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Deficient performances of turbocharger compressors inside turbo-charged engines limit the behaviour of the drive train. This problem has shifted the design space for compressors towards their performance at part-speed and low-flow conditions. The most dominant feature of these flow conditions is inlet recirculation. It causes a large portion of flow to be expelled through the rotor inlet, creating a blockage ring on the casing. While on the one hand, inlet recirculation is the main loss-source at low-speed and low-flow within centrifugal compressors, on the other hand, it also keeps the compressors functioning because it reduces incidence. This thesis aimed towards increasing the understanding of inlet recirculation, with the scope on improving the part-speed, low-flow performance of automotive turbocharger compressors. The phenomenon was investigated regarding its key features, the conditions at which it occurs and its impact on performance. Furthermore, a reduced order model was derived and the influence of the tip gap size as a design parameter was analysed. The research was carried out on an automotive turbocharger compressor which was investigated experimentally and numerically. Inlet recirculation is a phenomenon which takes place in the tip region of the rotor, extending far downstream and far upstream of the leading edge. The flow within the recirculation bubble features a strong positive swirl component, affecting the work input into the machine. The phenomenon is non-periodic in a time-averaged sense. An investigation of the rotor flow-field regarding inlet recirculation, carried out for the first time, revealed that the starting point of inlet recirculation is located far inside the rotor passage. An analysis based on mass, momentum and energy allowed the derivation of a low-order model to account for inlet recirculation in preliminary design. In the compressor map, inlet recirculation was present over 40% of the map width at low speeds. It maintained its presence with increasing rotor speed beyond the point where the inlet flow became transonic. The losses in the inlet recirculation zone were shown to be up to 35% of the total compressor loss at low speed. A loss analysis showed that inlet recirculation was the main loss source at low-flow conditions. The tip clearance study showed that the size and intensity of inlet recirculation was independent of the tip gap size. Efficiency gains due to reduced tip leakage were marginalised by the presence of inlet recirculation but the rotor maintained enhanced pressure rise capabilities for reduced tip gap sizes.

A generalized grid based technique was developed for handling the relative motion of grids in CFD simulations involving rotating machineries. In the present method, the relative motion between the grid blocks is handled by splitting the cellaces at the interface and updating the grid data structure appropriately. The resulting grid will have cells and cellaces with an arbitrary number of nodes and which are stored in a cellace based data structure. The current methodology is developed for cells with any number of nodes. However, the present work supports only tetrahedral elements at the interface of the rotating grid-blocks at the beginning of the simulation. Also the present approach can handle multiple objects in the domain of interest which are rotating in arbitrary directions. The current approach was tested by rotating a generalized grid for a single un-ducted SR7 propeller with eight blades designed with 41 degrees of sweep at the tip. This was also tested for two counter rotating SR7 propellers. After every rotation the new grid was tested for negative volumes, folded cellaces, proper connectivity of nodes forming the cellaces, and for gaps. Preliminary work has been conducted to couple the grid generation strategy to a generalized grid based flow solver.

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Erosion and deposition in gas turbine engines are functions of particle/wall interactions and the Coefficient of Restitution (COR) is a fundamental property of these interactions. COR depends on impact velocity, angle of impact, temperature, particle composition, and wall material. In the first study, a novel Particle Tracking Velocimetry (PTV) / Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) hybrid method for measuring COR has been developed which is simple, cost-effective, and robust. A Laser-Camera system is used in the Virginia Tech Aerothermal Rig to measure microparticles velocity. The method solves for particle impact velocity at the surface by numerical methods. The methodology presented here characterizes a difficult problem by a combination of established techniques, PTV and CFD, which have not been used in this capacity before. The current study characterizes the fundamental behavior of sand at different impact angles. Two sizes of Arizona Road Dust (ARD) and one size of Glass beads are impacted on to 304-Stainless Steel. The particles are entrained into a free jet of 27m/s at room temperature. Mean results compare favorably with trends established in literature. This technique to measure COR of microparticle sand will help develop a computational model and serve as a baseline for further measurements at elevated, engine representative air and wall temperatures. In the second study, ARD is injected into a hot flow field at temperatures of 533oK, 866oK, and 1073oK to measure the effects of high temperature on particle rebound. The results are compared with baseline measurements at ambient temperature made in the VT Aerothermal Rig, as well as previously published literature. The effects of increasing temperature and velocity led to a 12% average reduction in total COR at 533oK (47m/s), a 15% average reduction at 866oK (77m/s), and a 16% average reduction at 1073oK (102m/s) compared with ambient results. From these results it is shown that a power law relationship may not conclusively fit the COR vs temperature/velocity trend at oblique angles of impact. The decrease in COR appeared to be almost entirely a result of increased velocity that resulted from heating the flow. / Ph. D.

