Engineering IIB - 4A3

ENGINEERING TRIPOS PART IIB

2017-2018
Module 4A3 - Turbomachinery I
EXAMPLES PAPER 1

Straightforward Questions are marked with a †, Tripos standard with a *.

Section A: Revision

Note: Angles are measured with respect to the axial direction and that they are positive in the
direction of rotation.

†A1. Draw the velocity triangles for an axial turbine which has a blade speed of 250 m/s, a
constant axial velocity of 100 m/s, a stator exit angle of 70° and no swirl in the
entry or exit flow. Assuming that the fluid is a perfect gas, calculate the work output
per kg of flow and the degree of reaction of the machine.
Ans. 68.7 kJ/ kg, 0.451

†A2. Draw the velocity triangles for an axial flow compressor which has +20° of swirl at
entry and exit to the stage when the blade speed is 200 m/s, the overall stagnation
enthalpy rise is 13 kJ/kg and the rotor relative inflow angle is -60°. Hence, calculate
the degree of reaction. Assume that the axial velocity is constant through the stage
and use Euler's work equation to obtain the change in Vq which must be the same for
each blade row.
Ans. 0.664

A3. Revise the derivation of Euler’s work equation

h0 - W r Vq = constant through a blade row .

(a) Does the equation apply to the whole flow or only along a streamline?
(b) Does it apply to compressible flow ?
(c) Does it apply when the flow is not adiabatic ?
(d) Does it apply when there is friction acting on the blades ?
(e) Does it apply when there is friction acting on the hub and casing?
(f) Does it apply instantaneously to an unsteady flow ?
(g) Does it apply to the time average of a periodically varying flow?
Engineering IIB - 4A3
A4. Rearrange Euler’s work equation using only simple algebra and the definition of
relative stagnation enthalpy,

2
h0,rel = cpT + 0.5Vrel
to obtain the following two alternative forms:

h0,rel -0.5U2 = constant

2 + V2 ) = constant
h0 - 0.5(U2 - Vrel
Where

U = Wr, V = absolute velocity, Vrel = relative velocity

A5. Calculate the stagnation pressure ratio of the turbine of Question A1 assuming
isentropic flow of air which enters the turbine at a stagnation temperature of 300 K.
Also, remembering that the axial velocity is constant, calculate the ratio of the
annulus areas at exit and entry and express the absolute exit kinetic energy (leaving
loss) as a fraction of the work done.
Ans. P01/P02 = 2.47, 1.93, 7.28.%

Section B: Overall Performance and Scaling

†B1. A 1/10th scale model of a radial inflow hydraulic turbine is tested with a constant
head of 10 m water over a range of different speeds. The maximum efficiency is
found to be 91% at a speed of 3000 rpm at which point the flow rate is 1.1 m3/s.
The full size turbine is to operate with a head of 100 m water. What will be its
speed, flow rate and power output at its maximum efficiency point? Assume that the
effects of viscosity and cavitation can be neglected.
Ans. 948.7 rpm, 347.8 m3/s, 310.5 MW.

B2. A compressor is designed to operate with air at an inlet pressure of 1 bar and
temperature 300 K, at a speed of 4000 rpm and at a pressure ratio of 10:1. In order
to save power, it is being tested with the inlet throttled and the exhaust direct to the
atmosphere on a day when the inlet temperature is 280 K. At what speed should it be
run in order to obtain the same dimensionless characteristic as at design conditions?
When run at this speed, at the point where the pressure ratio is 10:1, the mass flow
rate is measured to be 5 kg/s and the power input is 1.5 MW. What will be the mass
flow and power input at design conditions?
Ans. 3864 rpm, 48.3 kg/s , 15.525 MW
Engineering IIB - 4A3

Section C: Preliminary Stage Design - Axial Machines

Note: The following (velocity triangle-based) definitions apply

Vx Dh0 Reaction L = Dh rotor

Flow Coeff. f = Stage Loading Coeff. y = Dh stage
U U2

C1. A single shaft jet engine is to have a stagnation pressure ratio of 20:1. At compressor
inlet the stagnation conditions are 0.5 bar, 250 K. The turbine inlet stagnation
temperature is to be 1550 K. The compressor mean blade speed is the same for all
blade rows and corresponds to 90 percent of the compressor inlet stagnation sound
speed (i.e. 0.9 gRT0 ). The mean turbine blade speed is also constant and corresponds
to 55 percent of the turbine inlet stagnation sound speed (i.e. 0.55 gRT0 ). The
compressor and turbine stage loading coefficients are to be less than 0.4 and 2.2
respectively for all stages.
Assuming an isentropic efficiency of 0.9 for both the compressor and the turbine,
estimate the number of compressor stages and the number of turbine stages required.
Neglect any pressure loss and mass addition in the combustion chamber, assume that
the gases all have the same properties as air and note that for a single shaft engine the
compressor work and turbine work must be equal.
Ans. 12 and 1

C2. The mass flow through the engine of Question C1 is 50 kg/s, the compressor flow
coefficient ( f = Vx U mean ) is 0.6 and the turbine flow coefficient is 0.4. At compressor
inlet the hub radius is half of the tip radius and the mean radius is the average of the
hub and tip radius.

(a) Calculate the volume flow rate at inlet to the compressor. Hence, calculate the
compressor inlet tip diameter and the rotational speed.
Ans. 0.9 m, 7990 rpm.
(b) The blade height (span) at turbine inlet can be assumed to be small. Determine the
turbine mean diameter and the blade span at turbine inlet.
Ans. 1.035 m , 40 mm.
Engineering IIB - 4A3
C3. For the jet engine of Question C1, use the number of stages that you calculated to
obtain the exact value of the stage loading coefficient required for each compressor
stage and for each turbine stage.
(a) If the flow coefficient f = 0.6 and the reaction L = 0.6 for all the compressor
stages calculate all the flow angles and draw the velocity triangle for a compressor
stage. Assume all stages are repeating ones.
Ans. a1 = 19! , a1rel = -52.9! , a 2 = 44.7! , a 2rel = -34.1!
Note that inlet guide vanes would have to be used at compressor inlet to give the
correct flow angle at inlet to the 1st compressor stage.
(b) If f = 0.4 and L = 0.4 for all the turbine stages calculate all the flow angles and
draw the velocity triangle for a turbine stage.
Ans. a1 = -45.2! , a 2 = 76.0! , a 2 rel = 56.4! , a 3rel = -74.1!

N R Atkins, Oct. 2016