Present-day technologies used in SHM (Structural Health Monitoring) systems in many implementations are based on wireless sensor networks (WSN). In the context of the continuous development of these systems, the costs of the elements that form the monitoring system are decreasing. In this situation, the challenge is to select the optimal number of sensors and the network architecture, depending on the wireless system’s other parameters and requirements. It is a challenging task for WSN to provide scalability to cover a large area, fault tolerance, transmission reliability, and energy efficiency when no events are detected. In this article, fundamental issues concerning wireless communication in structural health monitoring systems (SHM) in the context of non-destructive testing sensors (NDT) were presented. Wireless technology developments in several crucial areas were also presented, and these include engineering facilities such as aviation and wind turbine systems as well as bridges and associated engineering facilities.

Investigations of combustors and turbines separately have been carried out for years by research institutes and aircraft engine companies, but there are still many questions about the interaction effect. In this paper, a prediction of a turbine stator’s potential effect on flow in a combustor and the clocking effect on temperature distribution in a nozzle guide vane are discussed. Numerical simulation results for the combustor simulator and the nozzle guide vane (NGV) of the first turbine stage are presented. The geometry and flow conditions were defined according to measurements carried out on a test section within the framework of the EU FACTOR (full aerothermal combustor–turbine interactions research) project. The numerical model was validated by a comparison of results against experimental data in the plane at a combustor outlet. Two turbulence models were employed: the Spalart–Allmaras and Explicit Algebraic Reynolds Stress models. It was shown that the NGV potential effect on flow distribution at the combustor–turbine interface located at 42.5% of the axial chord is weak. The clocking effect due to the azimuthal position of guide vanes downstream of the swirlers strongly affects the temperature and flow conditions in a stator cascade.

This article presents investigations of mass flow reduction in a gap above a fin by the air curtain technique. The proposed method uses slots in the fin to generate a bypass flow and to create a fluidic barrier in the gap above the fin. Both numerical and experimental researches were conducted and the air curtain proved to be effective, showing the mass flow reduction up to about 20%. The comparison of numerical simulations and experimental data showed good agreement, and the flow structure details were analyzed based on the numerical results. The analysis shows that the blown air in the gap leads to creation of streamwise vortices. They enforce crosswise nonuniformity of the flow velocity in the gap and downstream, what finally influences on higher dissipation effects and mass flow reduction in the gap.

Purpose: The purpose of the study is to measure the mass flow in the flow through the labyrinth seal of the gas turbine and compare it to the results of numerical simulation. Moreover the capability of two turbulence models to reflect the phenomenon will be assessed. The studied case will later be used as a reference case for the new, original design of flow control method to limit the leakage flow through the labyrinth seal. Design/methodology/approach: Experimental measurements were conducted, measuring the mass flow and the pressure in the model of the labyrinth seal. It was compared to the results of numerical simulation performed in ANSYS/Fluent commercial code for the same geometry. Findings: The precise machining of parts was identified as crucial for obtaining correct results in the experiment. The model characteristics were documented, allowing for its future use as the reference case for testing the new labyrinth seal geometry. Experimentally validated numerical model of the flow in the labyrinth seal was developed. Research limitations/implications: The research studies the basic case, future research on the case with a new labyrinth seal geometry is planned. Research is conducted on simplified case without rotation and the impact of the turbine main channel. Practical implications: Importance of machining accuracy up to 0.01 mm was found to be important for measuring leakage in small gaps and decision making on the optimal configuration selection. Originality/value: The research is an important step in the development of original modification of the labyrinth seal, resulting in leakage reduction, by serving as a reference case.

The interaction between a shock wave and a boundary layer on a suction side of gas turbine profile, namely Transition Location Effect on Shock Wave Boundary Layer Interaction, was one of main objectives of TFAST project. A generic test section in a transonic wind tunnel was designed to carry out such investigations. The design criteria were to reproduce flow conditions on the profile in wind tunnel as the one existing on the suction side of the turbine guide vane. In this paper, the effect of film cooling and jet vortex generators on the shock wave boundary layer interaction and shock induced separation is presented. Numerical results for Explicit Algebraic Reynolds Stress Model with transition modeling are compared with experimental data.