Inlet conditions effect on tip leakage vortex breakdown in unshrouded axial turbines

The TLV (tip leakage vortex) breakdown occurs under some conditions in modern turbines, which leads to extra vortex breakdown losses, but the mechanisms of vortex breakdown and its influencing factors remain unclear. This paper computationally investigates the effects of inlet conditions on the TLV dynamics in an unshrouded turbine. The TLV dynamics analysis is first shown, and then the effects of inlet CBL (casing boundary layer) parameters and flow incidence on the TLV breakdown and loss are investigated respectively. Based on these, a comparison of effects of different inlet conditions on tip leakage mixing loss is examined. Results indicate that the increased CBL thickness and turbulence intensity increases the adverse-pressure gradient in the rear part of the blade tip in varying degrees, but has a minor effect on TLV breakdown location. An increased incidence leads both to the reduction of the initial streamwise velocity on the vortex core and the adverse-pressure gradient in the rear part of the blade tip. Overall, as the incidence increases, the TLV breakdown location moves first upstream and then downstream. All these mean that the TLV initial state is another influencing factor on its breakdown. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.