DYNAMIC FEATURES OF PARTIAL ADMISSION : OUTCOMES FROM ROTATING MEASUREMENTS

A system for rotating measurements has been designed and commissioned for a two-stage axial turbine of impulse design. Relative total pressure and strain gauge measurements in the rotating frame of reference have been performed during partial admission tests in this turbine. The overall project objectives are to determine unsteady aerodynamic losses related to admission sector-ends and rotor forcing functions. Some outcomes are presented and discussed herein. The unsteadiness in the measured relative total pressure is observed to be largest downstream of the suction side of the partial admission blockage where the high momentum fluid vividly interacts with the rotor. Strain gauge results show a high strain peak downstream of the suction side of the blockage. When reducing the shaft speed at constant pressure ratio, the dip in relative total pressure and the peak in tensile strain, that occur when a blade enters the blocked region, are shifted in the counter rotational direction. This is believed to reflect earlier emptying of the rotor blade channel. Furthermore, an increase of the flow capacity coefficient with a decrease of admission degree has been observed.QC 2012011