59702 - Uncertainty in high-pressure stator performance measurement in an annular cascade at engine representative Reynold's and Mach 

The betterment of the turbine performance plays a prime role in all future transportation and energy production systems. Precise uncertainty quantification of experimental measurement of any performance differential is therefore essential for any turbine development program. In this paper, we present the uncertainty analysis of the loss measurements in a high-pressure turbine vane. Tests were performed at engine representative conditions in a new annular turbine module called BRASTA (Big Rig Annular for Stationary Turbine Analysis) located within the Purdue Experimental Turbine Aerothermal Lab at Purdue University. Two different stator geometries were assessed in a rainbow annular cascade at transonic conditions. All the aerodynamic probes are described with emphasis on their calibration and uncertainty analysis considering a single point measurement and the implications of the spatial averaging of the data. The change of operating conditions and flow blockage due to measurement probes is analysed using CFD and corrections are recommended on the measurement data. The test section and its characterization is presented, including the calibration of the sonic valve. The sonic valve calibration is necessary to ensure a wide range of operations in Mach and Reynolds numbers. Finally, the rainbow vane configuration data are discussed, emphasizing their systematic and stochastic uncertainty.