantly improve the efficiency of existing models, as exemplified by the successful optimization of the EEE’s HPC.

Featured Application: Applications for this work include rapid prototyping of fan or compressor casings using additive manufacturing. Additive manufacturing (AM) presents significant cost savings and lead time reductions because of features inherent to the manufacturing process. The technology lends itself to rapid prototyping due to the streamlined workflow of quickly implementing design changes. Compared to traditional machining, AM techniques are simpler in execution for design engineers because they do not require detailed engineering drawings and they typically make use of the nominal geometry in computer models. A novel transonic fan casing assembly has been developed that makes use of AM inserts surrounding the rotor to provide an opportunity to cost-effectively change the corresponding flowpath. The rapid prototyping design philosophy developed from this work will allow for numerous experimental studies into the effects that different design parameters of casing geometries have on fan aerodynamic performance. A fan stage representative of a small turbofan engine was successfully tested with smooth-walled, additively manufactured inserts as a baseline case for future configurations. Before installing the 3D printed casing assembly, computational thermal stress analysis was performed to reduce the risk in implementation due to the demanding environment associated with the rotor. AM components and materials typically have nonlinear mechanical properties, adding to the complexity of the structural analysis. As part of the research, steady aerodynamic performance was measured over the entire relevant operating range of the fan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study analyzes the turbomachinery flow of a gas turbine using OpenFOAM, an open-source CFD code. While foam-extend, a version of OpenFOAM, includes tools for turbomachinery analysis, some of its codes are incomplete, resulting in incorrect results. Consequently, this study required the investigation and correction of the solvers and libraries. Specifically, foam-extend-4.1 and a compressible multi-reference-frame solver were utilized. Two primary errors related to temperature calculation were identified. The first error involved temperature discontinuity at the interface between the stator and rotor domain when using the mixingPlane. The second error was related to temperature rising at the wall. To address the temperature discontinuity problem, the rothalpy jump equation in the enthalpyJump code was modified from a scalar product to an inner product of vectors. To resolve the high-temperature problem at the wall, modifications were made to the energy equation code in iEqn.H. A rothalpy separation was introduced, and the rothalpy equation was adjusted to mimic the enthalpy equation. The results obtained with the corrected codes were consistent with those from the commercial code, demonstrating the effectiveness of the modifications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

THE NUMERICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION of boundary layer tripping using steps on the suction side of a transonic compressor rotor has been presented in this paper. The presented research corresponds to an EU project known as TFAST (Transition Location Effects on Shock Wave Boundary Layer Interaction). A representative single passage test section has been designed to investigate the SBLI (Shock wave Boundary Layer Interaction) effects on the rotor profile. The geometrical and inflow boundary conditions have been defined by the project partner RRD (Rolls-Royce Deutschland). Two locations of step (x=c = 0:16 and x=c = 0:02) were chosen upstream of the shock location to investigate the boundary layer tripping effects and are compared with configuration without tripping setup. The numerical simulations were carried out on the test section model using the steady-state Reynolds Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) model with Explicit Algebraic Reynolds Stress Model (EARSM) turbulence model with transition effects included. The chosen turbulence model could accurately predict the shock location on the suction side of the lower profile in the test section and had a good agreement with wall pressure measurements using pressure taps. A detailed shock structure was captured using the schlieren technique and compared for different tripping configurations. To estimate the effectiveness of the tripping setup losses have been estimated using LDA (Laser Doppler Anemometry) along the traverse downstream the blade passage. To understand the tripping effect on the boundary layer a detailed investigation has been carried out at ten selected traverse locations from leading edge to trailing edge of the rotor profile. Based on the experimental validation of the defined numerical model for tripping setup, a few more step heights were compared at selected tripping locations numerically. To analyse the effect of step heights, the isentropic Mach number and wall shear stress are compared with without tripping configuration. The wake and stagnation pressure losses downstream of the profile have been compared to investigate the sensitivity of location and geometrical definition of the boundary layer tripping setup on the aerodynamic losses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A cost-effective solution to address the challenges posed by sensitive instrumentation in next-gen turbomachinery components is to reduce the number of measurement samples required to assess complex flows. This study investigates Gaussian Process (GP) modeling approaches within the framework of a data-driven hybrid measurement technique for turbomachinery applications. Three different modeling approaches—Baseline GP, CFD to Experiments GP, and Multi-Fidelity GP—are evaluated, and their performance in predicting mean flow characteristics and associated uncertainties on a low aspect ratio axial compressor stage, representative of the last stage of a high-pressure compressor, are focused on. The Baseline GP demonstrates robust accuracy, while the integration of CFD data in CFD into Experiments GP introduces complexities and more errors. The Multi-Fidelity GP, leveraging both CFD and experimental data, emerges as a promising solution, exhibiting enhanced accuracy in critical flow features. A sensitivity analysis underscores its stability and accuracy, even with reduced measurements. The Multi-Fidelity GP, therefore, stands as a reliable data fusion method for the proposed hybrid measurement technique, offering a potential reduction in instrumentation effort and testing times. