This paper deals with a numerical study aimed at the characterization of hot-gas ingestion through turbine rim seals. The numerical campaign focused on an experimental facility which models ingress through the rim seal into the upstream wheel-space of an axial-turbine stage. Single-clearance arrangements were considered in the form of axial- and radial-seal gap configurations. With the radial-seal clearance configuration, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) steady-state solutions were able to predict the system sealing effectiveness over a wide range of coolant mass flow rates reasonably well. The greater insight of flow field provided by the computations illustrates the thermal buffering effect when ingress occurs: For a given sealing flow rate, the effectiveness on the rotor was significantly higher than that on the stator due to the axial flow of hot gases from stator to rotor caused by pumping effects. The predicted effectiveness on the rotor was compared with a theoretical model for the thermal buffering effect showing good agreement. When the axial-seal clearance arrangement is considered, the agreement between CFD and experiments worsens; the variation of sealing effectiveness with coolant flow rate calculated by means of the simulations displays a distinct kink. It was found that the “kink phenomenon” can be ascribed to an overestimation of the egress spoiling effects due to turbulence modeling limitations. Despite some weaknesses in the numerical predictions, the paper shows that CFD can be used to characterize the sealing performance of axial- and radial-clearance turbine rim seals.
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March 2017
Research-Article
Numerical Characterization of Hot-Gas Ingestion Through Turbine Rim Seals
Riccardo Da Soghe,
Riccardo Da Soghe
Ergon Research s.r.l.,
Via Panciatichi 92,
Florence 50127, Italy
e-mail: riccardo.dasoghe@ergonresearch.it
Via Panciatichi 92,
Florence 50127, Italy
e-mail: riccardo.dasoghe@ergonresearch.it
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Cosimo Bianchini,
Cosimo Bianchini
Ergon Research s.r.l.,
Via Panciatichi 92,
Florence 50127, Italy
Via Panciatichi 92,
Florence 50127, Italy
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Carl M. Sangan,
Carl M. Sangan
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
University of Bath,
Bath BA2 7AY, UK
University of Bath,
Bath BA2 7AY, UK
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James A. Scobie,
James A. Scobie
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
University of Bath,
Bath BA2 7AY, UK
University of Bath,
Bath BA2 7AY, UK
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Gary D. Lock
Gary D. Lock
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
University of Bath,
Bath BA2 7AY, UK
University of Bath,
Bath BA2 7AY, UK
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Riccardo Da Soghe
Ergon Research s.r.l.,
Via Panciatichi 92,
Florence 50127, Italy
e-mail: riccardo.dasoghe@ergonresearch.it
Via Panciatichi 92,
Florence 50127, Italy
e-mail: riccardo.dasoghe@ergonresearch.it
Cosimo Bianchini
Ergon Research s.r.l.,
Via Panciatichi 92,
Florence 50127, Italy
Via Panciatichi 92,
Florence 50127, Italy
Carl M. Sangan
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
University of Bath,
Bath BA2 7AY, UK
University of Bath,
Bath BA2 7AY, UK
James A. Scobie
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
University of Bath,
Bath BA2 7AY, UK
University of Bath,
Bath BA2 7AY, UK
Gary D. Lock
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
University of Bath,
Bath BA2 7AY, UK
University of Bath,
Bath BA2 7AY, UK
Contributed by the Turbomachinery Committee of ASME for publication in the JOURNAL OF ENGINEERING FOR GAS TURBINES AND POWER. Manuscript received June 28, 2016; final manuscript received July 28, 2016; published online October 11, 2016. Editor: David Wisler.
J. Eng. Gas Turbines Power. Mar 2017, 139(3): 032602 (9 pages)
Published Online: October 11, 2016
Article history
Received:
June 28, 2016
Revised:
July 28, 2016
Citation
Da Soghe, R., Bianchini, C., Sangan, C. M., Scobie, J. A., and Lock, G. D. (October 11, 2016). "Numerical Characterization of Hot-Gas Ingestion Through Turbine Rim Seals." ASME. J. Eng. Gas Turbines Power. March 2017; 139(3): 032602. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4034540
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