The Aerodynamic and Mechanical Performance of a High-Pressure Turbine Stage in a Transient Wind Tunnel

A new transient facility for the study of time mean and unsteady aerodynamics and heat transfer in a high-pressure turbine has been commissioned and results are available. A detailed study has been made of aspects of the performance and behavior relevant to turbine mechanical design, and an understanding of the variation of the turbine operating point during the test, crucial to the process of valid data acquisition, has been obtained. In this this paper the outline concept and mode of operation of the turbine test facility are given, and the key aerodynamic and mechanical aspects of the facility’s performance are presented in detail. The variations of the those parameters used to define the turbine operating point during facility operation are examined, and the accuracy with which the turbine’s design point was achieved calculated. Aspects of the mechanical performance presented include the results of a finite element stress analysis of the loads in the turbine under operating conditions, and the performance of the rotor bearing system under these arduous load conditions. Both of these aspects present more information than has been available hitherto. Finally, the future work program and possible plans for further facility improvement are given.