A Redesign Strategy to Improve the Efficiency of a 17-Stage Steam Turbine

TitleA Redesign Strategy to Improve the Efficiency of a 17-Stage Steam Turbine
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2011
AuthorsRubechini F, Schneider A, Arnone A, Cecchi S, Malavasi F
JournalASME Journal of Turbomachinery
Volume134
Issue3
Pagination031021
Date Published07/2011
ISSN Number0889-504X
Accession NumberWOS:000292775700021
Other NumbersScopus 2-s2.0-79960322212
KeywordsArtificial Neural Networks, Optimization, Steam Turbine
Abstract

A three-dimensional Reynolds averaged Navier–Stokes solver was applied to the aerodynamic redesigning of a 17-stage steam turbine. The redesign procedure was divided into three steps. In the first one, a single embedded stage was considered, and an optimization of stator lean and rotor twist was carried out by applying suitable repeating inlet/outlet boundary conditions. In the second step, a proper geometrical transformation between the original reference stage and the optimized one was identified and then applied to all other turbine stages, thus leading to a first approximation of the redesigned turbine. Finally, a neural-network-based refinement of the stator and rotor twist of each stage was performed to account for its actual position and operating conditions within the meridional channel. In this work, a detailed description of the redesign procedure is provided, and the aerodynamic characteristics of the optimized geometry are discussed and compared with the original ones.

URLhttp://turbomachinery.asmedigitalcollection.asme.org/article.aspx?articleid=1468843
DOI10.1115/1.4003082