Effect of Rotation on Heat Transfer in AR = 2:1 and AR = 4:1 Channels Connected by a Series of Crossover Jets

Detailed heat transfer measurements using transient liquid crystal thermography were performed on a novel cooling design covering the mid-chord and trailing edge region of a typical gas turbine blade under rotation. The test section comprised of two channels with aspect ratio (AR) of 2:1 and 4:1, where the coolant was fed into the AR = 2:1 channel. Rib turbulators with a pitch-to-rib height ratio (p/e) of 10 and rib height-to-channel hydraulic diameter ratio (e/Dh) of 0.075 were placed in the AR = 2:1 channel at 60° relative to flow direction. The coolant after entering this section was routed to the AR = 4:1 section through a set of crossover jets. The 4:1 section had a realistic trapezoidal shape that mimics the trailing edge of an actual gas turbine blade. The pin fins were arranged in a staggered array with a center-to-center spacing of 2.5 times pin diameter. The trailing edge section consisted of radial and cutback exit holes for flow exit. Experiments were performed for Reynolds number of 20,000 at Rotation numbers (Ro) of 0, 0.1 and 0.14. The channel averaged heat transfer coefficient on trailing side was ~28% (AR = 2:1) and ~7.6% (AR = 4:1) higher than the leading side for Ro = 0.1. It is shown that the combination of crossover jets and pin-fins can be an effective method for cooling wedge shaped trailing edge channels over axial cooling flow designs.

Liquid Crystal Thermography in Gas Turbine Heat Transfer: A Review on Measurement Techniques and Recent Investigations

Liquid Crystal Thermography is a widely used experimental technique in the gas turbine heat transfer community. In turbine heat transfer, determination of the convective heat transfer coefficient (h) and adiabatic film cooling effectiveness (η) is imperative in order to design hot gas path components that can meet the modern-day engine performance and emission goals. LCT provides valuable information on the local surface temperature, which is used in different experimental methods to arrive at the local h and η. The detailed nature of h and η through LCT sets it apart from conventional thermocouple-based measurements and provides valuable insights into cooling designers for concept development and its further iterations. This article presents a comprehensive review of the state-of-the-art experimental methods employing LCT, where a critical analysis is presented for each, as well as some recent investigations (2016–present) where LCT was used. The goal of this article is to familiarize researchers with the evolving nature of LCT given the advancements in instrumentation and computing capabilities, and its relevance in turbine heat transfer problems in current times.

Heat transfer measurement in a rectangular channel of solar air heater with Winglet type ribs using liquid crystal thermography

This paper deals with the study of heat transfer in solar air heater consisting of Winglet shaped roughness on the absorber plate using liquid crystal thermography technique. The winglet type roughness element was placed on the absorber surface of a rectangular channel solar air heater having an aspect ratio of 4. The absorber surface was heated uniformly by a constant heat flux of 800 W/m2. The non-dimensional roughness parameter considered as relative roughness pitch i.e., P/e, and its values range between 5-12 with Reynolds number (Re) range between 6500 - 22000. The value of angle of attack i.e., alpha and relative roughness width i.e. (W/w) were kept constant, and the relative roughness pitch was varied to measure the heat transfer coefficient. The enhancement in heat transfer has been compared and it is observed that at P/e of 8 for the angle of attack (α) of 60 degrees resulting it's optimum value. The enhancement of heat transfer with the increase in Reynolds number is also noted.

Effect of Rotation on Heat Transfer in AR = 2:1 and AR = 4:1 Channels Connected by a Series of Crossover Jets

Detailed heat transfer measurements using transient liquid crystal thermography were performed on a novel cooling design covering the mid-chord and trailing edge region of a typical gas turbine blade under stationary and rotating conditions. The test section comprised of two channels with aspect ratio (AR) of 2:1 (mid-chord) and 4:1 (trailing edge), where the coolant was fed into the AR = 2:1 channel from the root. Rib turbulators with a pitch-to-rib height ratio (p/e) of 10 and rib height-to-channel hydraulic diameter ratio (e/Dh) of 0.075 were placed in the AR = 2:1 channel at an angle of 60° relative to the direction of flow. The coolant after entering this section was routed to the AR = 4:1 section through a set of crossover jets. The purpose of the crossover jets was to induce sideways impingement onto the pin fins that were placed in the 4:1 section to enhance heat transfer. The 4:1 section had a realistic trapezoidal shape that mimics the trailing edge of an actual gas turbine blade. The pin fins were arranged in a staggered array with a center-to-center spacing of 2.5 times the pin diameter in both spanwise and streamwise directions. The trailing edge section consisted of both radial and cutback exit holes for flow exit. Experiments were performed for a Reynolds number (ReDh(AR = 2:1)) of 20,000 at Rotation numbers (RoDh(AR = 2:1)) of 0, 0.1 and 0.14. The channel averaged heat transfer coefficient on trailing side was ∼28% (AR = 2:1) and ∼7.6% (AR = 4:1) higher than the leading side for Rotation number (Ro) of 0.1. It is shown that the combination of crossover jets and pin-fins can be an effective method for cooling wedge shaped trailing edge channels over axial cooling flow designs.

Heat Transfer Characteristics Within the Matrix Cooling Channels

Matrix or latticework cooling has become a new area of research due to its advantage of providing a structural rigidity to the fragile structures like gas turbine blades, electronic components or circuitries, and compact heat exchangers. In this article, the heat transfer characteristics in matrix cooling channels with different rib angles have been studied using liquid crystal thermography. A total of three matrix models with rib angles 35 deg, 45 deg, and 55 deg having a common subchannel aspect ratio 0.8 have been studied. The results are evaluated in terms of local and average augmentation Nusselt numbers for different regions of the matrix. The augmentation Nusselt number has been found to increase in each region as the angle increases from 35 deg to 45 deg and the same has been found to decrease slightly upon the further increase in angle from 45 deg to 55 deg. The highest percentage increase in augmentation Nusselt number up to 50% has been observed in entry region, whereas the same remained nearly 26–30% in middle and exit regions in streamwise directions, i.e., the effect of the matrix rib angle is more prominent in the entry region. The higher resistance offered by the greater number of ribs for angle 55 deg is believed to be responsible for the decrease in augmentation Nusselt number for Re ≤ 9000.