Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering (MSME), Wright State University, 2019, Mechanical Engineering

A primary source of periodic unsteadiness in low-pressure turbines is the wakes shed from upstream blade rows due to the relative motion between adjacent stators and rotors. These periodic perturbations can affect boundary layer transition, secondary flow, and loss generation. In particular, for high-lift front-loaded blades, the secondary flowfield is characterized by strong three-dimensional vortical structures. It is important to understand how these flow features respond to periodic disturbances. A novel approach was taken to generate periodic unsteadiness which captures some of the physics of turbomachinery wakes. Using stationary pneumatic devices, pulsed jets were used to generate disturbances characterized by velocity deficit, elevated turbulence, and spanwise vorticity. Prior to application in a turbine flow environment, the concept was explored in a small developmental wind tunnel using a single device. The disturbance flowfield for different input settings was measured using hot-film anemometry and Particle Image Velocimetry. Insight was also garnered on how to improve later design iterations. With an array of devices installed upstream of a linear cascade of high-lift front-loaded turbine blades, settings were found which produced similar disturbances at varying frequencies that periodically impinged upon the leading-edge region. These settings were used to conduct an in-passage secondary flow study using high-speed Stereoscopic Particle Image Velocimetry. Results demonstrated the application of the periodic unsteadiness generator but found minor changes to the passage vortex. The vortex rotational strength decreased, and migration increased with increased perturbation frequency. Fourier analyses found the PV to be responsive at the actuation frequency with phase-locked ensemble-averaged data revealing that the disturbance periodically caused the PV to lose rotational strength. However, at the tested discrete frequencies, the vortex did not become locked (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Mitch Wolff Ph.D. (Advisor); Rolf Sondergaard Ph.D. (Committee Member); Christopher Marks Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Aerospace Engineering; Engineering; Experiments; Fluid Dynamics; Mechanical Engineering

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 1987, Graduate School

Committee: Not Provided (Other) Subjects: Engineering

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 1982, Graduate School

Committee: Not Provided (Other) Subjects: Engineering

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 1978, Graduate School

Committee: Not Provided (Other) Subjects: Engineering

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 1970, Graduate School

Committee: Not Provided (Other) Subjects: Engineering

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2015, Aero/Astro Engineering

One of the most pervasive threats to aircraft controllability is wing stall, a condition associated with loss of lift due to separation of air flow from the wing surface at high angles of attack. A recognized need for improved upset recovery training in extended-envelope flight simulators is a physical understanding of the post-stall aerodynamic environment, particularly key flow phenomena which influence the vehicle trajectory. Large-scale flow structures known as stall cells, which scale with the wing chord and are spatially-periodic along the span, have been previously observed on post-stall airfoils with trailing-edge separation present. Despite extensive documentation of stall cells in the literature, the physical mechanisms behind their formation and evolution have proven to be elusive. The undertaken study has sought to characterize the inherently turbulent separated flow existing above the wing surface with cell formation present. In particular, the question of how the unsteady separated flow may interact with the wing to produce time-averaged cellular surface patterns is considered. Time-resolved, two-component particle image velocimetry measurements were acquired at the plane of symmetry of a single stall cell formed on an extruded NACA 0015 airfoil model at chord Reynolds number of 560,000 to obtain insight into the time-dependent flow structure. The evolution of flow unsteadiness was analyzed over a static angle-of-attack range covering the narrow post-stall regime in which stall cells have been observed. Spectral analysis of velocity fields acquired near the stall angle confirmed a low-frequency flow oscillation previously detected in pointwise surface measurements by Yon and Katz (1998), corresponding to a Strouhal number of 0.042 based on frontal projected chord height. Probability density functions of the streamwise velocity component were used to estimate the convective speed of this mode at approximately half the free-stream velocity, in (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: James Gregory Ph.D. (Advisor); Jeffrey Bons Ph.D. (Committee Member); Mo Samimy Ph.D. (Committee Member); Jen-Ping Chen Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Aerospace Engineering; Fluid Dynamics

PhD, University of Cincinnati, 2013, Engineering and Applied Science: Aerospace Engineering

The impact blade row interactions can have on the performance of compressor rotors has been well documented. It is also well known that rotor tip clearance flows can have a large effect on compressor performance and stall margin and recent research has shown that tip leakage flows can exhibit self-excited unsteadiness at near stall conditions. However, the impact of tip leakage flow on the performance and operating range of a compressor rotor, relative to other important flow features such as upstream stator wakes or downstream potential effects, has not been explored. To this end, a numerical investigation has been conducted to determine the effects of self-excited tip flow unsteadiness, upstream stator wakes, and downstream blade row interactions on the performance prediction of low speed and transonic compressor rotors. Calculations included a single blade-row rotor configuration as well as two multi-blade row configurations: one where the rotor was modeled with an upstream stator and a second where the rotor was modeled with a downstream stator. Steady-state and time accurate calculations were performed using a RANS solver and the results were compared with detailed experimental data obtained in the GE Low Speed Research Compressor and the Notre Dame Transonic Rig at several operating conditions including near stall. Differences in the performance predictions between the three configurations were then used to determine the effect of the upstream stator wakes and the downstream blade row interactions. Results obtained show that for both the low speed and transonic research compressors used in this investigation time-accurate RANS analysis is necessary to accurately predict the stalling character of the rotor. Additionally, for the first time it is demonstrated that capturing the unsteady tip flow can have a larger impact on rotor performance predictions than adjacent blade row interactions.

