Date of Award

2013

Degree Type

Thesis

Department

Mechanical Engineering

First Advisor

Ibrahim, Mounir

Subject Headings

Turbomachines -- Aerodynamics, Turbines -- Blades, Cascades (Fluid dynamics), Turbomachinery aerodynamics rotorcraft cascade power-turbine turbines experimental aerodynamics

Abstract

The purpose of this thesis is to document the impact of incidence angle and Reynolds number variations on the 3-D flow field and midspan loss and turning of a 2-D section of a variable-speed power-turbine (VSPT) rotor blade. Aerodynamic measurements were obtained in a transonic linear cascade at NASA Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, OH. Steady-state data were obtained for ten incidence angles ranging from +15.8° to -51.0°. At each angle, data were acquired at five flow conditions with the exit Reynolds number (based on axial chord) varying over an order-of-magnitude from 2.12 ₉ 105 to 2.12 ₉ 106. Data were obtained at the design exit Mach number of 0.72 and at a reduced exit Mach number of 0.35 as required to achieve the lowest Reynolds number. Midspan total-pressure and exit flow angle data were acquired using a five-hole pitch/yaw probe surveyed on a plane located 7.0 percent axial-chord downstream of the blade trailing edge plane. The survey spanned three blade passages. Additionally, three-dimensional half-span flow fields were examined with additional probe survey data acquired at 26 span locations for two key incidence angles of +5.8° and -36.7°. Survey data near the endwall were acquired with a three-hole boundary-layer probe. The data were integrated to determine average exit total-pressure and flow angle as functions of incidence and flow conditions. The data set also includes blade static pressures measured on four spanwise planes and endwall static pressures

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