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This paper aims to present the designing and investigating various types of impulse blade profiles to find the optimal profile that has better performance than the first or original blade. The studied model is a turbine with an output power below 1 MW and a large pressure ratio up to 20, which is used to gain relatively high specific work output. As a result of its low mass flow rate, the turbine is used under partial-admission conditions. The turbine’s stator is a group of convergence–divergence nozzles that provide supersonic flow.

More than 10 types of two-dimensional blade profiles were designed using the developed preliminary design calculations and numerical analysis. The numerical results are validated using the existing experimental results. Finally, the case with improved performance is introduced as the final optimum case.

It was found that the performance parameters such as efficiency, power and torque are increased by more than 8% in the selected best model, in comparison with the original model. Moreover, the total pressure loss is 12% decreased for the selected model. Finally, the selected profile with superior performance is proposed.

Simultaneous numerical tests are conducted to examine the interaction of different supersonic blade profiles with the partially injected flow to the rotor.

The blade profile and its geometrical features play an important role in the separation of the boundary layer on the blade. Modifying the blade geometry, which might lead to the delay or elimination of the flow separation, can be considered as a passive flow control methodology. This study aims to find a novel and inexpensive way to reduce loss with appropriate modifications on the leading edge of the turbine blade.

Three types of wave leading edges were designed with different wavelengths and amplitudes. The selected numbers for the wave characteristics were based on the best results of previous studies. Models with appropriate and independent meshing have been simulated and studied by a commercial software. The distribution of the loss at different planes and mid-plane velocity vectors were shown. The mass flow average of loss at different incidence angles was calculated for the reference blade and modified ones for the sake of comparison.

The results show that in all three types of modified blades compared to the reference blade, the elimination of flow separation is observed and therefore the reduction of loss at the critical incidence angle of I = –15°. As the amplitude of the wave increased, the amount of loss growing up, while the increase in wavelength caused the loss to decrease.

The results of the present numerical analysis were validated by the laboratory results of the reference blade. The experimental study of modified blades can be used to quantify numerical solutions.