Large-Scale Testing to Validate the Influence of External Crossflow on the Discharge Coefficients of Film Cooling Holes

Author(s):  
D. A. Rowbury ◽  
M. L. G. Oldfield ◽  
G. D. Lock

This paper discusses large-scale, low-speed experiments that explain unexpected flow-interaction phenomena witnessed during annular cascade studies into the influence of external crossflow on film cooling hole discharge coefficients. More specifically, the experiments throw light on the crossover phenomenon, where the presence of the external crossflow can, under certain circumstances, increase the discharge coefficient. This is contrary to most situations, where the external flow results in a decrease in discharge coefficient. The large-scale testing reported helps to explain this phenomena through an increased understanding of the interaction between the emerging coolant jet and the freestream flow. The crossover phenomenon came to light during an investigation into the influence of external crossflow on the discharge coefficients of nozzle guide vane film cooling holes. These experiments were performed in the Cold Heat Transfer Tunnel (CHTT), an annular blowdown cascade of film cooled vanes which models the three-dimensional external flow patterns found in modern aero-engines. (Rowbury et al., 1997 and 1998). The variation in static pressure around the exit of film cooling holes under different flow conditions was investigated in the large-scale tests. The study centred on three holes whose geometries were based on those found in the leading edge region of the CHTT vanes, as the crossover phenomenon was witnessed for these rows during the initial testing. The experiments were carried out in a low speed wind tunnel, with the tunnel freestream flow velocity set to match the freestream Reynolds number (as based on the local radius of curvature) and the ‘coolant’ flow velocity set to replicate the engine coolant-to-freestream momentum flux ratio. It was found that the apparent enhancement of film cooling hole discharge coefficients with external crossflow was caused by a reduction in the static pressure around the hole exit, associated with the local acceleration of the freestream around the emerging coolant jet. When these measured static pressures (rather than the freestream static pressure) were used to calculate the discharge coefficient, the crossover effect was absent. The improved understanding of the crossover phenomenon and coolant-to-freestream interactions that has been gained will be valuable in aiding the formulation of predictive discharge coefficient schemes.

2000 ◽  
Vol 123 (3) ◽  
pp. 593-600 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. A. Rowbury ◽  
M. L. G. Oldfield ◽  
G. D. Lock

This paper discusses large-scale, low-speed experiments that explain unexpected flow-interaction phenomena witnessed during annular cascade studies into the influence of external crossflow on film cooling hole discharge coefficients. More specifically, the experiments throw light on the crossover phenomenon, where the presence of the external crossflow can, under certain circumstances, increase the discharge coefficient. This is contrary to most situations, where the external flow results in a decrease in discharge coefficient. The large-scale testing reported helps to explain this phenomenon through an increased understanding of the interaction between the emerging coolant jet and the free-stream flow. The crossover phenomenon came to light during an investigation into the influence of external crossflow on the discharge coefficients of nozzle guide vane film cooling holes. These experiments were performed in the Cold Heat Transfer Tunnel (CHTT), an annular blowdown cascade of film cooled vanes that models the three-dimensional external flow patterns found in modern aero-engines. (Rowbury et al., 1997, 1998). The variation in static pressure around the exit of film cooling holes under different flow conditions was investigated in the large-scale tests. The study centered on three holes whose geometries were based on those found in the leading edge region of the CHTT vanes, as the crossover phenomenon was witnessed for these rows during the initial testing. The experiments were carried out in a low-speed wind tunnel, with the tunnel free-stream flow velocity set to match the free-stream Reynolds number (based on the local radius of curvature) and the “coolant” flow velocity set to replicate the engine coolant-to-free-stream momentum flux ratio. It was found that the apparent enhancement of film cooling hole discharge coefficients with external crossflow was caused by a reduction in the static pressure around the hole exit, associated with the local acceleration of the free-stream around the emerging coolant jet. When these measured static pressures (rather than the free-stream static pressure) were used to calculate the discharge coefficient, the crossover effect was absent. The improved understanding of the crossover phenomenon and coolant-to-free-stream interactions that has been gained will be valuable in aiding the formulation of predictive discharge coefficient schemes.


Author(s):  
M. Gritsch ◽  
A. Schulz ◽  
S. Wittig

This paper presents the discharge coefficients of three film-cooling hole geometries tested over a wide range of flow conditions. The hole geometries include a cylindrical hole and two holes with a diffuser shaped exit portion (i.e. a fanshaped and a laidback fanshaped hole). The flow conditions considered were the crossflow Mach number at the hole entrance side (up to 0.6), the crossflow Mach number at the hole exit side (up to 1.2), and the pressure ratio across the hole (up to 2). The results show that the discharge coefficient for all geometries tested strongly depends on the flow conditions (crossflows at hole inlet and exit, and pressure ratio). The discharge coefficient of both expanded holes was found to be higher than of the cylindrical hole, particularly at low pressure ratios and with a hole entrance side crossflow applied. The effect of the additional layback on the discharge coefficient is negligible.


