The Effect of Acoustic Excitation on Boundary Layer Separation of a Highly Loaded LPT Blade

An experimental investigation of the effect of acoustic excitation on the boundary layer development of a highly loaded low-pressure turbine blade at low-Reynolds number is investigated. The aim of this work is to study the effect of excitation at select frequencies on separation which could give indications about active flow control exploitation. The front-loaded L2F blade is tested in a low-speed linear cascade. The uncontrolled flow presents a separation bubble on the suction surface at Reynolds numbers below 40,000. For these conditions, the instability of the shear layer is documented using hot-wire anemometry. A loudspeaker upstream of the cascade is directed towards the passage inlet section. A parametric study on the effect of amplitude and frequency is carried out. The effect of the excitation frequency is observed to delay separation for a range of frequencies. However, the control authority of sound is found to be most effective at the fundamental frequency of the shear layer. The amplitude of perturbation is significant in the outcome of control until a threshold value is reached. PIV measurements allow a deeper understanding of the mechanisms leading to the reduction of separation. Data has been acquired with a low inlet turbulence level (<1%) in order to provide a cleaner environment which magnifies the effects of the excitation frequency, and with an increased turbulence intensity level of 3% which is representative of more typical engine values. Integrated wake loss values are also presented to evaluate the effect on blade performance.