Analysis of the Unsteady Flow Field in Turbines by Means of Modal Decomposition

This paper presents the results of a modal decomposition method applied to the time resolved data of two different test turbines. The analysis is carried out on the measurements performed by fast response aerodynamic pressure probes as well as on CFD simulations. As shown in the earlier aeroacoustic theory, a plurality of rotating patterns, also called spinning modes, are generated by the rotor-stator interactions. The modes may be computed from the flow quantities, such as total pressure, velocity and flow angles, through Fourier decompositions performed in time and space. The deterministic unsteadiness is then simplified to a limited number of Fourier coefficients. At a fixed radial position, circumferential lobes are identified for any multiple of the blade passing frequency. Therefore, the flow may be described as the superposition of rotating patterns, the spatial characteristics of which are correlated to the linear combinations of blade/vane number.This analysis has been applied to a one and a half stage low pressure turbine and to a two-stage counter-rotating transonic turbine. In the former test case there is a limited number of modes that characterize the flow field. Hence, the decomposition in modes simplifies considerably the evaluation of the sources of unsteadiness and deterministic stresses. The second test case presents more complex interactions. In fact, the presence of two rotors induces oscillations at frequencies that corresponds to the linear combinations of the two blade passing frequencies. Circumferential modes are identified for the most characteristic frequencies and their physical meaning is discussed.Copyright © 2012 by ASME