An empirical model for partially admitted turbine efficiency

This study aims to presenting an empirical model for partially admitted turbine efficiency. When the design mass-flow rate is too small that a normal full-admission design would give very-small blade height, it may be advantageous to use partial admission. The losses due to partial admission with long blades may be less than the losses due to leakage and low Reynolds-number of the full-admission turbines with short blades. The turbine efficiency is highly dependent on the degree of partial admission. The empirical model of turbine efficiency is necessary for simulation and analysis of dynamic performances of the turbine system. In this work, appropriate empirical loss correlations are introduced and a proper model is proposed for turbine efficiency.

Experimental and numerical tests are conducted to evaluate the proposed model and the results are compared with the results of existing models. In this work, the effect of nozzles overlapping on the flow pattern is emphasized. Therefore, various models with different degrees of overlapping are simulated and their effects on the turbine efficiency are subsequently evaluated.

A suitable cubic polynomial expression for small axial supersonic turbine efficiency in experiments is suggested. The overlapping nozzles cause change in the flow pattern and the entropy distribution. Therefore, any change in the degree of overlapping of nozzles changes the efficiency of the turbine.

In this work, time-consuming numerous experimental and numerical tests of the turbine are required.

Implication of a proper formula for a partially admitted turbine may result in enhanced prediction and dynamic performance evaluation of the test turbine.

A proper empirical model for a partially admitted supersonic turbine is introduced. This model is suitable for one blocked partially admitted turbine with Mach number between 1.2 and 1.8.