A Numerical Study on the Effects of Circumferential Positions of Combustor Hot Streaks on a TCF Configuration

This work presents the results of numerical investigations conducted within the framework of a project focused on studying the influence of combustor hot streaks onto the aerodynamic performance of a TCF representative geometry. Different circumferential positions of the hot streaks, in respect to the leading edges of the high pressure turbine (HPT) stator vanes, were examined in order to determine changes in the flow field and its influence on the downstream components. Numerical investigations were carried out at Bionic Surface Technologies GmbH using the commercial tool ANSYS CFX. Transient simulations were performed to obtain the flow-field and capture the propagation of the hot streaks through the HPT stage into the TCF. Time averaged five-hole-probe measurements, taken from the TU Graz transonic test turbine facility (TTTF), were used as the initial boundary conditions for the simulations. Results are showing that the circumferential position of the hot streaks influences the temperature distribution at the TCF outlet since the hot streaks follow the fluid migration in the TCF, and are therefore affected by secondary flow structures originating from the fluid interaction with the HPT and TCF struts. Results also present an increase of pressure loss below 1%, for the hot streaks simulations.