Quasi-Three-Dimensional Numerical Solution of Flow in Turbomachines

The paper demonstrates the operational feasibility of obtaining flow detail through turbomachine blade passages by working iteratively with existing two-dimensional computer programs which solve alternately for S1 and S2 streamsheets. The resulting solution is regarded as “quasi-three-dimensional” because of the constraints implied by the use of S1 streamsurfaces which are surfaces of revolution and of a single, mass averaged S2 streamsurface. Since the S1 streamsheet thickness distributions are determined by the mean S2 solution and the mean S2 streamsurface shape is determined from the set of S1 solutions, the results obtained are anticipated to be better than could have been obtained by either program individually, since the latter application would necessarily have required the user to assume arbitrary variations for these factors. Comparisons of two and quasi-three dimensional results for a centrifugal compressor and a radial inflow turbine are presented.