Tip leakage flow analysis of an axial turbine under the effect of separation at low Reynolds number

The tip clearance flow could lead to work reduction and loss generation in turbomachines. However, the effect of separation at low Reynolds number on leakage flow is seldom studied. The previous method for evaluating tip leakage characteristics should also be further researched. Thus, numerical investigations on the tip clearance flow in an unshrouded axial-inflow turbine are conducted at low Reynolds number (3.5 × 10⁴ of the rotor outlet at the designed condition) in the present study. The flow patterns and leakage mass flow rate of the clearance have been analyzed in detail. It is found that the tip clearance flow is greatly affected by the flow separation caused by low Reynolds number. The scraping ratio adopted in previous references does not accord with the clearance flow characteristics at low Reynolds number, especially in the front part of the clearance. A coefficient by −0.70 power of the Reynolds number is proposed to modify the scraping ratio in the present study. The synergy between the velocity and the pressure gradient is innovatively employed to research the tip clearance flow characteristics, and it gives a reliable criterion of indicating the flow patterns in the tip clearance.