Measurement of Turbine Rotor Blade Flows

Abstract

Measurement methods for obtaining various types of experimental data on a turbine rotor blade are discussed in this paper. A variety of different types of measurements have been taken in the rotating frame of reference, including: airfoil surface static pressure distributions, the radial distribution of total pressure in the incident flow, flow visualization of surface streamlines, and radial-circumferential traversing of a pneumatic probe aft of the rotor. Typical results are presented/showing interesting flow phenomena present on the rotor. In particular, results are shown which demonstrate the various viscous and inviscid mechanisms that give rise to strong radial flows.