Numerical Analysis of Flow through Shrouded Turbine Cascade

The aim of the work is to estimate the secondary flow losses through the gap between the shrouded turbine rotor blades. Aerodynamic losses occurring in flow such as profile, secondary flow and leakage were analyzed. The numerical results of flow over a single shrouded turbine rotor blade, cascade analysis of two shrouded turbine rotor blade with zero gap and leakage analysis through the 2mm z-gap of the shrouded turbine rotor blade are presented. First, a single shrouded turbine rotor blade was analyzed and the pressure coefficient on the surface of the blade at midsection of blade is taken as reference. For this, the geometry of a shrouded HP turbine rotor is chosen. GAMBIT software is used for designing and analyzed using FLUENT software. Secondly cascade analysis was also carried out using the same procedure and the pressure coefficient is compared with the reference pressure coefficient profile and found that changes in the pressure coefficient on the blade surface. Finally the two shrouded turbine rotor blades with 2mm z-gap between the shrouds are created and analyzed using the same procedure and the pressure coefficient was compared with the reference pressure coefficient profile and found that decrease in the pressure coefficient on the blade surface near the shroud is because of the leakage of flow through the z-gap between the shrouds. The leakage lessens the end wall boundary layer separation near shroud of the turbine rotor blade with 2mm z-gap.