Session: 14-02 Rotating Cavities

Submission Number: 177627

Flow Characteristics of Radial Pre-Swirl System in Gas Turbine Engines 

Radial pre-swirler systems in gas turbines deliver the required cooling air to blade bottom regions through a rotating coverplate cavity. The radial pre-swirler function is to provide the required cooling air flow rate with minimal windage loss by swirling the flow as it is directed from the stator region to the rotating coverplate region. The present study focuses on the pre-swirler system, which includes inclined inducer pipes and receiver holes. An extended three-dimensional CFD model region including the rotating receiver holes and coverplate cavity is employed to figure out flow characteristics of the radial pre-swirler. Sensitivity analyses are introduced to investigate the boundaries of the CFD model domain and the modeling approaches for stationary and rotating parts. When the seals on the right and left sides of the cavity between the inducer and receiver area are included in the model domain, the maximum difference in swirl values at critical sections is 3.5%. When only the flow volume in the receiver hole region or the entire cover plate with the receiver holes is rotated, the swirl difference in the relevant sections is again 3.5%. When the positions of the cyclically repeating receiver holes in the direction of rotation are changed, the difference is 1.3%. The implementation of a novel orientation of the receiver holes is introduced; it ends with smoother flow through the cover plate. The jets formed by the inclined inducer pipes may interact with each other, and this should be considered when designing the system. A validation test is represented for CFD modeling.

Presenting Author: Abdulkadir Yalcinkaya TUSAS Engine Industries

Presenting Author Biography: Abdulkadir Yalcinkaya is a thermal system design engineer at TUSAS Engine Industries (TEI). He received his B.Sc. and M.Sc. degrees in mechanical engineering from Kirikkale University, where he researched on internal combustion engines. He is currently pursuing a Ph.D. degree focusing on turbomachinery thermal systems.

At TEI, he has worked on the thermal design and modelling of high-pressure turbine rotating components, including blades, discs, and related parts. His professional experience also includes CFD studies of secondary air systems within high-pressure turbine cavities. His current work focuses on turbine cooling designs and optimisations.

Mr Yalcinkaya has authored and co-authored several papers presented at international conferences, including ASME Turbo Expo 2022 and 2023, INCOS 2022, and OTEKON 2020. His research interests include thermal design, CFD modelling, internal combustion engines, and turbomachinery cooling technologies.

Authors:

Abdulkadir Yalcinkaya TUSAS Engine Industries
Erinc Erdem TUSAS Engine Industries
Mustafa Cem Sertcakan TUSAS Engine Industries (TEI)
Yahya Dogu Kirikkale University / Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences / Department of the Mechanical Engineering