Numerical Analysis of Flow through Shrouded Turbine Cascade

Vinoth Kumar Annamalai & S. Thanigaiarasu

Department of aerospace engineering, MIT Anna University Chennai.
E-mail : vinothkumar.ae@gmail.com, sthanigaiarasu@gmail.com
characterized by a periodically
dimensional flow field.

Abstract The aim of the work is to estimate the secondary

flow losses through the gap between the shrouded turbine
rotor blades. Aerodynamic losses occurring in flow such as
profile, secondary flow and leakage were analyzed. The
numerical results of flow over a single shrouded turbine
rotor blade, cascade analysis of two shrouded turbine rotor
blade with zero gap and leakage analysis through the 2mm
z-gap of the shrouded turbine rotor blade are presented.
First, a single shrouded turbine rotor blade was analyzed
and the pressure coefficient on the surface of the blade at
midsection of blade is taken as reference. For this, the
geometry of a shrouded HP turbine rotor is chosen.
GAMBIT software is used for designing and analyzed
using FLUENT software. Secondly cascade analysis was
also carried out using the same procedure and the pressure
coefficient is compared with the reference pressure
coefficient profile and found that changes in the pressure
coefficient on the blade surface. Finally the two shrouded
turbine rotor blades with 2mm z-gap between the shrouds
are created and analyzed using the same procedure and
the pressure coefficient was compared with the reference
pressure coefficient profile and found that decrease in the
pressure coefficient on the blade surface near the shroud is
because of the leakage of flow through the z-gap between
the shrouds. The leakage lessens the end wall boundary
layer separation near shroud of the turbine rotor blade
with 2mm z-gap.

unsteady

three-

The HP turbine airfoil profile coordinates [6] were

taken for the design of shrouded turbine blade. The
shrouded HP turbine blade airfoil profile coordinates are
in the form of XYZ coordinate system. A single stage
high-pressure turbine blade includes an airfoil having a
profile substantially agree at least an intermediate
portion of the Cartesian coordinate values of X, Y and
Z. The X and Y values are distances, which when
smoothly connected by an appropriate continuing curve,
define airfoil profile sections at each distance Z. The
profile sections at each distance Z are joined smoothly
to one another to form an airfoil shape. The airfoil
profile of HP turbine blade at mid-span is shown in the
fig 1.

Keywords shroud, cascade, end-wall boundary layer,

wall Y+

I.

INTRODUCTION

Fig. 1: HP Turbine Blade Airfoil

In modem gas turbine engines, the gap between

rotating turbine blade shrouds are small, and sometimes
are even smaller than 1 mm. The shroud gap of turbine
rotor causes the leakage through the gap, and it is
important to be able to predict static pressure
coefficients on the blade surface to optimize the gap
between shrouds so the performance does not suffer too
great a loss. The rapid development of high-temperature
turbines has vastly suppressed the fundamental research
of the flow field in the gap between the shrouded rotor
blades. The first turbine stage, has the most extreme
fluid-thermal conditions in the entire turbine, and is

The shape of z-notch shroud profile coordinates [5]

were taken for design of z- notch shroud at the tip of the
HP turbine blade. In one embodiment, a turbine bucket
includes: a tip shroud with a front edge and a following
edge, including a Z-Notch profile according to the
Cartesian coordinate values of X, Y and Z are used. In
which the coordinate values are dimensional values
representing a distance from an origin of an internal
coordinate system for the bucket; and in which the X
and Y values are connected by smooth continuing arcs,
the Z-Notch profile is defined as shown in the fig 2.

ISSN : 2319 3182, Volume-2, Issue-3, 2013

International Journal on Theoretical and Applied Research in Mechanical Engineering (IJTARME)

lakh cells is selected. Dry air using ideal gas

approximation is used as the working fluid with constant
specific heats with =1.4. k- turbulence model is
chosen.

Fig. 2: z-notch shaped shroud profile

II. COMPUTATIONAL METHODOLOGY
Fig. 4 : Meshed Turbo Volume Model for Cascade
Analysis

A. Physical Model
The 3D modeling scheme was adopted in GAMBIT
and it was analyzed using FLUENT. A turbine cascade
model with zero degree flow angle of incidence was
designed. The physical model is defined as follows:
Parameters
Blade height h
Chord C
hub radius Rb
Number of blades, n
Blade to blade angle
Blade profile

C. Boundary Conditions
The turbo volume was considered as a flow domain.
The air flow comes into the flow domain (turbo volume)
from the inlet face and exit through the outlet face and
the gap between the shrouds. The face ahead of the
pressure and suction side of the blade was given as
periodic face. The top and bottom face was considered
as shroud and hub so wall boundary type was given to it.
The pressure and suction side of the blade is also given
the wall boundary type.