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of new turbomachinery designs requires numerous time-consuming and computationally intensive computational fluid dynamics (CFD) calculations. However, most of the generated high spatial resolution data remain unused at later development steps. That is also the case with automated optimization processes that use only a few integral values to determine objectives and constraints. To make further use of this vast amount of CFD data a data-driven AI model based on the Transformer architecture is developed and trained using the available CFD data. The presented method subsequently provides a fast approximation of the 3D flow for new designs. In this paper, the structure of the developed AI model is presented and the approximation quality is analyzed using a complex, state-of-the-art compressor test case. It is shown that the AI model can reproduce many characteristics of the 3D flow of new designs, and performance measures such as efficiency can be derived from these flow predictions. In addition, the complex test case revealed that greater design variation reduces the AI approximation quality which can lead to undesirable exploratory behavior in an optimization setup. Overall, the test case has shown promising results and has provided hints for further improvements to the AI model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ObjectivesIn order to obtain the refined leakage flow of brush seal and reveal its sealing mechanism, the mathematical model of the leakage flow characteristics of brush seals based on the bristle pack staggered tube bundle model was established.MethodsThe leakage flow rate and characteristics inside the bristle pack of brush seal were investigated by numerical solution of Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) and shear stress transport (SST) k-ω turbulence model. The leakage and pressure distribution obtained by numerical simulation agrees well with the experimental data, which verifies the reliability of the numerical method. The leakage flow rate and characteristics inside the bristle pack of brush seal was analyzed at four kinds of pressure ratios and rotational speeds.ResultsWith the increase of pressure ratio, tiny vortex begins to appear inside the bristle pack and gradually develops. The obstruction effect on the leakage flow becomes larger, which slows down the trend of leakage increment with the pressure ratio. In addition, the pressure drop of the last row of bristle accounting for the overall pressure differential increases from 13.1% to 26.3%.ConclusionsIn the studied range of rotational speed, the influence of rotational speed on the leakage of brush seal can be ignored. When the pressure ratio is different, the difference in the radial flow strength of the leakage flow in the gap between the last row of bristle and the backing plate and the axial flow strength at the fence height will lead to the difference in the vortex system structure under the backing plate. The sealing mechanism of the brush seal was revealed using the refined leakage flow inside the bristle pack. The research results can provide reference for the leakage flow analysis of brush seal using three-dimensional staggered tube bundle model.

This paper outlines the update of a turbomachinery course to cover three-dimensional (3D) aerodynamics using a Reynolds-Averaged Navier Stokes solver. Prior to the activities outlined in this paper, the course was taught in a conventional way with a series of lectures and a timed, written, open book examination in a formal exam setting. Students were equipped with a calculator and set of notes including correlations from Howell and Soderberg. The students had around 1 h to answer the turbomachinery question, which was revealed to them only when they opened the paper at the start of the exam. This limited the depth of any aerodynamic problem they could get through and so they were restricted to simple design or analysis exercises. The genesis of the course update was the release in 2017 of "MULTALL OPEN" (Denton, J. D., 2017, "Multall: An Open Source, Computational Fluid Dynamics Based, Turbomachinery Design System," ASME J. Turbomach., 139(12), p. 121001), a freely available turbomachinery design system, and this was adopted as the course software--although other software choices were considered. Students now produce two turbomachinery designs during the course. These are both based on the J85 turbojet--largely to keep cycle calculations to a minimum but it was also important to ensure that students recognize that they were completing a real engineering task. The first task was a 3D aerodynamic design of multistage turbine, which includes compressible flow, tip clearance, and stacking techniques such as lean or sweep. The second task was a midspan (two-dimensional) compressor design. The exact cycle conditions were varied each year to explore design scenarios such as an increase in firing temperature. Assessment was by means of a short report where the best students report on their design choices, provide critical analysis of the design using appropriate postprocessing techniques, and compare their designs to the state of the art in the wider literature. As well as describing the successes and challenges of the update to 3D design methods the paper provides some guidance for educators thinking about adopting a similar approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Turbomachinery plays a vital role in energy conversion systems, with aerodynamic issues being integral to its entire lifecycle, spanning the period of design, validation, and maintenance. Conventionally, the reliance on skilled aerodynamic engineers has been pivotal in the successful development of turbomachines. However, in the current era of burgeoning artificial intelligence (AI) technology, researchers are increasingly turning to AI to replace human expertise and decision-making in these aerodynamic issues and to solve previously intractable aerodynamic problems. This paper presents a systematic literature review of the latest advancements in applying AI to turbomachinery aerodynamics, encompassing the design, validation, and maintenance of compressors and turbines. It underscores how AI is revolutionizing the research paradigm of turbomachinery aerodynamics. AI’s powerful learning capability facilitates more precise and convenient aerodynamic analyses and inspires innovative aerodynamic design ideas that go beyond the capabilities of classical design techniques. Additionally, AI’s autonomous decision-making capability can be employed for aerodynamic optimization and active flow control of turbomachines, generating optimal aerodynamic solutions and complex control strategies that surpass human brains. As a main contribution, we provide a detailed exposition of the future intelligent turbomachinery research and development (R &D) system, along with highlighting potential challenges such as physics embedding, interactive 3D design optimization, and real-time prognoses. It is anticipated that harnessing AI’s full potential will lead to a comprehensive AI-based turbomachinery R &D system in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identifying the optimal chemical composition for unalloyed titanium is the principal objective of this investigation, which