Sensitivity of the endwall flow in a linear vane cascade to blade fillet geometry

Abstract

Based on the blade chord and inlet velocity, the current computational study uses a linear vane cascade with a large filleted blade-endwall junction with a 2.01 x 105 Reynolds number. Three fillets with related profiles are explored. To evaluate the upshots of geometric differences in a fillet attached to the endwall flow-field, the height and endwall-width of the fillets are changed. The RANS k-ω turbulent model is used in the computations, and the results are compared to experimental results from a similar cascade without the fillet. The computed results of the secondary flow-field in the endwall region along the cascade are compared for baseline (no fillet) and filleted passages. As a result of diminished leading-edge and passage vortices, the fillets lower pitchwise pressure gradients, flow separation, axial vorticity, and overall pressure losses when compared to the baseline. The pros of fillets on endwall secondary flows are however unaffected by fillet's geometric changes.