Turbomachinery Lecture Notes 1 2007-09-14

Design of Multistage Turbine

Damian Vogt
Course MJ2429

Nomenclature
Symbol Denotation Unit
c Absolute velocity m/s
cp Specific heat J/kgK
h Enthalpy J/kg
m& Mass flow rate kg/s
p Pressure Pa
r Radius m
u Tangential velocity m/s
v Specific volume m3/kg
w Relative velocity m/s
z Number of stages -
R Degree of reaction -
R Gas constant J/kg/K
T Temperature K
W& Power J/s
Y Radius ratio Y = rs rh -
Φ Flow coefficient -
Ψ Loading coefficient -
Ω Cross section m2
α Absolute flow angle deg
β Relative flow angle deg
γ Isentropic coefficient -
ε Turning deg
ρ Density m3/kg
η Efficiency -
ζ Loss coefficient -
ω Rotational speed rad/s

Subscripts

0 Total
1 Inlet stator
2 Outlet stator (inlet rotor)
3 Outlet rotor
n Normal
s Shroud (tip)
h Hub
r Radial component
x Axial component
α Engine inlet
ω Engine outlet
θ Tangential component

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Turbomachinery Lecture Notes 2 2007-09-14

System Discretization

Schematic representation α

α inlet
W&
ω outlet

It is assumed that the turbine consists ω

of one or several stages

stator rotor
1 2 3
Stage denotations

1 stator inlet
2 rotor inlet Reference radius
3 rotor outlet

Stage velocity triangles stator rotor

20

10
w3 u

0
u
−10 30
c3
c1
−20 20
w2
−30 10

10 u
20
c2

30

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Turbomachinery Lecture Notes 3 2007-09-14

Problem Statement
The task is given to perform a preliminary design of a multistage turbine. It is thereby assumed
that the following parameters are known

• Inlet pressure and temperature

• Outlet pressure
• Required power

Furthermore the following limitations shall be made:

• Repetition and normal stages shall be valid.

• Zero exit swirl

The expressions of the design parameters are given below for this special case

( )
1 1 wθ ,2
R=− wθ ,3 + wθ ,2 = − − Eq. 1
2u 2 2u

wθ ,2 − wθ ,3 wθ , 2
ψ= = +1 Eq. 2
u u
cx
φ= Eq. 3
u

Note that the following relationship is valid

ψ = 2 ⋅ (1 − R) Eq. 4

Step 1: Determination of approximate flow parameters (isentropic expansion)

As the geometry and design parameters of the turbine are not known a priori in this first step
isentropic expansion shall be assumed. The efficiency is then calculated based on this first
assumption and one or several iterations are performed thereafter.

Determination of inlet specific volume

RTα
vα = Eq. 5
pα

Determination of outlet specific volume

1
⎛ p ⎞γ
vω = vα ⎜⎜ α ⎟⎟ Eq. 6
⎝ pω ⎠

Determination of change in enthalpy

⎡ γ −1 ⎤
γ ⎢ ⎛ pω ⎞ γ ⎥
Δhs = pα vα ⎢1 − ⎜⎜ ⎟
⎟ ⎥ Eq. 7
γ −1 ⎢ ⎝ pα ⎠ ⎥
⎣ ⎦

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Turbomachinery Lecture Notes 4 2007-09-14

Determination of mass flow rate

c 2 − cω 2
As Δh0 s = Δh s + α and due to the assumption of normal repetition stages cα = cω it
2
follows that Δh0 s = Δh s leading to

W
m& = Eq. 8
Δhs

Step 2: Determination of inlet and outlet annular geometry

Assume: u=const, implying that r=const

The radius ratio Y is dependent on flow coefficient and mean radius and yields from the
conservation of mass

m& = Ω ⋅ ρ ⋅ cn = Ω ⋅ ρ ⋅ φ ⋅ u Eq. 9

rs r +r 2r 2Yrm
with Y = and rm = h s it follows that rh = m and rs = leading to
rh 2 Y +1 Y +1

( )
Ω = π rs 2 − rh 2 = 4πrm 2
Y −1
Y +1
Eq. 10

Substituting this expression into the conservation of mass above it follows that

Y −1 Y −1
m& = 4πrm 2 ⋅ ρ ⋅ φ ⋅ u = 4πrm 3 ⋅ ρ ⋅φ ⋅ω Eq. 11
Y +1 Y +1

m&
By expressing = A the radius ratio is obtained from
4πrm ⋅ ρ ⋅ φ ⋅ ω
3

A +1
Y= Eq. 12
A −1

Æ Choose
• Rotational speed
• Flow coefficient phi

Æ Determine Y in appropriate range

Note:
• Too short blades give bad efficiency
• Too long blades shall be avoided due to high mechanical loads

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Step 3: Determination of number of stages

The total change in enthalpy between inlet and outlet is distributed over an appropriate number of
stages as follows

z
Δh 0 = ∑ ψ i u i 2 Eq. 13
i =1

where z denotes the number of stages. Above the assumption of a normal repetition stage at
constant radius has been made, thus Ψi = Ψ and u i = u . In this first step the isentropic enthalpy
change is regarded leading to

Δh s = z ⋅ψ ⋅ u 2 Eq. 14

The number of stages yields from the following expression

Δh s
z= Eq. 15
ψrm 2ω 2

Æ Choose
• Loading coefficient

Note:
• For the present special case of normal repetition stage at zero exit swirl the loading
coefficient depends from the degree of reaction as ψ = 2 ⋅ (1 − R ) .
• The choice of the loading coefficient has to be made such that the number of stages
yields an integer number. In case the number of stages is non-integer it has to be
rounded to the next higher integer

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Turbomachinery Lecture Notes 6 2007-09-14

