GAS TURBINE LABORATORY SEMINAR

DATE:                        Thursday, 15 September 2022

TIME:                         4:00pm 

LOCATION:              33-116

SPEAKER:                Professor Zoltán Spakovszky, T. A. Wilson Professor in Aeronautics and Astronautics

TOPIC:                       Advances in Radial Fluid Machinery

ABSTRACT:

The characterization of internal flows in radial fluid machinery is much less advanced than that of their axial counterparts. Most of this is because jet engines, which are predominantly of axial architecture, have historically received more attention. The Gas Turbine Laboratory has embarked on a broad range of research programs related to radial machines. To give a few examples: flow instabilities in multi-stage pumps, improved performance diffusion systems in turbochargers, condensation challenges in supercritical CO2 compressors, and cavitation in rocket engine turbopumps. The talk will introduce selected problems important to industry and government agencies, illustrate the flow mechanisms and underlying concepts responsible for the shortcomings, and discuss the technological solutions.  Although vastly different in nature, the projects have the following threads in common: both are rich in concepts, involve teaming and industry collaboration, and focus on problem solving rather than method development. The talk will also give a brief outlook on new research directions required to address the challenges.