Numerical Analysis of Turbulent Wakes of Turbomachinery Rotor Blades

Abstract

The wakes of turbomachinery rotor blades are turbulent, three-dimensional, and are subjected to curvature and rotation effects. The objective of this study is to predict the development of such wakes and compare the predictions with the existing data. A finite difference procedure is employed in the numerical analysis of the wake utilizing the continuity, momentum, and turbulence closure equations in the rotating curvilinear and non-orthogonal coordinate system. The turbulence closure is affected by the modified Reynolds stress model. The effects of curvature and rotation on the turbulence structure are accounted for with this turbulence closure model. The pedictions from the present turbulence model agree well with the mean velocity and the turbulence wake data.