Unsteady Flow Interactions in High-Pressure Turbine Cavity Simulations

This study investigates the unsteady interactions between cavity and mainstream flows in high-pressure turbine stages, focusing on aerodynamic losses. Using Unsteady Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes (URANS) simulations, the research captures unsteady effects influencing cavity ingestion and egress, validated against experimental data. Findings indicate that while higher purge flow rates enhance sealing performance, they also increase aerodynamic losses by intensifying secondary flow structures. The results highlight the significance of unsteady effects in turbine design and emphasize the necessity of using advanced turbulence models that can accurately capture unsteady flow phenomena. Incorporating more sophisticated modeling approaches can enhance predictive accuracy, leading to improved efficiency and performance optimization in gas turbines.