Committee: Paul Orkwis Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Christopher Noll Ph.D. (Committee Member); Shaaban Abdallah Ph.D. (Committee Member); Mark Turner Sc.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Aerospace Materials

Master of Science in Engineering (MSEgr), Wright State University, 2010, Mechanical Engineering

Unsteady flow and its effects on the boundary layer of a low pressure turbine blade is complex in nature. The flow encountered in a low pressure turbine contains unstructured free-stream turbulence, as well as structured periodic perturbations caused by upstream vane row wake shedding. Researchers have shown that these conditions strongly influence turbine blade performance and boundary layer separation, especially at low Reynolds numbers. In order to simulate these realistic engine conditions and to study the effects of periodic unsteadiness, a moving bar wake generator has been designed and characterized for use in the Air Force Research Labs low speed wind tunnel. The layout is similar to other traditional squirrel cage designs, however, the entire wake generator is enclosed inside the wind tunnel, up-stream of a linear cascade. The wake shed from the wake generator was characterized by its momentum deficit, wake width, and peak velocity deficit. It is shown that the wakes produce a periodic unsteadiness that is consistent with other wake generator designs. The effect of the periodic disturbances on turbine blade performance has been investigated at low Reynolds number using the highly loaded, AFRL designed L1A low pressure turbine profile. Wake loss measurements, pressure coefficient distribution, and particle image velocimetry was used to quantify the L1A blade performance with unsteady wakes at a Reynolds number of 25,000 with 0.5% and 3.4% free-stream turbulence. Wake loss data showed that the inclusion of periodic wakes reduced the profile losses by 56% compared to steady flow losses. Previous pressure coefficient distributions showed that the L1A blade profile, under steady flow conditions, has non-reattaching separated flow along the suction surface. With the inclusion of the periodic wakes, the pressure coefficient profile revealed that the flow separation had been dramatically reduced to a small separation bubble. The wake passing event was split into si (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Mitch Wolff PhD (Committee Chair); James Menart PhD (Committee Member); Haibo Dong PhD (Committee Member); Rolf Sondergaard PhD (Committee Member); George Huang PhD (Other); John Bantle PhD (Other) Subjects: Engineering; Fluid Dynamics; Mechanical Engineering; Technology

Master of Science, The Ohio State University, 2009, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering

Detailed pressure and velocity measurements were acquired at Rec = 20,000 with 3% inlet free stream turbulence intensity to study the effects of position, phase and forcing frequency of vortex generator jets employed on an aft-loaded low-pressure turbine blade in the presence of impinging wakes. The L1A blade has a design Zweifel coefficient of 1.34 and a suction peak at 58% axial chord, making it an aft-loaded pressure distribution. At this Reynolds number, the blade exhibits a non-reattaching separation region beginning at 60% axial chord under steady flow conditions without upstream wakes. Wakes shed by an upstream vane row are simulated with a moving row of cylindrical bars at a flow coefficient of 0.91. Impinging wakes thin the separation zone and delay separation by triggering transition in the separated shear layer, although the flow does not reattach. Instead, at sufficiently high forcing frequencies, a new time-mean separated shear layer position is established which begins at approximately 72%Cx. Reductions in area-averaged wake total pressure loss of more than 75% were documented. One objective of this study was to compare pulsed flow control using two rows of discrete vortex generator jets (VGJs). The VGJs are located at 59%Cx, approximately the peak Cp location, and at 72%Cx. Effective separation control was achieved at both locations. In both cases, wake total pressure loss decreased 35% from the wake only level and the shape of the Cp distribution indicates that the cascade recovers its high Reynolds number (attached flow) performance. The most effective separation control was achieved when actuating at 59%Cx where the VGJ disturbance dominates the dynamics of the separated shear layer, with the wake disturbance assuming a secondary role only. On the other hand, when actuating at 72%Cx, the efficacy of VGJ actuation is derived from the relative mean shear layer position and jet penetration. When the pulsed jet actuation (25% duty cycle) was initiated (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Jeffrey Bons PhD (Advisor); James Gregory PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Aerospace Materials; Engineering; Fluid Dynamics; Mechanical Engineering