seeks to enhance its mechanical properties. To determine the effect of chemical component proportions on mechanical parameters such as modulus, elongation, tensile strength, and yield strength, a comprehensive linear regression analysis is employed in the first step of the approach. The second step is to determine the optimal proportions for enhancing mechanical performance using a fuzzy-based multi-objective optimization approach. The material's behaviour can be better understood if the significant relationships between mechanical properties and chemical component proportions are identified. The application of linear regression analysis can do this. Since fuzzy-based optimization is adept at dealing with imprecise and ambiguous data, it can help with a complex decision-making process that aims to find a middle ground between competing goals. This study adds to our understanding of the relationship between the proportions of the different chemical components and mechanical properties of unalloyed titanium by integrating linear regression and fuzzy-based multi-objective optimization. In addition, it provides material engineers with a workable framework for improving mechanical performance in a variety of contexts through the optimization of component proportions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Non-Linear Harmonics (NLH) technology for simulation of flow in turbomachines is presented. It allows to consider unsteady effects related to blade passing frequencies of adjacent rows. The implementation of the NLH within the 2nd-order higher accuracy control-volume unstructured numerical algorithm realized in the parallel heterogeneous code NOISEtte is given. It includes description of mathematical models, boundary conditions (along with rotor-stator interface), numerical aspects, and accompanying computational techniques. Both explicit and implicit pseudo-time integration algorithms are described. Details of program realization, which follows hybrid MPI+OpenMP parallelization, are considered. The performance of the NLH is demonstrated on test cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of film cooling is crucial to avoid high metal temperatures in gas turbine applications, thus ensuring a high lifetime for vanes and blades. The complex turbulent mixing process between the coolant and the main flow requires an accurate numerical prediction to correctly estimate the impact of ejection conditions on the cooling performance. Recent developments in numerical models aim at using hybrid approaches that combine high precision with low computational cost. This paper is focused on the numerical simulation of a cylindrical film cooling hole that operates at a unitary blowing ratio, with a hot gas Mach number of Ma m = 0.6, while the coolant is characterized by plenum conditions ( Ma c = 0). The adopted numerical approach is the Stress-Blended Eddy Simulation model (SBES), which is a blend between a Reynolds-Averaged Navier–Stokes approach and a modeled Large Eddy Simulation based on the local flow and mesh characteristics. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the ability of the hybrid model to capture the complex mixing between the coolant and the main flow. The cooling performance of the hole is quantified through the film cooling effectiveness, the Net Heat Flux Reduction (NHFR), and the discharge coefficient C D calculation. Numerical results are compared both with the experimental data obtained by the University of Karlsruhe during the EU-funded TATEF2 project and with a Scale Adaptive Simulation (SAS) run on the same computational grid. The use of λ 2 profiles extracted from the flow field allows for isolating the main vortical structures such as horseshoe vortices, counter-rotating vortex pairs (e.g., kidney vortices), Kelvin–Helmholtz instabilities, and hairpin vortices. Eventually, the contribution of the unsteady phenomena occurring at the hole exit section is quantified through Proper Orthogonal Decomposition (POD) and Spectral Proper Orthogonal Decomposition methods (SPOD). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alongside the capability to simulate rotor–stator interactions, a central aspect within the development of frequency-domain methods for turbomachinery flows is the ability of the method to accurately predict rotor–rotor and stator–stator interactions on a single-passage domain. To simulate such interactions, state-of-the-art frequency-domain approaches require one fundamental interblade phase angle, and therefore it can be necessary to resort to multi-passage configurations. Other approaches neglect the cross-coupling of different harmonics. As a consequence, the influence of indexing on the propagation of the unsteady disturbances is not captured. To overcome these issues, the harmonic balance approach based on multidimensional Fourier transforms in time, recently introduced by the authors, is extended in this work to account for arbitrary interblade phase angle ratios on a single-passage domain. To assess the ability of the approach to simulate the influence of indexing on the steady, as well as on the unsteady, part of the flow, the proposed extension is applied to a modern low-pressure fan stage of a civil aero engine under the influence of an inhomogeneous inflow condition. The results are compared to unsteady simulations in the time-domain and to state-of-the-art frequency-domain methods based on one-dimensional discrete Fourier transforms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hybrid-dimensional simulations can balance simulation accuracy and computational costs. However, applying hybrid-dimensional simulations to flight status remains challenging due to weak convergence. In this study, an adaptive integration method for hybrid-dimensional simulations was developed by introducing both adaptive incorporation schemes and polynomial transformations into the existing direct integration method. Experimental validations and T-MATS analysis show that errors in the thrust and specific fuel consumption of throttle characteristics are within 2% and 3%, respectively. Hybrid-dimensional simulations using both adaptive and existing direct integration methods were then applied to predict flight speed and altitude characteristics. Overall, the adaptive integration method demonstrates a broad convergence range for altitude (0-10 km) and speed (0-0.9 Ma) characteristics, requiring 25 iteration steps with co-working errors of less than 10−03. However, the direct integration method covers smaller ranges for altitude (0-1 km) and speed (0-0.4 Ma) characteristics, requiring 50 iteration steps with co-working errors of larger than 10−03. The results indicate that hybrid-dimensional simulations using the adaptive integration method exhibit good stability and convergence in the flight status compared to the direct integration method. Moreover, both the speed and altitude characteristics using the adaptive integration method cost approximately 24 hours on a computer workstation.