Step 4: Determination of stage efficiency

Determination of loss coefficients and total-to-total stage efficiency as follows

−1
⎡ T3 2 ⎤
⎢ T c 2 ζ N + w3 ζ
2
R ⎥
η tt = ⎢1 + 2 ⎥ Eq. 16
⎢ 2(h1 − h3 ) ⎥
⎢ ⎥
⎣ ⎦

Firstly it is assumed that T2 ≈ T3 . For a normal repetition stage with zero exit swirl the stage
efficiency then yields from

−1
⎡
η tt = ⎢1 +
1
2ψ
( ( ) ⎤
ζ N φ 2 +ψ 2 + ζ R φ 2 + 1 ⎥ ( )) Eq. 17
⎣ ⎦

In a first approximation the loss coefficients can be determined from Soderberg’s correlation as
follows

2
⎛ ε ⎞
ζ * = 0.04 + 0.06⎜ ⎟ Eq. 18
⎝ 100 ⎠

where ε denotes the turning, which for stator and rotor respectively yields from

⎛ψ ⎞
ε N = α 1 − α 2 = α 2 = tan −1 ⎜⎜ ⎟⎟ Eq. 19
⎝φ ⎠

⎛ψ −1⎞ ⎛ −1 ⎞
ε R = β 2 − β 3 = tan −1 ⎜⎜ ⎟⎟ − tan −1 ⎜⎜ ⎟⎟ Eq. 20
⎝ φ ⎠ ⎝φ ⎠

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Turbomachinery Lecture Notes 7 2007-09-14

Step 5: First iteration of flow parameters (polytropic expansion)

With the knowledge of the approximate total-to-total efficiency the polytropic expansion between
inlet and outlet can now be determined yielding the flow parameters at these stations more
accurately. The change of enthalpy is now given by

γ −1
⎡ ⎤
γ ⎢ ⎛ ⎞ γ
⎟⎟ ⎥
p
Δh = η tt pα vα 1 − ⎜⎜ ω
Eq. 21
γ −1 ⎢ ⎥
⎢⎣ ⎝ α ⎠ ⎦⎥
p

The outlet temperature yields from

Δh
Tω = Tα − Eq. 22
cp

, which allows us to determine the outlet specific volume by

RTω
vω = Eq. 23
pω

Finally the mass flow rate needs to be updated by the updated enthalpy difference as

W
m& = Eq. 24
Δh

Step 6: Finalization of first iteration

The finalization of the first iteration comprises the steps of determination of number of stages and
loading factor. From the values obtained an updated polytropic efficiency can be determined,
which could be used in another iteration step. This iteration process should be carried out until
convergence is obtained. Criteria for obtaining convergence should be established by the user.
Convergence could for example be measured by relating a number of parameters from two
subsequent iteration steps. Usually one or two iterations will do if the change of state is close to
the isentropic one.

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 Turbomachinery Lecture Notes 8 2007-09-14

Example: Design of Multistage Turbine in Excel sheet

The above equations have been implemented in an Excel sheet, which is made available with the
present document. The purpose of the Excel sheet is to recognize the effects of design choices
on the resulting engine as well as on engine costs. Parameters that are open to choose are the
following:

• Thermodynamic parameters: inlet pressure and temperature, outlet pressure and

poser
• Engine parameters: engine rotational speed and mean radius
• Design parameters: flow coefficient and loading factor (note: as the assumptions of
normal repetition stages and zero exit swirl has been made the degree of reaction is
directly related to the loading coefficient)

To recognize the impact of certain parameter choices on costs a simplified cost analysis has
been included. The cost analysis covers the factors of engine purchasing, engine service and
engine fuel costs. Output is provided in numerical and graphical format. Have fun!

isentropic 1st iteration --> polytropic Cost analysis

Parameter Unit α ω α ω
p [Pa] 2,00E+06 5,00E+05 2,00E+06 5,00E+05 base costs - 3,00E+06
T [K] 800,00 538,36 800,00 565,01 cost per stage - 3,00E+05
v [m3/kg] 0,11 0,31 0,11 0,32 fuel cost per l 2
P [J/s] 3,00E+06 3,00E+06 fuel heating value J/l 4,00E+07
m dot [kg/s] 11,41 11,41 12,71 12,71
Δh [kJ/kg] 2,63E+05 2,36E+05
gamma [-] 1,40
cp [J/kgK] 1004,5
R [J/kgK] 287
phi [-] 0,50 0,50
n [rpm] 3,00E+04 3,00E+04 3,00E+04 3,00E+04 fixed costs
om [rad/s] 3141,59 3141,59 3141,59 3141,59 machine costs 3,62E+06
rm [m] 0,080 0,080 0,080 0,080
A [-] 0,13 0,35 0,14 0,41 runtime # years 10
Y [-] 1,30 2,07 1,34 2,38
rh [m] 0,070 0,052 0,068 0,047 service (per stage & year) 2,00E+05
rs [m] 0,090 0,108 0,092 0,113 service (period) 4,16E+06
s [m] 0,021 0,056 0,023 0,065
u [m/s] 251,33 251,33 fuel
run time [h] per year 7000
psi [-] 2,00 1,80 total energy per year 8,37E+13
z [-] 2,08 2,08 total fuel costs per year 4,18E+06
R 0,00 2 fuel (period) 4,18E+07
stat rot
eps [rad] 75,96 126,87 74,45 121,31 subtotal (var, period) 4,60E+07
zeta [-] 0,07 0,14 0,07 0,13
η tt [-] 0,898 0,904 total costs (period) 4,96E+07

Legend of parameters to choose

thermodynamic parameters
fluid properties
engine parameters
design parameters
operating parameters

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