Numerical study of transitional flows in the soffit of turbine blades with heat transfer

• Grant number: 24/04302-6
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: August 01, 2024
• End date: July 31, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Mechanical Engineering - Transport Phenomena
• Principal Investigator: Larissa Ferreira Marques
• Grantee: Larissa Ferreira Marques
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências (FC). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Bauru. Bauru , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Jorge Manuel Peixinho ; Josuel Kruppa Rogenski ; Leandro Franco de Souza ; Vinicius Malatesta

Abstract

Flows in turbomachinery are often characterized by different physical phenomena. As an example we have the laminar-turbulent transition. Experimental studies on turbines indicate that the laminar-turbulent transition can extend over 60% of the chord of a turbine blade. A good estimate to correctly predict the location of the transition is essential to obtain an improvement in turbine efficiency. In general, thedetailed study of a flow around a turbine blade is divided into two parts: blade extractor (convex part) and blade soffit (concave part). For the present study, the current goal aims to investigate the turbine blade soffit using numerical simulations. Flows on this type of surface are subjected to centrifugal instability, which may lead to formation of longitudinal vortices known as the Görtler vortices. These vortices are responsible for generating strong distortions in the velocity profiles and, consequently, in the temperature profiles. In the case of turbine blades, the flow is also subjectto a pressure gradient, and a variation in the radius of curvature of the wall. The detailed study of these effects on the formation and development of Görtler vortices are the main objectives of this research. For this, a high-order pseudo-spectral numerical code (High Order Parallel code - HOPe) will be adopted to numerically solve the Navier-Stokes equation. It is expected to obtain results that clarify the physical phenomenon in question. (AU)