Non-axisymmetric Endwall Shape Optimization of an Intermediate Turbine Duct

Paper i proceeding, 2007

The design of intermediate turbine ducts has become increasingly challenging and important. This is due to the trend of increasing the by-pass ratio (BPR) of turbo-fan engines. A high BPR leads to the need for more aggressive turbine duct, which implies a higher aspect ratio and/or an increased area ratio. Expanding the current turbine duct design space toward more aggressive configurations requires detailed flow analysis. In the present work CFD-based non-axisymmetric endwall shape optimization has been used to obtain a state-of-the-art duct design. It is shown that the inclusion of optimization in the design process can lead to benefits both in weight and performance of the component. The aim of the presented work has been to optimize the hub endwall of an intermediate turbine duct with 16 lifting vanes.