Measurement and CFD Prediction of the Flow Within an HP Compressor Drive Cone

Abstract

In some gas turbine aeroengines, the HP compressor is driven by the H.P. turbine through a conical shaft or drive cone. This drive cone is enclosed by a stationary surface that forms the supporting material for the combustion chambers. Air used to cool the turbine blades is directed into the space around the drive cone, and a major concern to an engine designer is the temperature rise in this air due to frictional dissipation and heat transfer. This paper presents results from a combined experimental and CFD investigation into the flow within an engine representative HP compressor drive cone cavity. The experimental results show similarities in flow structure to that found in classic rotor-stator systems. Both 2-D and 3-D CFD simulations were carried out using the FLUENT/UNS code. The 3-D model which included the actual compressor blade tip clearance gave the best agreement with the experimental data. However, the computational resource required to run the 3-D model limits its practical use. The 2-D CFD model, however, was found to give good agreement with experiment, providing care was exercised in selecting an appropriate value of initial tangential velocity.