This paper discusses various strategies for probabilistic analysis, with a focus on typical engineering applications. The emphasis is on sampling methods and sensitivity analysis. A new sampling method, Latinized particle sampling, is introduced and compared to existing sampling methods. While it can increase the quality of surrogate models, an optimized Latin hypercube sampling is mostly preferable as it shows slightly better results. In sensitivity analysis, the difficulty lies in correlated input variables, which are typical in engineering applications. First, the Sobol indices and the Shapley values are explained using an intuitive example. Then, the modified coefficient of importance is introduced as a new sensitivity measure, which can be used to reliably identify input variables without functional influence. Finally, these results are applied to a turbomachinery test case. In this case, the flow field of a compressor row is investigated, where the blades are subjected to geometric variability. The profile parameters used to describe the geometric variability are correlated. It is shown that the variability of the maximum camber and the thickness of the leading edge have a decisive influence on the variability of the isentropic efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, a combined design of blade and endwall using the Extended Free Form Deformation technique is proposed and implemented on a transonic compressor rotor (the NASA Rotor 67). The best combined design is explored by numerical investigations and optimization via Kriging surrogate model method. As a result, by only modifying the hub and blade under 15 % span, the peak adiabatic efficiency is increased by 0.4 % and the overall aerodynamic performance for all operating conditions is also improved. An analysis shows that the enlarged dihedral angle between the hub and blade restrains boundary layer intersection and development. Meanwhile, the optimized hub changes the pressure distribution and prevents migration of cross-flow. As a result, the low-energy flow in the corner is accelerated downstream and the separation is limited, leading to an effective improvement in throughflow capability and aerodynamic performance in the corner region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When it comes to modern design of turbomachinery, one of the most critical objectives is to achieve higher efficiency and performance by reducing weight, fuel consumption, and noise emissions. This implies the need for reducing the mass and number of the components, by designing thinner, lighter, and more loaded blades. These choices may lead to mechanical issues caused by the fluid–structure interaction, such as flutter and forced response. Due to the periodic aerodynamic loading in rotating components, preventing or predicting resonances is essential to avoid or limit the dangerous vibration of the blades; thus, simulation methods are crucial to study such conditions during the machine design. The purpose of this paper is to assess a numerical approach based on a topology optimization method for the innovative design of a compressor rotor. A fluid-structural optimization process has been applied to a rotor blisk which belongs to a one-and-a-half-stage aeronautical compressor including static and dynamic loads coming from blade rotation and fluid flow interaction. The fluid forcing is computed by some CFD TRAF code, and it is processed via time and space discrete Fourier transform to extract the pressure fluctuation components in a cyclic-symmetry environment. Finally, a topological optimization of the disk is performed, and the encouraging results are presented and discussed. The remarkable mass reduction in the component (≈32%), the mode-shape frequency shift from a fluid forcing frequency, and an overall relevant reduction in the dynamic response around Campbell's crossing confirm the efficacy of the presented methodology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper deals with the reactivation of three test benches of high, medium and low power electric generators for hydraulic energy conversion in the University of Carabobo Hydraulic Laboratory. The method involves three stages: i) Description of three high, medium and low power electric generators for hydraulic energy conversion, ii) Rehabilitation of three high, medium and low power electric generators for hydraulic energy conversion and iii) Evaluation of performance indexes of high, medium and low power electric generators for hydraulic conversion. The results indicate that for the low power electric generator, the position angle of the distributor blades is an experimental factor that has a significant effect on the response variables studied. With respect to the medium and high power electric generators, the most influential factor on operation and power generation is the flow supplied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given the increasing role of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations in the aerothermal design of gas turbine vanes and blades, their rigorous validation is becoming more and more important. This article exploits an experimental database obtained by the von Karman Institute (VKI) for Fluid Dynamics for the LS-94 test case. This represents a film-cooled transonic turbine vane, investigated in a five-vane linear cascade configuration under engine-like conditions in terms of the Reynolds number and Mach number. The experimental characterization included inlet freestream turbulence measured with hot-wire anemometry, aerodynamic performance assessed with a three-hole pressure probe in the downstream section, and vane convective heat transfer coefficient distribution determined with thin-film thermometers. The test matrix included cases without any film-cooling injection, pressure-side injection, and suction-side injection. The CFD simulations were carried out in Ansys Fluent, considering the impact of mesh sizing and steady-state Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) transition modelling, as well as more accurate transient scale-resolving simulations. This work provides insight into the advantages and drawbacks of such approaches for gas turbine hot-gas path designers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pressure gain combustors (PGCs) have demonstrated significant advantages over conventional combustors in gas turbine engines by increasing the thermal efficiency and reducing the pollution emission level. PGCs use shock waves to transfer energy which contributes