Investigation of shock-boundary layer interactions in supersonic axial turbines

• Grant number: 21/14199-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Doctorate
• Start date: May 01, 2022
• End date: April 30, 2023
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Aerospace Engineering - Aerodynamics
• Principal Investigator: William Roberto Wolf
• Grantee: Hugo Felippe da Silva Lui
• Supervisor: Datta V. Gaitonde
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Engenharia Mecânica (FEM). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Ohio State University, United States
• Associated to the scholarship: 19/26196-5 - Large-eddy simulations of supersonic axial turbines, BP.DR

Abstract

The present proposal describes the research plan associated to the research internship (BEPE) of student Hugo Felippe da Silva Lui. Hugo Lui will be develop his research in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at The Ohio State University (OSU), Columbus, Ohio, USA. During this period, he will work under the supervision of Prof. Datta Gaitonde, head of the High-Fidelity Computational Multi-Physics Laboratory, who has extensive expertise in the fields of high-performance computing, shock-boundary layer interaction and analysis of high-speed flows, which are topics related to the current research proposal. Professor Gaitonde is a Fellow of the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), and the American Society of Mechanical Engineering (ASME). In this project, we aim to combine high-fidelity flow simulations and post-processing techniques for the investigation of shock-boundary layer interactions (SBLIs) on supersonic axial turbines. This phenomenon occurs in transonic, supersonic and hypersonic vehicles as well as in novel concepts of supersonic turbomachinery. In these flow applications, SBLIs may lead to intense thermal loading and subsequent structural fatigue. Moreover, SBLI is commonly associated with strong unsteadiness due to shock motion and flow separation which may also compromise the system structural integrity. In internal supersonic passages, SBLIs are also responsible for total pressure losses and significant heat exchange near the blade surface. In this study, we will perform large eddy simulations (LES) of axial turbine cascades to investigate the SBLI mechanism found in turbomachinery passages exposed to inlet supersonic flow conditions. In particular, we will focus on the low-frequency unsteadiness and turbulence amplification mechanisms that occur in the stator passage. Simulations will be performed at different flow conditions to investigate the effects of Reynolds number besides thermal boundary conditions. It is worthwhile to mention that high-fidelity simulations of supersonic axial turbines are not available in the literature. Therefore, this work will bring contributions to the topic of SBLI with applications to more realistic configurations. Advanced post-processing techniques will also be employed to provide a better understanding of the SBLI mechanisms occurring in linear cascades of supersonic stator passages. (AU)