In order to eliminate or reduce vibration problems inturbomachines without a high increase in the complexity of thevibratory behavior, the adjacent airfoils around the wheel areoften mechanically connected together with lacing wires, tip orpart-span shrouds in a number of identical sectors. Although anaerodynamic stabilizing effect of tying airfoils together ingroups on the whole cascade is indicated by numerical andexperimental studies, for some operating conditions suchsectored vane cascade can still remain unstable. The goal of the present work is to investigate thepossibilities of a sectored vane cascade to undergoself-excited vibrations or flutter. The presented method forpredicting the aerodynamic response of a sectored vane cascadeis based on the aerodynamic work influence coefficientrepresentation of freestanding blade cascade. The sectored vaneanalysis assumes that the vibration frequency is the same forall blades in the sectored vane, while the vibration amplitudesand mode shapes can be different for each individual blade inthe sector. Additionally, the vibration frequency as well asthe amplitudes and mode shapes are supposed to be known. The aerodynamic analysis of freestanding blade cascade isperformed with twodimensional inviscid linearized flow model.As far as feasible the study is supported by non-linear flowmodel analysis as well as by performing comparisons againstavailable experimental data in order to minimize theuncertainties of the numerical modeling on the physicalconclusions of the study. As has been shown for the freestanding low-pressure turbineblade, the blade mode shape gives an important contributioninto the aerodynamic stability of the cascade. During thepreliminary design, it has been recommended to take intoaccount the mode shape as well rather than only reducedfrequency. In the present work further investigation using foursignificantly different turbine geometries makes these findingsmore general, independent from the low-pressure turbine bladegeometry. The investigation also continues towards a sectoredvane cascade. A parametrical analysis summarizing the effect ofthe reduced frequency and real sector mode shape is carried outfor a low-pressure sectored vane cascade for differentvibration amplitude distributions between the airfoils in thesector as well as different numbers of the airfoils in thesector. Critical (towards flutter) reduced frequency maps areprovided for torsion- and bending-dominated sectored vane modeshapes. Utilizing such maps at the early design stages helps toimprove the aerodynamic stability of low-pressure sectoredvanes. A special emphasis in the present work is put on theimportance for the chosen unsteady inviscid flow model to bewell-posed during numerical calculations. The necessity for thecorrect simulation of the far-field boundary conditions indefining the stability margin of the blade rows isdemonstrated. Existing and new-developed boundary conditionsare described. It is shown that the result of numerical flowcalculations is dependent more on the quality of boundaryconditions, and less on the physical extension of thecomputational domain. Keywords: Turbomachinery, Aerodynamics,Unsteady CFD, Design, Flutter, Low-Pressure Turbine, Blade ModeShape, Critical Reduced Frequency, Sectored Vane Mode Shape,Vibration Amplitude Distribution, Far-field 2D Non-ReflectingBoundary Conditions. omain. Keywords:Turbomachinery, Aerodynamics, Unsteady CFD,Design, Flutter, Low-Pressure Turbine, Blade Mode Shape,Critical Reduced Frequency, Sectored Vane Mode Shape, VibrationAmplitude Distribution, Far-field 2D Non-Reflecting BoundaryConditions.

As fuel prices soar ever higher, aircraft manufacturers and their airline customers demand that the next generation of engines used on their aircraft push the limits of efficiency and capability. This study consists of a computational examination of two currently accepted methods of axial compressor performance improvement in terms of surge margin and efficiency, rotor casing treatments and stator land seals.ADPAC and Fluent CFD solvers were used in the analysis of circumferential groove casing treatments and two types of stator seals, one typical of a front stage stator and one typical of a rear stage stator. The computational solutions and visualizations allowed for greater understanding of the complex flows inherent in each of these features. It was found that rotor tip vortex control plays a large part in the surge margin gains from a circumferential groove casing treatment. The efficiency gains of knife seals were dependent primarily on the gap size of the seals.

