A detailed parametric study of film-cooling effectiveness was carried out on a turbine blade platform. The platform was cooled by purge flow from a simulated stator–rotor seal combined with discrete hole film-cooling. The cylindrical holes and laidback fan-shaped holes were accessed in terms of film-cooling effectiveness. This paper focuses on the effect of coolant-to-mainstream density ratio on platform film-cooling (DR = 1 to 2). Other fundamental parameters were also examined in this study—a fixed purge flow of 0.5%, three discrete-hole film-cooling blowing ratios between 1.0 and 2.0, and two freestream turbulence intensities of 4.2% and 10.5%. Experiments were done in a five-blade linear cascade with inlet and exit Mach number of 0.27 and 0.44, respectively. Reynolds number of the mainstream flow was 750,000 and was based on the exit velocity and chord length of the blade. The measurement technique adopted was the conduction-free pressure sensitive paint (PSP) technique. Results indicated that with the same density ratio, shaped holes present higher film-cooling effectiveness and wider film coverage than the cylindrical holes, particularly at higher blowing ratios. The optimum blowing ratio of 1.5 exists for the cylindrical holes, whereas the effectiveness for the shaped holes increases with an increase of blowing ratio. Results also indicate that the platform film-cooling effectiveness increases with density ratio but decreases with turbulence intensity.

The density ratio effect on leading edge showerhead film cooling has been studied experimentally using the pressure sensitive paint (PSP) mass transfer analogy method. The leading edge model is a blunt body with a semicylinder and an after body. There are two designs: seven-row and three-row of film cooling holes for simulating a vane and blade, respectively. The film holes are located at 0 (stagnation row), ±15, ±30, and ±45 deg for the seven-row design, and at 0 and ±30 for the three-row design. Four film hole configurations are used for both test designs: radial angle cylindrical holes, compound angle cylindrical holes, radial angle shaped holes, and compound angle shaped holes. The coolant to mainstream density ratio varies from DR = 1.0, 1.5, to 2.0 while the blowing ratio varies from M = 0.5 to 2.1. Experiments were conducted in a low speed wind tunnel with Reynolds number 100,900 based on mainstream velocity and diameter of the cylinder. The mainstream turbulence intensity near the leading edge model is about 7%. The results show the shaped holes have an overall higher film cooling effectiveness than the cylindrical holes, and the radial angle holes are better than the compound angle holes, particularly at a higher blowing ratio. A larger density ratio makes more coolant attach to the surface and increases film protection for all cases. Radial angle shaped holes provide the best film cooling at a higher density ratio and blowing ratio for both designs.

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Adiabatic film-cooling effectiveness is examined systematically on a typical high pressure turbine blade by varying three critical flow parameters: coolant blowing ratio, coolant-to-mainstream density ratio, and freestream turbulence intensity. Three average coolant blowing ratios 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0; three coolant density ratios 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0; two turbulence intensities 4.2% and 10.5%, are chosen for this study. Conduction-free pressure sensitive paint (PSP) technique is used to measure film-cooling effectiveness. Three foreign gases — N2 for low density, CO2 for medium density, and a mixture of SF6 and Argon for high density are selected to study the effect of coolant density. The test blade features 45° compound-angle shaped holes on the suction side and pressure side, and 3 rows of 30° radial-angle cylindrical holes around the leading edge region. The inlet and the exit Mach number are 0.27 and 0.44, respectively. Reynolds number based on the exit velocity and blade axial chord length is 750,000. Results reveal that the PSP is a powerful technique capable of producing clear and detailed film effectiveness contours with diverse foreign gases. As blowing ratio exceeds the optimum value, it induces more mixing of coolant and mainstream. Thus film-cooling effectiveness reduces. Greater coolant-to-mainstream density ratio results in lower coolant-to-mainstream momentum and prevents coolant to lift-off; as a result, film-cooling increases. Higher freestream turbulence causes effectiveness to drop everywhere except in the region downstream of suction side. Results are also correlated with momentum flux ratio and compared with previous studies. It shows that compound shaped hole has the greatest optimum momentum flux ratio, and then followed by axial shaped hole, compound cylindrical hole, and axial cylindrical hole.

This paper experimentally investigates the effect of rotation on heat transfer in a typical turbine blade, three-pass, serpentine coolant channel with discrete ribbed walls at high Reynolds numbers. To achieve the high Reynolds number (Re → 190,000) and low rotation number conditions, pressurized Freon R-134a vapor is utilized as the working fluid. Cooling flow in the first passage is radial outward; after the 180 deg tip turn, the flow is radial inward through the second passage; and after the 180 deg hub turn, the flow is radial outward in the third passage. The effects of rotation on the heat transfer coefficients were investigated at rotation numbers as low as 0.07 and Reynolds numbers from 85,000 to 187,000 (based on the first passage geometry and flow conditions). Heat transfer coefficients were measured using thermocouples embedded in copper plates to provide regionally averaged heat transfer coefficients. Heat transfer enhancement due to rotation is observed on the first passage, pressure-side with radially outward flow and the second passage, suction-side with radially inward flow, but a reduction in heat transfer is observed on the third passage pressure-side with radially outward flow. In addition, results from the discrete, broken ribs are compared with those from the same serpentine coolant passage with conventional, angled ribbed walls. A significant increase in the heat transfer due to the discrete ribs is observed in the first passage. These results can be useful for understanding real rotor blade coolant passage heat transfer under high Reynolds number and low rotation number conditions.