to the increase in outlet total pressure. One of the major obstacles in the actual implementation of PGCs in the gas turbine cycle is the exploitation of the highly unsteady flow of the combustor outlet with the downstream turbine. Because of the higher outlet temperature from the PGCs, the turbine blade cooling becomes essential. Due to the highly fluctuating unsteady flow of PGCs, 3D CFD simulation of turbines becomes very expensive. In this work, an alternative approach of using a 1D unsteady Euler model for the turbine is proposed. One of the novel aspects of this paper is to implement the turbine blade cooling in the unsteady 1D Euler model. The main parameters required for the turbine blade cooling are the cooling air mass flow rate, temperature, and pressure. Due to the introduction of coolant flow, the blades are no longer adiabatic and the mass flow rate across the turbine is not constant. Comparing the 1D Euler results against zero-dimensional calculation and 3D CFD approach showed a very good match for both steady and unsteady simulations confirming the applicability of the 1D method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When rotating noise sources, such as turbomachinery, are investigated using phased microphone array measurements and beamforming, sidelobes appear on the resulting beamforming maps. Sidelobes can be decreased by increasing the number of microphones. However, if the investigated phenomenon is steady, then there is a cost-effective alternative: performing asynchronous measurements using phased arrays having a limited number of microphones. The single beamforming maps can be combined in order to arrive at results that are superior in resolution and sidelobe levels. This technique has been investigated in the literature, but according to the authors' best knowledge, has not yet been applied to turbomachinery. This article introduces a means for applying the asynchronous measurement technique and the combination methods for rotating noise sources. The combination methods are demonstrated on two rotating point sources (both in simulations and measurements), and then on an axial flow fan test case. In the case of the two rotating point sources, the achievable improvement in resolution, average-, and maximum sidelobe levels are shown as compared to the single results. In the case of the axial flow fan, it is demonstrated that the combination methods provide more reliable noise source locations and reveal further noise sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Driven by the emergence of Graphics Processing Units (GPUs), the solution of increasingly large and intricate numerical problems has become feasible. Yet, the integration of GPUs into Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) codes still presents a significant challenge. This study undertakes an evaluation of the computational performance of GPUs for CFD applications. Two Compute Unified Device Architecture (CUDA)-based implementations within the Open Field Operation and Manipulation (OpenFOAM) environment were employed for the numerical solution of a 3D Kaplan turbine draft tube workbench. A series of tests were conducted to assess the fixed-size grid problem speedup in accordance with Amdahl's Law. Additionally, tests were performed to identify the optimal configuration utilizing various linear solvers, preconditioners, and smoothers, along with an analysis of memory usage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the implementation of a high-order spatial discretization method into a Finite Volume solver is presented. Specific emphasis is put on the analysis of the performance over selected turbomachinery test cases. High-order numerical discretization is achieved by adopting the cell-centered Least-Square reconstruction, which is implemented in the in-house solver HybFlow. The validation of the adopted methodology is performed by assessing the solution of a turbulent flat plate with zero pressure gradient, using a eddy-viscosity transitional model. The test case also evidences the effect of the discretization of gradient-based source terms when a high-order reconstruction methodology is used. In the second part of the paper, the solver is used for the solution of relevant two-dimensional turbomachinery test cases, assessing the impact of 2nd and 3rd order reconstruction on the prediction of the aerodynamics and the heat transfer for respectively a low-pressure blade and a high-pressure turbine vane. It is shown how a high-order reconstruction allows for obtaining a better prediction of turbomachinery aerodynamics, with lower number of elements. The benefits over heat transfer predictions in high Reynolds number conditions are instead limited to the reduction of heat transfer coefficient spikes in under-resolved regions of the blade. Eventually, the methodology is validated for a three-dimensional low-pressure turbine cascade with realistic boundary layer inflow conditions.

A hybrid system that delivers renewable electricity generation and electricity storage capabilities is introduced. This dual-mode hybrid system is based on Pumped Thermal Energy Storage (PTES) which uses a heat pump to convert electricity into thermal energy that is transferred to silica particles which are stored in concrete silos. The stored heat is later converted back to electricity in a heat engine. The heat pump and heat engine use a closed Joule-Brayton cycle and fluidized bed heat exchangers. If the PTES system is co-located with an array of concentrating solar mirrors and a particle receiver, then the silica particles may also be heated up by the concentrating solar power (CSP) system. The PTES heat engine may also be used to convert the stored solar heat into electricity, thereby sharing this system between the PTES and CSP systems and reducing costs. However, this requires careful management of the heat engine off-design parameters. A thermodynamic model is used to evaluate the performance of the dual mode PTES-CSP hybrid system. The model accounts for turbomachinery efficiency, and approach temperature and pressure loss in heat exchangers, as well as other sources of inefficiency, such as motor-generator losses, and air fan power. The hybrid system also requires the evaluation of the turbomachinery efficiency and pressure ratio at off-design conditions since the CSP system operates over different temperature ratios than the Carnot Battery. Several design variables and design modifications are investigated, such as pressure ratios and maximum temperatures.

