Turbomachine Guide Blade Ducts for Supersonic Flow Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Turbomachines face efficiency reduction due to pressure surges when rotor blades are supplied with working medium flowing at supersonic speeds, leading to suboptimal conversion of pressure energy.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates guide blade ducts configured as Laval nozzles with a constriction and divergent sections, ensuring supersonic flow without excessive pressure surges, and rotor blades with specific geometric features to maximize energy transfer and minimize losses.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If rotor blades are supplied with working medium flowing faster than the speed of sound, then the power and speed of the turbomachine are improved, but pressure surges occur that reduce efficiency and performance
Solution Approach 1:
The guide blade duct is segmented into three distinct sections: a convergent section, a throat section, and a divergent section. This segmentation allows each section to perform a specific function in managing the supersonic flow, with the convergent section accelerating the flow, the throat section reaching sonic conditions, and the divergent section maintaining supersonic flow while minimizing pressure surges.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide blade duct geometry is dynamically optimized with varying cross-sectional areas along its length. The cross-sectional area decreases in the convergent section, reaches a minimum at the throat, and then increases in the divergent section. This dynamic geometric variation enables the duct to adapt to changing flow conditions and maintain efficient supersonic flow.
2Speed
If rotor blades are supplied with working medium flowing faster than the speed of sound, then the speed of the turbomachine is improved, but pressure surges occur that reduce performance
Solution Approach 1:
The guide blade duct is segmented into three distinct sections: a convergent section, a throat section, and a divergent section. This segmentation allows each section to perform a specific function in managing the supersonic flow, with the convergent section accelerating the flow, the throat section reaching sonic conditions, and the divergent section maintaining supersonic flow while minimizing pressure surges.
Solution Approach 2:
The geometric parameters of the guide blade duct are systematically changed along its length, including cross-sectional area, wall angles, and curvature radii. These parameter changes are optimized to achieve smooth flow acceleration through the convergent section, stable sonic flow at the throat, and controlled supersonic expansion in the divergent section, thereby minimizing pressure surges while maintaining high speed.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration enhances the efficiency of turbomachines by allowing supersonic flow without pressure surges, improving energy transfer and reducing manufacturing costs, particularly in Organic Rankine Cycle systems.
Implementation Method 1
guide blade ducts configured as Laval nozzles with a constriction and divergent sections, ensuring supersonic flow without excessive pressure surges
Data Source
AI summary
Turbomachines having guide ducts are disclosed. One disclosed example turbomachine includes a rotor rotatable about an axis of rotation and having rotor blade ducts, a housing having housing ducts to allow the inflow or outflow of working medium and guide blade ducts fixed in the housing, where the rotor blade ducts are in fluid communication with the housing ducts via the guide blade ducts.