The influence of steam extraction parameters on unsteady rotor forces

Aerodynamic unsteady forces of rotor blades in a turbine stage with steam extraction were calculated and blade failure was reported. A numerical calculation of the 3D transonic flow of an ideal gas through turbomachinery blade rows moving one in relation to another is presented. An ideal gas flow through mutually moving stator and rotor blades with periodicity on the whole annulus is described with unsteady Euler conservation equations, integrated using the explicit monotonous finite-volume difference scheme of Godunov-Kolgan and a moving hybrid H-H grid. In order to find the pressure distribution of steam parameters behind the rotor blades, calculations were performed for a steady flow through the stage and the steam extraction channels using the SPARC program and the unsteady forces of the rotor blade were calculated for four steam extraction conditions. For the maximal steam extraction the 10th harmonic of the axial force and moment was found to be close to the first natural frequency of the bladed disc with one nodal diameter. Thus, steam extraction can be the cause of the blade's failure.