This paper deals with the reactivation of three test benches of high, medium and low power electric generators for hydraulic energy conversion in the University of Carabobo Hydraulic Laboratory. The method involves three stages: i) Description of three high, medium and low power electric generators for hydraulic energy conversion, ii) Rehabilitation of three high, medium and low power electric generators for hydraulic energy conversion and iii) Evaluation of performance indexes of high, medium and low power electric generators for hydraulic conversion. The results indicate that for the low power electric generator, the position angle of the distributor blades is an experimental factor that has a significant effect on the response variables studied. With respect to the medium and high power electric generators, the most influential factor on operation and power generation is the flow supplied.

Non-axisymmetric endwall contouring has been proved to be an effective flow control technique in turbomachinery. Several different flow control mechanisms and qualitative design strategies have been proposed. The endwall contouring mechanism based on the flow governing equations is significant for exploring the quantitative design strategies of the non-axisymmetric endwall contouring. In this paper, the static pressure redistribution mechanism of endwall contouring was explained based on the radial equilibrium equation. A quantified expression of the static pressure redistribution mechanism was proposed. Compressor cascades were simulated using an experimentally validated numerical method to validate the static pressure redistribution mechanism. A geometric parameter named meridional curvature (Cme) is defined to quantify the concave and convex features of the endwall. Results indicate that the contoured endwall changes the streamline curvature, inducing a centrifugal acceleration. Consequently, the radial pressure gradient is reformed to maintain the radial equilibrium. The convex endwall represented by positive Cme increases the radial pressure gradient, decreasing the endwall static pressure, while the concave endwall represented by negative Cme increases the endwall static pressure. The Cme helps to establish the quantified relation between the change in the endwall radial pressure gradient and the endwall geometry. Besides, there is a great correlation between the distributions of the Cme and the change in the endwall static pressure. It can be concluded that the parameter Cme can be considered as a significant parameter to parameterize the endwall surface and to explore the quantitative design strategies of the non-axisymmetric endwall contouring.

An analysis of the minimum pressure coefficient on the suction side of the axial-flow pump blades is presented as a design criterion. A Matlab code is used to improve the computer aided design process efficiency and quality. X-Foil software determines the blade profiles' lift and drag coefficients, and a computational fluid dynamics model is applied to certify the pump efficiency. The model is validated from the available experimental data in the literature. The finite volume method is used through the commercial software Ansys CFX, in order to solve the model equations. A case study is presented to design the axial-flow pump for a large circulating water channel that will be used to test ships, naval structures, and hydrokinetic turbines. Particular attention is given to the pump cavitation conditions. The model evaluates the minimum pressure coefficient criterion and pressure coefficient distribution on the blade span, showing satisfactory performance for the pump at the design point and at variable speed.

The development of new turbomachinery designs requires numerous time-consuming and computationally intensive computational fluid dynamics (CFD) calculations. However, most of the generated high spatial resolution data remain unused at later development steps. That is also the case with automated optimization processes that use only a few integral values to determine objectives and constraints. To make further use of this vast amount of CFD data a data-driven AI model based on the Transformer architecture is developed and trained using the available CFD data. The presented method subsequently provides a fast approximation of the 3D flow for new designs. In this paper, the structure of the developed AI model is presented and the approximation quality is analyzed using a complex, state-of-the-art compressor test case. It is shown that the AI model can reproduce many characteristics of the 3D flow of new designs, and performance measures such as efficiency can be derived from these flow predictions. In addition, the complex test case revealed that greater design variation reduces the AI approximation quality which can lead to undesirable exploratory behavior in an optimization setup. Overall, the test case has shown promising results and has provided hints for further improvements to the AI model.

This study analyzes the turbomachinery flow of a gas turbine using OpenFOAM, an open-source CFD code. While foam-extend, a version of OpenFOAM, includes tools for turbomachinery analysis, some of its codes are incomplete, resulting in incorrect results. Consequently, this study required the investigation and correction of the solvers and libraries. Specifically, foam-extend-4.1 and a compressible multi-reference-frame solver were utilized. Two primary errors related to temperature calculation were identified. The first error involved temperature discontinuity at the interface between the stator and rotor domain when using the mixingPlane. The second error was related to temperature rising at the wall. To address the temperature discontinuity problem, the rothalpy jump equation in the enthalpyJump code was modified from a scalar product to an inner product of vectors. To resolve the high-temperature problem at the wall, modifications were made to the energy equation code in iEqn.H. A rothalpy separation was introduced, and the rothalpy equation was adjusted to mimic the enthalpy equation. The results obtained with the corrected codes were consistent with those from the commercial code, demonstrating the effectiveness of the modifications.

