Home > Leadership Development Seminars > 4. Monozukuri seminar > The PURDUE Experimental Turbine Aerothermal Laboratory for optical and surface aerothermal measurements
The PURDUE Experimental Turbine Aerothermal Laboratory for optical and surface aerothermal measurements
Following three decades of research in short duration facilities, Purdue University has developed an alternative turbine facility in view of the modern technology in computational fluid mechanics, structural analysis, manufacturing, heating, control and electronics. The proposed turbine facility can operate continuously and also perform transients, suited for precise heat flux, efficiency and optical measurement techniques to advance turbine aero-thermo-structural engineering. The facility has two different test sections, linear and annular, to service both fundamental and applied research. The linear test section is completely transparent for optical imaging and spectroscopy, aimed at technology readiness levels (TRLs) of 1 to 2. The annular test section was designed with optical access to perform proof of concepts as well as validation of turbine component performance for relevant non-dimensional parameters at TRLs of 3 to 4. The large mass flow rate (28 kg/s) combined with a minimum hub to tip ratio of 0.85 allows high spatial resolution. The Reynolds number (Re) extends from 60,000 to 3,000,000, based on the vane outlet flow properties with an axial chord of 0.06 m and a turning angle of 72 deg. The pressure ratio can be independently adjusted, enabling testing from low subsonic to Mach 3.2. The test duration can range from milliseconds to minutes. This manuscript provides a detailed description of the sequential design methodology from zero-dimensional to three-dimensional unsteady analysis as well as of the measurement techniques available in this turbine facility.BIO
Guillermo Paniagua, Professor in Mechanical Engineering, has made contributions to the understanding of the complex high speed flows using a combination of experimental breakthroughs and aero-thermal analysis using CFD. Prof. Paniagua has over twenty years of experience in thermal fluid machinery systems, working toward the efficient transformation of thermal energy into mechanical power. His research has advanced the state-of-the-art in: i) Precise characterization of high-pressure turbines; i) Instrumentation and data processing; iii) High-speed propulsion and ultra-compact power generation. He has authored over 250 articles in journals, reviewed conference papers, contributions to books, and served as Editor of 14 books. He is passionate on rethinking established procedures and developing new concepts, has authored six patents. Prof. Paniagua is a Fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) and an Associate Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA). Prof. Paniagua has worked on understanding the flow field and convective heat transfer in the main flow of transonic turbines. Based on the experimental and numerical indications, Prof. Paniagua proposed passive and active control of the stator shock waves to improve the efficiency of transonic turbomachinery. Since 1996 Prof. Paniagua has focused on improving the fidelity of measurement techniques to monitor pressure, temperature, velocity, heat flux, and skin friction. His team was the first to demonstrate an experimental approach to predict the steady and unsteady adiabatic wall temperatures and adiabatic convective heat transfer coefficient in turbine airfoils. In parallel, his research group has developed, and demonstrated for the first time in a turbine environment, the use of an 3D inverse methodology to predict the adiabatic wall temperature. Prof. Paniagua spent 18 years at the von Karman Institute (VKI) for Fluid Dynamics, a world-renowned organization for Fluid Mechanics research, before joining Purdue in October of 2014.