Dimensions
=
=
=
=
=
=

28.72475mm
20.65586mm
75.44975mm
3
8.7321 deg
Pratt and Whitney
turbine airfoil

D. Solving Procedure
The FLUENT software was used for computational
analysis of flow over the turbine blade. The density
based solver was used since we have to analyze the
compressible flow over the turbine blade. The flow over
the blade was assumed as inviscid to find pressure
coefficient of the blade only because of the profile
shape. The density of the gas was taken as ideal gas. The
inlet and outlet boundary conditions were given as
mentioned in the boundary conditions. The solution was
initialized by computing from inlet with the x-velocity
of 136m/s. The iterations were carried out for
convergence of the solution.

The blade dimensions are taken from Ref. [6]. The

model is shown in figure-3.

The grid independence test is done which

involves transforming the generated physical model
into a mesh with number of node points depending
on the fineness of the mesh. The various flow
properties were evaluated at these node points. The
extent of accuracy of result depended to a great
extent on how fine the physical domain was meshed.
After a particular refining limit the results changes
no more. At this point it is said that grid
independence is achieved. The results obtained for

Fig. 3 : Turbo Volume Model for Cascade Analysis

B. Numerical Approach
The computational grid used for the simulation of
turbine blade cascade is shown in Figure-4. By using the
periodic function of the blades, only two blades of
turbine disc with required mesh refinements is created.
A nominal three dimensional structured grid with 4.26

ISSN : 2319 3182, Volume-2, Issue-3, 2013

International Journal on Theoretical and Applied Research in Mechanical Engineering (IJTARME)

this mesh is considered to be the best. This mesh

formation was done with GAMBIT

6. From the figure, it is observed that, the pressure

coefficient is maximum at the leading edge of the blade
which represents the stagnation point of the blade. The
pressure coefficient is minimum at the suction side and
near the trailing edge which represents the velocity is
maximum at that location.

III. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

A. Pressure Coefficient Of Turbine Blades
The pressure coefficient of over the blades of the
turbine rotor stage is shown in the figure-5. The turbine
rotor stage consists of 43 blades arranged with the
angular orientation of 8.73 degrees between each blade.
From the figure-5 it is observed that, the pressure
coefficient is maximum at the leading edge of the blade
which represents the stagnation point of the blade. The
pressure coefficient is minimum at the suction side
which represents the velocity is maximum at that
location.

The contour of pressure coefficient on the suction

side of the blade is shown in the figure-7. It is observed
form the contour that the pressure coefficient is
minimum and there is a small variation in the pressure
coefficient near the hub and shroud of the blade, due to
end wall boundary layer formation and wake formation
because of the highly curved surface of the blade. The
contour of pressure coefficient on the pressure side of
the blade is shown in the figure-8.

Fig. 5 pressure coefficient distribution along the span

of the blade
Fig. 7 : Pressure Coefficients on Suction Surface of the
Blade

The pressure coefficient variation along the span of

the blade is plotted in figure-5. It is observed the
pressure coefficient decreases near the hub and shroud
of the blade. It is observed that the decrement in the
pressure is due end wall boundary layer creation near
the hub and shroud of the blades.

Fig. 8 : Pressure Coefficient On The Pressure Surface

Of The Blade
It is observed form the contour that the pressure
coefficient is higher than that of suction side and there is
a small variation in the pressure coefficient near the hub
and shroud of the blade, because of end wall boundary
layer formation and wake formation because of the
highly curved surface of the blade.

Fig. 6: Pressure Coefficient at the Mid-Section of the Blade

The pressure coefficient variation over the blade

surface at the midsection of the blade is shown in figure-

ISSN : 2319 3182, Volume-2, Issue-3, 2013

International Journal on Theoretical and Applied Research in Mechanical Engineering (IJTARME)

B. Cascade Analysis Of Turbine Blade Pressure

Coefficients On Surface Of Blade
The pressure coefficient variation over the cascaded
blade surface at the midsection of the blade is shown in
figure-9. From the figure, it is observed that the pressure
coefficient is maximum at the leading edge of the blade
which represents the stagnation point of the blade. The
pressure coefficient is minimum at the suction side and
near the trailing edge which represents the velocity is
maximum at that location.

Fig. 10(b) : Cp distribution on pressure surface

C. End Wall Boundary Layer Separation On Cascaded
Blades
Fig. 9 : Pressure Coefficient On The Cascaded Blade Surface

End-wall loss is also known as secondary loss, and

is related to the passage and the horseshoe vortices. Due
to these loses, the pressure coefficient near the hub and
shroud of the blade decreases as shown in the figure-11.

