Efficiency Measurements of an Annular Nozzle Guide Vane Cascade With Different Film Cooling Geometries
This paper further extends the research reported by Day et al. (1997), which reported aerodynamic efficiency measurements on an annular cascade of engine representative transonic nozzle guide vanes with extensive film cooling. This work compares the measured aerodynamic efficiencies of blades with 14 rows of cylindrical cooling holes with a new geometry in which 8 of the rows have been replaced by holes having a fan-shaped exit geometry. The effects of adding trailing edge slot ejection are also presented. By selectively blocking rows of holes, the cumulative effect on the mid-span efficiency of adding rows of cooling holes has also been determined. A dense foreign gas (SF6/Ar mixture) is used to simulate engine representative coolant-to-mainstream density ratios, momentum ratios and blowing rates under ambient temperature conditions. The flowfield measurements have been obtained using a four-hole pyramid probe in a short duration blowdown facility which correctly models engine Reynolds and Mach numbers, as well as the inlet turbulence intensity. Experimental results are presented as area traverse maps (total pressure, isentropic Mach number and flow angles), from which the incremental changes in efficiency due to film cooling have been calculated. The effects of different assumptions for the coolant total pressure are shown. Experimental data agrees reasonably well with loss predictions using a Hartsel model.