Author(s):  
Michael Gritsch ◽  
Achmed Schulz ◽  
Sigmar Wittig

Measurements of discharge coefficients for five configurations of cylindrical film cooling hole geometries are presented. These comprise holes of varying angles of inclination (α= 30, 45, and 90deg) and orientation (γ= 0, 45, and 90deg) which are tested over a wide range of engine like conditions in terms of internal and external crossflow Mach numbers (Mam=0…1.2, Mac=0…0.6) as well as pressure ratios (ptc/pm=1…2.25). Results show that discharge coefficients do not solely depend on hole geometry but are also profoundly affected by the internal and external crossflow conditions. The effect of increasing the orientation angle on the discharge behavior is very similar to the effect of increasing the inclination angle. Both result in higher losses particularly at the cooling hole inlet while the losses at the hole exit are only slightly affected.


2001 ◽  
Vol 123 (4) ◽  
pp. 781-787 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Gritsch ◽  
Achmed Schulz ◽  
Sigmar Wittig

Measurements of discharge coefficients for five configurations of cylindrical film cooling hole geometries are presented. These comprise holes of varying angles of inclination (α=30, 45, and 90 deg) and orientation (γ=0, 45, and 90 deg), which are tested over a wide range of engine-like conditions in terms of internal and external crossflow Mach numbers (Mam=0…1.2,Mac=0…0.6) as well as pressure ratios ptc/pm=1…2.25. Results show that discharge coefficients do not depend solely on hole geometry, but are also profoundly affected by the internal and external crossflow conditions. The effect of increasing the orientation angle on the discharge behavior is very similar to the effect of increasing the inclination angle. Both result in higher losses, particularly at the cooling hole inlet while the losses at the hole exit are only slightly affected.


Author(s):  
D. A. Rowbury ◽  
M. L. G. Oldfield ◽  
G. D. Lock ◽  
S. N. Dancer

This paper discusses the need and the procedure for scaling discharge coefficient measurements made in an ambient temperature experiment to render them applicable to the engine situation. Among the dimensionless parameters affecting the discharge coefficients of film cooling holes are the Reynolds number and the coolant Mach number. Experiments have been conducted in a large scale annular blowdown cascade of film cooled nozzle guide vanes. The coolant system design, using a heavy ‘foreign gas’ (an SF6/Ar mixture) at ambient temperatures, allows the coolant-to-mainstream density ratio and blowing parameters to be matched to engine values. By using elevated pressure tests, the effect of varying the coolant Reynolds number without external flow is observed experimentally and these results are then used to correct the discharge coefficients measured on the vane with external crossflow. Data is presented and discussed for two cooling hole geometries, namely cylindrical and fanshaped holes.


2000 ◽  
Vol 123 (2) ◽  
pp. 258-265 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. A. Rowbury ◽  
M. L. G. Oldfield ◽  
G. D. Lock

An empirical means of predicting the discharge coefficients of film cooling holes in an operating engine has been developed. The method quantifies the influence of the major dimensionless parameters, namely hole geometry, pressure ratio across the hole, coolant Reynolds number, and the freestream Mach number. The method utilizes discharge coefficient data measured on both a first-stage high-pressure nozzle guide vane from a modern aero-engine and a scale (1.4 times) replica of the vane. The vane has over 300 film cooling holes, arranged in 14 rows. Data was collected for both vanes in the absence of external flow. These noncrossflow experiments were conducted in a pressurized vessel in order to cover the wide range of pressure ratios and coolant Reynolds numbers found in the engine. Regrettably, the proprietary nature of the data collected on the engine vane prevents its publication, although its input to the derived correlation is discussed. Experiments were also conducted using the replica vanes in an annular blowdown cascade which models the external flow patterns found in the engine. The coolant system used a heavy foreign gas (SF6 /Ar mixture) at ambient temperatures which allowed the coolant-to-mainstream density ratio and blowing parameters to be matched to engine values. These experiments matched the mainstream Reynolds and Mach numbers and the coolant Mach number to engine values, but the coolant Reynolds number was not engine representative (Rowbury, D. A., Oldfield, M. L. G., and Lock, G. D., 1997, “Engine-Representative Discharge Coefficients Measured in an Annular Nozzle Guide Vane Cascade,” ASME Paper No. 97-GT-99, International Gas Turbine and Aero-Engine Congress & Exhibition, Orlando, Florida, June 1997; Rowbury, D. A., Oldfield, M. L. G., Lock, G. D., and Dancer, S. N., 1998, “Scaling of Film Cooling Discharge Coefficient Measurements to Engine Conditions,” ASME Paper No. 98-GT-79, International Gas Turbine and Aero-Engine Congress & Exhibition, Stockholm, Sweden, June 1998). A correlation for discharge coefficients in the absence of external crossflow has been derived from this data and other published data. An additive loss coefficient method is subsequently applied to the cascade data in order to assess the effect of the external crossflow. The correlation is used successfully to reconstruct the experimental data. It is further validated by successfully predicting data published by other researchers. The work presented is of considerable value to gas turbine design engineers as it provides an improved means of predicting the discharge coefficients of engine film cooling holes.