Additive manufacturing (AM) presents significant cost savings and lead time reductions because of features inherent to the manufacturing process. The technology lends itself to rapid prototyping due to the streamlined workflow of quickly implementing design changes. Compared to traditional machining, AM techniques are simpler in execution for design engineers because they do not require detailed engineering drawings and they typically make use of the nominal geometry in computer models. A novel transonic fan casing assembly has been developed that makes use of AM inserts surrounding the rotor to provide an opportunity to cost-effectively change the corresponding flowpath. The rapid prototyping design philosophy developed from this work will allow for numerous experimental studies into the effects that different design parameters of casing geometries have on fan aerodynamic performance. A fan stage representative of a small turbofan engine was successfully tested with smooth-walled, additively manufactured inserts as a baseline case for future configurations. Before installing the 3D printed casing assembly, computational thermal stress analysis was performed to reduce the risk in implementation due to the demanding environment associated with the rotor. AM components and materials typically have nonlinear mechanical properties, adding to the complexity of the structural analysis. As part of the research, steady aerodynamic performance was measured over the entire relevant operating range of the fan.

An analysis of the minimum pressure coefficient on the suction side of the axialflow pump blades is presented as a design criterion. A Matlab code is used to improve the computer aided design process efficiency and quality. X-Foil software determines the blade profiles' lift and drag coefficients, and a computational fluid dynamics model is applied to certify the pump efficiency. The model is validated from the available experimental data in the literature. The finite volume method is used through the commercial software Ansys CFX, in order to solve the model equations. A case study is presented to design the axialflow pump for a large circulating water channel that will be used to test ships, naval structures, and hydrokinetic turbines. Particular attention is given to the pump cavitation conditions. The model evaluates the minimum pressure coefficient criterion and pressure coefficient distribution on the blade span, showing satisfactory performance for the pump at the design point and at variable speed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogen fuel-cell systems are one of the alternatives for the decarbonization of the transportation sector. In such systems, the usage of O 2 -enriched air has the potential to improve fuel cell performance as well as to reduce degradation phenomena linked to local O 2 starvation. However, the production of an O 2 -enriched air stream implies energy consumption that needs to be evaluated in the overall system efficiency. In this study, the potential of a system including polymeric membranes for O 2 -N 2 separation to produce O 2 -enriched air was evaluated theoretically. First, the balance of plant, including the O 2 -N 2 separation membrane and a two-stage boosting system, was considered. Two sources of energy recovery were identified: a high-pressure H 2 stream and retentate flow (N 2 -rich) at the outlet of the separation membrane. Then, the efficiency of the system was evaluated for different levels of O 2 enrichment, with sensitivities to the main operational and design parameters, i.e., cathode excess O 2 ratio, turbomachinery efficiency, essure ratios. The results show the potential for an O 2 -enriched system if the energy recovered reaches approximately 25% of the additional power consumption induced by the separation membrane. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vortex breakdown occurs in highly swirling flows in various engineering applications, such as hydraulic turbines working in either high-load or part-load conditions, leading to pressure pulsations and performance degradation. In the present study, the formation of a helical vortex breakdown having rotational and plunging components (axial oscillation) in a straight diffuser is investigated with transient simulation from its columnar state to a helical vortex breakdown state. It is similar to the helical precessing vortex rope occurring in hydraulic turbines operating at part-load condition. In addition, considering vortex breakdown as a global instability, a linear global stability analysis of the time-averaged turbulent flow field is conducted for different flow states. The main objective is to understand the role of plunging mode in vortex rope formation in straight draft tubes and identify its differences with the one observed in hydraulic turbines with elbow draft tubes operating at part-load condition. Results showed that in contrast to the elbow draft tubes where the plunging mode appears earlier than the rotating mode, the transient simulation showed that the plunging mode appears after several vortex rope rotations in the straight draft tube. This is confirmed by the stability analysis showing that the flow is unstable to the asymmetrical disturbances with a frequency close to the rotating frequency not the plunging ones. Finally, the stability analysis showed a higher critical flow rate than the one obtained from the contour of local swirl number and time history of pressure and velocity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cross-Flow Fans (CFFs) have been widely applied in the automotive and domestic air conditioning industries in recent decades. They are high-pressure coefficient turbomachines compacted diametrically, and thus, the complex interactions of these fans require thorough evaluation. Their innovation has opened up new directions in turbomachinery, and both academic research and industry have seen numerous efforts to develop these types of fans. Despite extensive work, optimizing and improving their performance remains a challenge. Enhancing their efficiency necessitates improvements in structural characteristics, aerodynamic features, and acoustic properties. In this review, we aim to demonstrate the essential aspects of CFFs by introducing their fundamentals and primary characteristics. Furthermore, we delve into a discussion on the acoustic performance of these fans. We also summarize the flow characteristics and different flow-field patterns in CFFs and their impact on aeroacoustic behavior. The main objective of this review paper is to