Effect of Aerodynamic Blade Change of Two-Stage Axial Subsonic Turbine on Design Point

In this research for reducing the effect of losses and increasing the efficiency, the bowing in the rotor and stator blades is used. In one mode rotor blades are curved and in other one, stator blades are curved. The amount of rotor loss, due to changes in the thickness of the trailing edge and operating rotational speed, have been investigated. To confirm the accuracy of the results, a turbine stage whose experimental results are available is modeled and numerical results have been compared with experimental results that indicate acceptable compliance. The turbulence model k-w-SST is used to solve turbulent flow. The positive bowing, creates a pressure gradient from the two ends of the blade towards the center of the blade, which leads to the directing of the secondary flows toward the center of the blade. This reduces the losses in the two ends of the blade and increases the loss in the middle part of the blade. Increasing the thickness of the trailing edge, as well as increasing the turbine’s operating rotational speed, will increase the loss. The curved rotor increases the efficiency and mass flow and power by 0.4% and 0.5% and 0.8% respectively and the curved nozzle reduces the efficiency and power by 0.3% and 4.9% but increases the mass flow by 0.2%. It also increases the thickness of the trailing edge of the first rotor from 0.2mm to 0.9mm at 24000 rotational speed and increases the total loss by about 35%.

Keywords:

Aerodynamic Blade Changes , Axial Turbine , Blade Bowing , CFD