This paper describes an imbalanced torque force, called the Thomas/Alford force, of a partial-admission turbine for the rocket engine turbopump. The Thomas/Alford force is a destabilizing force imposed on the rotor that could cause rotor dynamic instability. This, in turn, may impair stable operation of the rocket engine and trigger mission failure. Such destabilizing force should be avoided as its characteristics have not been discussed in detail. In this study, Thomas/Alford forces for typical symmetric partially open/closed nozzle patterns with an open/closed ratio are analyzed. For such an open/closed ratio, it was determined that the Thomas/Alford force varied with the whirling angle, and whether the open/closed ratio may impair stable operation and reliability of the rocket engine turbopump is contingent on avoiding such fluctuation. The reason for such fluctuation was investigated by mathematical methodology, which was then extended to determine a general rule of patterns for rocket engine designers. This rule would, thus, prove useful in the future development of a partial-admission turbine for a rocket engine turbopump.
Issue Section:
Flows in Complex Systems
References
1.
Thomas
, H. J.
, 1958
, “Instabile Eigenschwingungen Von Turbinenlaeufern, Angefacht Durch Die Spaltstroemung in Stopfbuchsen Und Beschauflung
,” Bull. de l'A.I.M.
, 71
(11/12
), pp. 1039
–1063
.2.
Alford
, J. S.
, 1965
, “Protecting Turbomachinery From Self-Excited Rotor Whirl
,” ASME J. Eng. Power
, 87
(4
), pp. 333
–343
.3.
Martinez-Sanchez
, M.
, Jaroux
, B.
, Song
, S. J.
, and Yoo
, S.
, 1995
, “Measurement of Turbine Blade-Tip Rotordynamic Excitation Forces
,” ASME J. Turbomach.
, 117
(3
), pp. 384
–392
.4.
Yong-Seok
, K.
, and Shin-Hyoung
, K.
, 2010
, “Prediction of the Non-Uniform Tip Clearance Effect on the Axial Compressor Flow Field
,” ASME J. Fluids Eng.
, 132
(5
), p. 051110
.5.
Storace
, A. F.
, 2006
, “A Simple Method for Predicting the Stability of Aerodynamically Excited Turbomachinery
,” ASME J. Turbomach.
, 129
(4
), pp. 724
–729
.6.
Pollman
, E.
, Schwerdtfeger
, H.
, and Termuehlen
, H.
, 1978
, “Flow Exited Vibrations in High-Pressure Turbines (Steam Whirl)
,” ASME J. Eng. Power
, 100
(2
), pp. 219
–228
.7.
Sotrace
, A. F.
, Wilsler
, D. C.
, Shin
, H. W.
, Beacher
, B. F.
, Ehrich
, F. F.
, Spakovovszky
, Z. S.
, Martinez-Sanchez
, M.
, and Song
, S. J.
, 2001
, “Unsteady Flow and Whirl-Inducing Forces in Axial-Flow Compressors—Part I: Experiment
,” ASME J. Turbomach.
, 123
(3
), pp. 433
–445
.8.
Liese
, E.
, 2014
, “Modeling of a Steam Turbine Including Partial Arc Admission for Use in a Process Simulation Software Environment
,” ASME J. Eng. Gas Turbines Power
, 136
(11
), p. 112605
.9.
Kanki
, H.
, and Tanitsuji
, A.
, 2005
, “Stability of High Pressure Turbine Under Partial Admission Condition
,” ASME
Paper No. DETC2005-84774.10.
Maurice
, L. A.
, 2001
, Rotating Machinery Vibration, From Analysis to Troubleshooting
, Marcel Dekker
, New York.11.
Horlock
, J. H.
, 1966
, Axial Flow Turbines
, Butterworths
, London.12.
Motoi
, H.
, Kitamura
, A.
, Sakazume
, N.
, Uchiumi
, M.
, Uchida
, M.
, Sakaki
, K.
, Nozaki
, O.
, and Iwatubo
, T.
, 2003
, “Sub-Synchronous Whirl in the LE-7A Rocket Engine Fuel Turbo-Pump
,” Iscorma-2, Poland, pp. 1
–10
.13.
Hendricks
, R. C.
, Tam
, L. T.
, and Muszynska
, A.
, 2004
, “Turbomachine Sealing and Secondary Flows, Part 2 – Review of Rotordynamics Issues in Inherently Unsteady Flow Systems With Small Clearances
,” National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Glenn Research Center, Cleveland, OH, Report No. NASA TM-2004-211991
.https://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=2004008672214.
Linhardt
, H. D.
, and Silvern
, D. H.
, 1961
, “Analysis of Partial Admission Axial Impulse Turbines
,” Am. Rocket Soc. J.
, 14
(3), pp. 297
–308
.15.
NASA
, 1974
, “Liquid Rocket Engine Turbines
,” National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Lewis Research Center, Cleveland, OH, Report No. NASA SP-8110
.https://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=1974002613216.
NASA
, 1992
, “Design and Experimental Performance of a Two Stage Partial Admission Turbine Task B.1/B.4
,” National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Lewis Research Center, Cleveland, OH, Report No. NASA CR-179548
.https://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=1994002272517.
Tokuyama
, K.
, Funazaki
, K.
, Kato
, H.
, Shimiya
, N.
, Shimagaki
, M.
, and Uchiumi
, M.
, 2015
, “A Study of the Unsteady Flow Field and Turbine Vibration Characteristics of the Supersonic Partial Admission Turbine for a Rocket Engine
,” International Gas Turbine Congress
, Tokyo, Japan, Nov. 15–20, p. 962.http://turbo.mech.iwate-u.ac.jp/fel/papers/IGTC2015Tokuyama.pdf18.
Yoshida
, T.
, Sakai
, N.
, Matsumoto
, A.
, and Kitajima
, Y.
, 2014
, “Numerical Estimation of the Unsteady Force on Rotor Blades in a Partial Arc Admission Stage of an Axial Turbine
,” ASME
Paper No. GT2014-26774.19.
Yada
, K.
, Shimiya
, N.
, Uchiumi
, M.
, Tokuyama
, Y.
, and Funazaki
, K.
, 2016
, “Optimized Aerodynamic Design of the Turbine for a Rocket Turbopump
,” Asian Joint Conference of Propulsion and Power
, Takamatsu, Japan, Paper No. AJCPP2016-008.20.
Urlichs
, K.
, 1975
, “Clearance Flow Generated Transverse Forces at the Rotors of Thermal Turbomachines
,” National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Washington, DC, Report No. NASA TM-77292
.https://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=1985000787121.
Childs
, D.
, 1993
, Turbomachinery Rotordynamics, Phenomena, Modeling & Analysis
, Wiley
, Hoboken, NJ.22.
Yada
, K.
, Kawasaki
, S.
, Uchiumi
, M.
, Kato
, M.
, and Funazaki
, K.
, 2016
, “Unique Characteristics of Imbalanced Torque Force of a Partial Admission Turbine for 50% Partiality
,” AIAA
Paper No. 2016-4928.23.
Wolfram Research
, 2015
, Mathmatica 10.1 User Guide
, Wolfram Research
, Champaign, IL.24.
Frolov
, V. V.
, and Ignatevskh
, E. A.
, 1971
, “Edge Losses of Energy in Partial Admission Turbine Stages
,” Teploenergetika
, 18
(1
), pp. 77
–79
.25.
Frolov
, V. V.
, and Ignatevskh
, E. A.
, 1972
, “Calculating the Windage Losses in a Turbine Stage
,” Teploenergetika
, 19
(11
), pp. 33
–37
.Copyright © 2019 by ASME
You do not currently have access to this content.
