Aerodynamic Characterization of Transonic Turbine Vanes Optimized to Attenuate Rotor Forcing

A multi-objective optimization procedure is applied to the 3D design of a transonic turbine vane row, considering efficiency and stator outlet pressure distortion, which is directly related to induced rotor forcing. The characteristic features that define different individuals along the Pareto Front are described, analyzing the differences between high efficiency airfoils and low interaction. Pressure distortion is assessed by means of a model that requires only of the computation the steady flow field in the domain of the stator. The reduction of aerodynamic rotor forcing is checked via unsteady multistage aerodynamic computations. A well known loss prediction method is used to drive the efficiency of one optimization run, while CFD analysis is used for another, in order to assess the reliability of both methods. In both cases, the decomposition of total losses is performed to quantify the influence on efficiency of reducing rotor forcing. Results show that when striving for efficiency, the rotor is affected by few, but intense shocks. On the other hand, when the objective is the minimization of distortion, multiple shocks will appear.© 2011 ASME