The contour of pressure coefficient on the pressure

side of the blade is shown in the figure-10. It is observed
form the contour the pressure coefficient is minimum at
the center of the blade because of wake formation on the
blade and there is a small variation in the pressure
coefficient near the hub and shroud of the blade,
because of end wall boundary layer formation on the
surface of the blade. The contour of pressure coefficient
on the suction side of the blade is shown in the figure10. It is observed form the contour the pressure
coefficient is lower than that of pressure side and there
is a small variation in the pressure coefficient near the
hub and shroud of the blade, because of end wall
boundary layer formation and wake formation because
of the highly curved surface of the blade.

Fig. 11 : End Wall Boundary Layer Separation

D. Leakage Analysis Through Shroud Z-Gap Pressure
Coefficients On Surface Of Blade
The pressure coefficient variation over the surface
of shrouded turbine blade with 2mm z-gap at the midsection of the blade is shown in figure-12. From the
figure, it is observed that, the pressure coefficient
decreases on the suction side of first blade because of
the gap between shrouds.

Fig. 10(b) : Cp distribution on suction surface

ISSN : 2319 3182, Volume-2, Issue-3, 2013

International Journal on Theoretical and Applied Research in Mechanical Engineering (IJTARME)

Fig. 12 : Pressure Coefficient of shrouded blade with

2mm z-gap (mid-section)

Fig. 14: Cp Of Blade With Gap And Without Gap

IV. CONCLUSION

Due to the gap near the shroud, the end wall

boundary layer separation decreases as shown in the
pressure coefficient contour in figure-13. The first fig
shows the Cp contour on pressure surface and second fig
shows the Cp contour on suction surface.

The effect of the turbine rotor blade shroud z-gap

on the pressure coefficient distribution on the surface of
the blades is analysed. It is found there is decrease in the
pressure coefficient near the shroud of the turbine blade.
Although there is a decrease in the pressure coefficient
on the surface of the blade but it reduces effect of end
wall boundary layer separation near the shroud of the
turbine blade because of the leakage of primary flow
through the gap between the shrouds.
V. FUTURE WORK
The present computational work has to carried out
on the models with different shroud gaps such as 0.25
mm, 0.5mm, 0.75mm, 1mm, 1.25mm, 1.5mm and
1.75mm to find out the optimum gap size for better
performance of the blade in the engine. Experimental
work has to be done by creating the model and analyze
the model with the same conditions as that of
computational analysis. The experimental results can be
analyzed with the computational results for verification
of results. If both the results are same it can be
implemented in turbine engines for various applications

Fig. 13 Cp distribution on blade surface

E. Comparison Of Shrouded Blades With Gap And
Without Gap
From the above fig 14 it is observed the pressure
coefficient on pressure side of blade 1 lowers because of
the large end wall boundary layer formation on the
cascaded blades without gap but on the shrouded blade
with 2mm gap the pressure coefficient is same as that of
the reference pressure. It is also observed the pressure
coefficient on suction side of blade 1 increases due to
the large end wall boundary layer formation on the
cascaded blades without gap but on the shrouded blade
with 2mm gap the pressure coefficient is same as that of
the reference pressure. Thus due to 2mm z-shroud gap
on the turbine blades shrouds the end wall boundary
layer is reduced by the leakage of primary airflow
through the 2mm gap between the shrouds.

VI. REFERENCES
[1]

[2]

[3]

Villiers, J. D., & Govender, S. (2003). validation

of a CFD Static Pressure Distribution against
Experimental Data for a Turbine. R & D Journal,
19(3), 35.
Ameri, A. A., Park, B., & Steinthorsson, E.
(1996). Analysis of Gas Turbine Rotor and
Shroud Heat Transfer Blade Tip (p. 10).
Maier et al, inventor; 1991 Jan.11. Gas turbine
blade shroud support. United States patent US
5,022,816.

ISSN : 2319 3182, Volume-2, Issue-3, 2013

International Journal on Theoretical and Applied Research in Mechanical Engineering (IJTARME)

[4]

Remo Marini, inventor; 2012 Jan. 31.

Compressor Turbine Blade Airfoil Profile. United
States patent US 8,108,044 B2.

[5]

Wilmortt G. Brown, inventor; 1989 Mar. 28.

Shroud gap control for integral shrouded blades.
United States patent US 4,815,938.

[6]

US 7,306,436 B2 by Sami Girgis, Montreal (CA)

and Constantinos Ravanis, Brossard (CA), March
2.2006.

NOMENCLATURE
Ma
Mach number
P0
Total pressure (kPa)
T0
Total temperature (K)
Pi
inlet static pressure (kPa)
CP
Pressure coefficient
C
chord
H
Blade height
Rb
Hub radius

ratio of specific heats

ISSN : 2319 3182, Volume-2, Issue-3, 2013