Design of a 3-Stage Axial LP Turbine for Aeroengine Applications

Introduction

In this consultancy, ADT engineers were asked to develop a high performance, 3-stage axial LP turbine in a very short time frame to help win a competitive bidding process.

An aeroengine manufacturer was involved in a bidding process on a 3 stage LP turbine for aeroengine applications and asked ADT to help in the design of the 3 Stage LP turbine. ADT was provided with throughflow data for the 3 stage turbine plus initial normal thickness distributions for each blade row.

 

The 3D geometry of one of the nozzles and rotors designed.
The 3D geometry of one of the nozzles and rotors designed.

 

With this information TURBOdesign1 3D inverse design code was used to design each stage of the LP turbine blade.

Employing TURBOdesign1, blade rows with smooth surface Mach number distributions could be produced very rapidly.

Blade Loading Distribution

By using the blade loading distribution spanwise rVθ distribution at inlet and exit from each blade row and stacking conditions together with the blade thickness and meridional flow path the 6 different blade rows were designed.

 

The correlation between throughflow and CFD predictions for the exit of the nozzle from one of the designed stages.
The correlation between throughflow and CFD predictions for the exit of the nozzle from one of the designed stages.

 

Employing TURBOdesign1, blade rows with smooth surface Mach number distributions could be produced very rapidly. The flow through each stage was then predicted by stage CFD computations and the results were compared with throughflow specifications.

 

The CFD predicted surface pressure distribution on the designed stage.
The CFD predicted surface pressure distribution on the designed stage.

 

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