provide an overview of the research in this field, summarizing the critical factors that play a significant role in studying CFFs' performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A supercritical CO2 (S-CO2) Brayton cycle is expected to have high compactness, simple configuration, and competitive efficiency. These advantages originated from CO2 nonideal gas properties near the critical point. However, the strong real gas effect makes the design challenging. Among components, turbomachinery is most affected by the real gas effects of S-CO2. In order to obtain accurate design of the turbomachinery, accurate loss models are needed. Windage loss is one of the external losses that determines the motor load and is responsible for heat generation due to friction. The overall turbomachinery efficiency is greatly affected by the windage loss especially in an S-CO2 power cycle due to high fluid density and high rotational speed. Therefore, an accurate windage loss model that can reflect the real gas effect of CO2 near the critical point is essential to obtain accurate design of the turbomachinery as well as the power cycle. In this paper, existing windage loss models are compared under S-CO2 conditions first, and the applicability of each model is evaluated. The comparison is to understand how much turbomachinery performance uncertainty can be expected due to the windage loss models and to suggest the way to improve the models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to reduce exit swirl and obtain the desired Mach number, axial exit guide vanes (EGV) are often employed in a centrifugal compressor. NASA CC3 compressor, with wedge vane diffuser and without EGV, is considered as the base model for the analysis and validation. An axial flow domain with exit guide vane is added to this base model after the diffuser outlet to study the effect on the compressor performance. The performance of exit guide vane with different profiles: flat plate, symmetric wedge, circular arc, and airfoil vane profiles by maintaining the same chord, number of vanes, and flow angle of the vanes are studied. Numerical simulations are carried out with 60 number of exit guide vanes for all four types of vanes. Among several combinations, when the centrifugal compressor is equipped with 60 circular arc vanes as EGV, the efficiency and pressure recovery values at the design point have increased by 6.5% and 8.9%, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A turbine vane frame is a special type of intermediate turbine duct, and is one option to improve the efficiency and reduce the length and weight of an aero-engine. However, due to its geometry, it features a complex flow field, and therefore in-depth aerodynamic investigations are necessary. Especially for aviation, every component needs to function reliably during all operating points. To perform this study at the Institute for Thermal Turbomachinery at the Graz University of Technology, the Subsonic Test Turbine Facility for Aerodynamic, Aeroacoustic and Aeroelastic Investigations was equipped with a turbine vane frame and a low-pressure turbine located downstream. Measurements were taken with aerodynamic five-hole probes for three operating points, and were compared with steady-state and transient simulations as well as analytic solutions for the pressure drop in the TVF. Finally, the most important loss mechanisms are described. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Numerical optimization methods are widely used for designing turbomachinery components due to the cost and time savings they can provide. In the available literature, the shape optimization of radial compressors mainly focuses on improving the impeller alone. However, it is well-established knowledge that the volute plays a key role in the overall performance of the compressor. The aim of the present paper is to perform an adjoint-based optimization of a volute that is designed for the SRV2-O compressor. The CAD model was first created by using the parametrization of 33 design parameters. Then, a butterfly topology was applied to mesh the computational domain with a multi-block structured grid, and an elliptic smoothing procedure was used to improve the quality of the fluid grid. A steady-state RANS CFD solver with a Spalart-Allmaras turbulence model was used to solve the Navier–Stokes equations, and then the flow sensitivities were computed with an adjoint solver. The objective function consists of minimizing the loss coefficient of the volute. The optimization is performed to obtain an improved design with a 14% loss reduction. A detailed flow and design analysis is carried out to highlight the loss reduction mechanisms, followed by the optimizer. Finally, the compressor map of the full stage is compared between the baseline and the optimized volute from the CFD simulations using a mixing plane interface. This research demonstrates the successful use of a gradient-based optimization technique to improve the volute of a radial compressor and opens the door towards simultaneously optimizing the wheel and the volute. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Considerable progress has been achieved in recent decades in understanding the phenomena related to the onset of condensation in steam flows, both experimentally and especially numerically. Nevertheless, there is still a certain disagreement between the different numerical models used. Unfortunately, the available experimental validation data are not sufficiently detailed to allow for proper validation of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations. Therefore, this paper presents new experimental data for condensing steam flows, acquired in a supersonic nozzle according to Barschdorff, at the Institute of Thermal Turbomachinery Laboratory (ITSM) at the University of Stuttgart. A steady inlet pressure of approximately 784 mbar was set for three inlet temperatures down to 100.2   ∘ C . Condensation onset is accurately captured across the nozzle, using down to 1 mm spatial resolution for both pneumatic and light spectra measurements. CFD simulations were performed using the commercial solver ANSYS CFX. The droplet diameters are numerically overestimated by approximately a factor of 1.5. Disagreement has been found between original Barschdorff's experiments and measurements at ITSM. However, there is a good agreement in terms of the pressure distribution along the nozzle axis between experimental and numerical results. The reproducibility of the results is excellent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]