Résumé: Le comportement des turbomachines (pompes, compresseurs) fonctionnant à des conditions hors conception, et particulièrement aux débits partiels, est sujet à des phénomènes d'instabilité qui pourraient affecter leur performance et peuvent être dramatiques pour les machines ou leur environnement. Cette étude se concentre sur la décrochage tournant dans un diffuseur lisse radial. L'objectif est proposer un modèle théorique pour prédire rapidement les caractéristiques de décrochage tournant. Une étude expérimentale est effectuée en premier pour obtenir les caractéristiques de décrochage tournant dans un transparent diffuseur lisse d’une roué radiale. L'effet de décrochage tournant sur la performance du diffuseur est discuté basé sur les mesures de pression statique. Le résultat montre que décrochage tournant amélioré la récupération de la diffuseur pression, et les raisons sont proposes. Basé sur la configuration expérimentale, une analyse de stabilité linéaire qui est construit par l'équation de continuité, l'équation de la quantité de mouvement et les équations de vorticité, est propose. Les caractéristiques expérimentales de décrochage tournant: le nombre et la vitesse de propagation des cellules de décrochage tournant, sont calculés théoriquement. Le taux de croissance dans le modèle linéaire, est proposé pour déterminer la critique condition de décrochage tournant, et le dominant mode de décrochage tournant lorsque différents modes existent par intermittence. La théorique vitesse et pression fluctuations sont tracées pour décrire le débit du diffuseur à l'état de décrochage. Les capacités et les limites de la linéaire stabilité analyse sont conclues par la comparaison entre les résultats théoriques et expérimentaux. Ensuit, une non linéaire stabilité analyse est étendue pour considérer les non linéaires combinaisons qui sont négligées dans le modèle linéaire. L'objectif est donner des corrections (par termes non linéaires) aux résultats linéaires, les conclusions et les discussions sont faites à la fin. / Abstract:The behavior of work-absorbing turbomachines (pumps, compressors) operating at off design conditions, and especially at partial flow rates, is subject to instability phenomena that could affect their performance and can be dramatic for the machines or their environment. This study is focused on the rotating stall in the vaneless diffuser, the objective is to propose a theoretical model to fast predict the characteristics of such an instability. An experimental study is performed first to obtain those characteristics of rotating stall in a transparent vaneless diffuser of a radial impeller. The effect of rotating stall on the diffuser performance is discussed based on the static pressure measurements. The result shows rotating stall improved the diffuser pressure recovery, and the reasons are proposed. Based on the experimental setup, a linear stability analysis which is constructed by the continuity equation, momentum equation and vorticity equations, is proposed. The experimental characteristics of rotating stall: number and propagation velocity of stall cells, are theoretical calculated. The growth rate in the linear model, is proposed to determine the critical stall condition, and the dominant stall mode when different stall modes exist intermittently. The theoretical velocity and pressure fluctuations are also plotted to show the diffuser flow at stall condition. The abilities and limits of the linear stability analysis are concluded through the comparisons between theoretical and experimental results. Based on the linear model, a nonlinear stability analysis is extended to consider the nonlinear combinations which are neglected in the linear model, the aim is to give corrections (from nonlinear terms) to the linear results of rotating stall, the conclusions and discussions are made at the end.

Compliant Air Foil Bearings are used in a wide variety of applications. The versatility, ease of manufacture, and low cost of foil bearings are a few of the reasons foil bearing have been so thoroughly researched. Miniaturization of gas foil bearings has been explored using silicon parts with marginal success. An approach utilizing a well known micro-fabrication technique called LIGA (German acronym meaning Lithography, Electroplating, and Molding) is suggested as an alternative method. X-ray LIGA and UV-LIGA were explored and elastic foundations 200?m and 1mm in depth were made for an impulse turbine test setup. The main difference in between the two methods is resolution and depth that each is capable of producing. In addition, precision machine forming was used to create a top foil for the foil bearing. The predicted performance of the bearing was investigated through the orbit simulation method. A parametric study based on preload, as well as loss factor, was conducted in which the rotor speed was varied and the responses were used to create cascade plots. Both the response and cascade plots are useful to determine the onset of instability and the maximum operating speed of the foil bearing manufactured through LIGA. The unique features of the gas foil bearing introduced provide great promise in terms of its application considering the high stable operating speed is just above 1000 krpm.