2008 ◽  
Vol 130 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
N. Sundaram ◽  
K. A. Thole

The endwall of a first-stage vane experiences high heat transfer and low adiabatic effectiveness levels because of high turbine operating temperatures and formation of leading edge vortices. These vortices lift the coolant off the endwall and pull the hot mainstream gases toward it. The region of focus for this study is the vane-endwall junction region near the stagnation location where cooling is very difficult. Two different film-cooling hole modifications, namely, trenches and bumps, were evaluated to improve the cooling in the leading edge region. This study uses a large-scale turbine vane cascade with a single row of axial film-cooling holes at the leading edge of the vane endwall. Individual hole trenches and row trenches were placed along the complete row of film-cooling holes. Two-dimensional semi-elliptically shaped bumps were also evaluated by placing the bumps upstream and downstream of the film-cooling row. Tests were carried out for different trench depths and bump heights under varying blowing ratios. The results indicated that a row trench placed along the row of film-cooling holes showed a greater enhancement in adiabatic effectiveness levels when compared to individual hole trenches and bumps. All geometries considered produced an overall improvement to adiabatic effectiveness levels.


Author(s):  
N. Sundaram ◽  
K. A. Thole

The endwall of a first stage vane experiences high heat transfer and low adiabatic effectiveness levels because of high turbine operating temperatures and formation of leading edge vortices. These vortices lift the coolant off the endwall and pull the hot mainstream gases towards it. The region of focus for this study is the vane-endwall junction region near the stagnation location where cooling is very difficult. Two different film-cooling hole modifications, namely trenches and bumps, were evaluated to improve the cooling in the leading edge region. This study uses a large-scale turbine vane cascade with a single row of axial film-cooling holes at the leading edge of the vane endwall. Individual hole trenches and row trenches were placed along the complete row of film-cooling holes. Two-dimensional semi-elliptically shaped bumps were also evaluated by placing the bumps upstream and downstream of the film-cooling row. Tests were carried out for different trench depths and bump heights under varying blowing ratios. The results indicated that a row trench placed along the row of film-cooling holes showed a greater enhancement in adiabatic effectiveness levels when compared to individual hole trenches and bumps. All geometries considered produced an overall improvement to adiabatic effectiveness levels.


1994 ◽  
Vol 116 (1) ◽  
pp. 92-96 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. Hay ◽  
S. E. Henshall ◽  
A. Manning

In the cooling passages of gas turbine blades, branches are often angled to the direction of the internal flow. This is particularly the case with film cooling holes. Accurate knowledge of the discharge coefficient of such holes at the design stage is vital so that the holes are correctly sized, thus avoiding wastage of coolant and the formation of hot spots on the blade. This paper describes an experimental investigation to determine the discharge coefficient of 30 deg inclined holes with various degrees of inlet radiusing and with the axis of the hole at various orientation angles to the direction of the flow. Results are given for nominal main flow Mach numbers of 0, 0.15, and 0.3. The effects of radiusing, orientation, and crossflow Mach number are quantified in the paper, the general trends are described, and the criteria for optimum performance are identified.


Author(s):  
David R. H. Gillespie ◽  
Aaron R. Byerley ◽  
Peter T. Ireland ◽  
Zuolan Wang ◽  
Terry V. Jones ◽  
...  

The local heal transfer inside the entrance to large scale models of film cooling holes has been measured using the transient heat transfer technique. The method employs temperature sensitive liquid crystals to measure the surface temperature of large scale perspex models. Full distributions of local Nusselt number were calculated based on the cooling passage centreline gas temperature ahead of the cooling hole. The circumferentially averaged Nusselt number was also calculated based on the local mixed bulk driving gas temperature to aid interpretation of the results, and to broaden the potential application of the data. Data are presented for a single film cooling hole inclined at 90 and 150 degrees to the coolant duct wall. Both holes exhibited entry length heat transfer levels which were significantly lower than those predicted by entry length data in the presence of crossflow. The reasons for the comparative reduction are discussed in terms of the interpreted flow field.


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