Numerical Investigation of Windage Heating in High-Pressure Compressor Shrouded Stator Cavities

Literature provides valuable insights into the thermodynamic behavior of labyrinth seals, but modelling is still incomplete. In this study, a 3D CFD model of a shrouded stator passage was constructed. Various model variations such as increased wall roughness, fixed temperature boundary conditions and walls with fixed heat flux values have been applied to the model to accurately simulate the heat pickup in the labyrinth seal. The heat pickup in the cavity was then quantitatively analyzed and compared with experimental values and with various methods in the literature. Finally, a coupled CFD-FEM method was used as an additional validation mechanism. The study showed that the flow behavior in the experiments was accurately simulated in terms of core swirl ratios, pressure ratios and total temperature rise. The total temperature rise, on the other hand, can be successfully partitioned between conductive heat transfer and windage heating. Future studies may be required to validate the confidence of this study, especially for a range of engines and test rigs. Additionally, future investigations could focus on enhancing the accuracy of predicting the total temperature increase in inner air seals and exploring the effect of honeycomb structures on flow behavior.