Study on Flow Fields in Variable Area Nozzles for Radial Turbines

Abstract

The flow behind the variable area nozzle which corresponds to the flow at the leading edge of the impeller was measured with a 3-hole yaw probe and calculated with CFD. Two nozzle throat-areas were investigated. One is the smallest and the other is the largest opening for the variable nozzle. Test results agreed with the calculated results qualitatively. The leakage flow through the tip clearance of the nozzle vane significantly affected the flow field downstream of the nozzle vane with the smallest opening. However, the effect on leakage flow on the flow field downstream of the nozzle vane with the largest opening was very weak and the effect of wake is dominant.