This paper presents the results of the analysis of different 3D designs for the first stator and the rotor of a 1.5-stage turbine test rig. A tangential endwall contouring for the hub and the shroud, a bowed profile stacking, and a combination of those have been designed for the first stator. In addition, a tangential endwall contouring has been designed for the hub of the unshrouded rotor. Part I of this two-part paper deals with the design process and the numerical analysis of the results. All designs have been optimized using the stage efficiency as target function. For the design of the 3D stator vanes, the optimization led to an unexpected result: The secondary flow vortex strength increased. However, the secondary flow pattern is rearranged by the 3D-designing, leading to a smoother radial exit flow angle distribution. A subsequent reduction of the rotor losses overcompensates the higher stator losses. In order to understand how the 3D vanes affect the stator secondary flow pattern, a detailed analysis of vortex stretching and vortex dissipation is presented in this paper. With this approach, the various impacts of the 3D designs on the secondary flow vortices' strength can be quantified. In addition, the potential theory effect of the self-induced velocity is introduced here in order to explain the effects of a tangential endwall contouring on the trajectory of the pressure side leg of the horseshoe vortex (HVps). To the best of our knowledge, both approaches are new for the analysis of turbine secondary flows. The impact of the stronger but rearranged stator secondary flow on the rotor secondary loss development is analyzed by means of unsteady simulations. The results show that the rotor secondary flow can be effectively reduced through a proper stator secondary flow pattern. In Part II of this paper, the analysis of extensive experimental results validates and supplements the numerical analysis.

In this study, the validation and analysis of steady state numerical simulations of the gas flows within a multi-purpose ion source (MPIS) are presented. The experimental results were obtained with particle image velocimetry (PIV) measurements in a non-scaled MPIS. Twodimensional time-averaged velocity and turbulent kinetic energy distributions are presented for two dry gas volume flow rates. The numerical results of the validation simulations are in very good agreement with the experimental data. All significant flow features have been correctly predicted within the accuracy of the experiments. For technical reasons, the experiments were conducted at room temperature. Thus, numerical simulations of ionization conditions at two operating points of the MPIS are also presented. It is clearly shown that the dry gas volume flow rate has the most significant impact on the overall flow pattern within the APLI source; far less critical is the (larger) nebulization gas flow. In addition to the approximate solution of Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes equations, a transport equation for the relative analyte concentration has been solved. The results yield information on the three-dimensional analyte distribution within the source. It becomes evident that for ion transport into the MS ion transfer capillary, electromagnetic forces are at least as important as fluid dynamic forces. However, only the fluid dynamics determines the three-dimensional distribution of analyte gas. Thus, local flow phenomena in close proximity to the spray shield are strongly impacting on the ionization efficiency.

This paper is the second part of a two-part paper reporting on the increase in efficiency of a 1.5 stage axial test rig turbine with the use of nonaxisymmetric endwalls and 3D airfoil design. Contoured endwalls were developed for the inlet guide vane separately, as well as in combination with a bowed radial profile stacking. In addition, a contour endwall was applied to the hub of the unshrouded rotor. In Part I, the design of the profiled endwalls and 3D airfoils is presented, as well as a detailed analysis of the steady and unsteady computational fluid dynamics (CFD) results. Part II reports on the experimental validation of the numerical results. A distinct increase in mechanical efficiency for both new configurations in good agreement with the numerical results is observed. Additionally, performance map measurements demonstrate that the new designs are also beneficial under off-design conditions. Five- and three-hole-probes as well as fast-response total pressure probes are used to investigate the new designs. The main effect is the homogenization of the yaw angle behind the first stator.

This paper presents the results of the analysis of different 3D designs for the first stator and the rotor of a 1.5-stage turbine test rig. A tangential endwall contouring for the hub and the shroud, a bowed profile stacking, and a combination of those have been designed for the first stator. In addition a tangential endwall contouring has been designed for the hub of the unshrouded rotor. Part I of this two-part paper deals with the design process and the numerical analysis of the results. All designs have been optimized with the stage efficiency as the target function. For the design of the 3D stator vanes, the optimization led to an unexpected result: The secondary flow vortex strength increased. However, the secondary flow pattern has been rearranged and the exit flow angle has been homogenized. Although the stator losses increased, the stage efficiency also increased. Thus, a reduction of the rotor losses overcompensated the higher stator losses. In order to understand how the 3D vanes affect the stator secondary flow pattern, a detailed analysis of vortex stretching and vortex dissipation is presented here. With this approach, the various impacts of the 3D designs on the secondary flow vortices’ strength can be quantified. In addition, the potential theory effect of the self-induced velocity is introduced here in order to explain the effects of a tangential endwall contouring on the trajectory of the pressure side leg of the horseshoe vortex. At the authors’ knowledge, both approaches are new for the analysis of turbine secondary flows. The impact of the stronger but rearranged stator secondary flow on the rotor secondary loss development is analyzed by means of unsteady simulations. The results show that the rotor secondary flow can be effectively reduced through a proper stator secondary flow pattern. In part II of this paper, the analysis of extensive experimental results validates and supplements the numerical analysis.

Numerical and experimental investigations have been performed to determine the effects of non-axisymmetric stator endwall contouring on the efficiency of an axial turbine stage. The influences of the contoured endwalls on the secondary flows in the stator and the rotor have been analyzed by conducting steady and unsteady RANS simulations as well as measurements in the 1.5-stage axial cold air turbine test rig of the Institute of Jet Propulsion and Turbomachinery. Both numerical and experimental results show an aerodynamic improvement of efficiency and secondary kinetic energy through non-axisymmetric endwall contouring. The non-axisymmetric endwall contour induces a vortex, which separates the pressure side leg of the horseshoe vortex from the passage vortex resulting in redistributed and reduced secondary flows. The modified secondary flow pattern increases the torque of the rotor blade in the hub region as a consequence of improved inlet conditions for the rotor as well as a reduction of the time interval the secondary flows are convected through the rotor passage within. Concerning the shroud region the endwall contour had no significant impact on the efficiency as a consequence of a dominating tip clearance vortex system.