Augmentation of Stagnation Region Heat Transfer Due to Turbulence From an Advanced Dual-Annular Combustor

Abstract

Heat transfer measurements have been made in the stagnation region of a flat plate with an elliptical leading edge. The radius of curvature at the stagnation point was similar to that of a first stage turbine vane airfoil used in a large commercial high-bypass turbofan engine. The airfoil was mounted downstream of an arc segment of a dual-annular combustor similar to the type used in an advanced turbine engine. Testing was done in air at atmospheric temperature and at pressures up to 376 kPa to simulate the vane leading edge Reynolds number seen in the engine. Spanwise average stagnation region heat transfer was measured with an electrically heated aluminum strip. Turbulence intensity, length scale and isotropy were measured using standard 2-wire hot wire probes. The combustor contained two annular rows of fuel-air swirlers which were aligned in the radial direction. Both heat transfer and hot wire data were taken at two circumferential positions; one directly downstream of a pair of swirlers and one half way between two pairs of swirlers. Reynolds number based on vane leading edge diameter was varied from 51000 to 160000. The maximum Reynolds number for turbulence measurements was limited to 87000. Turbulence intensity averaged over all test conditions was found to be 31.6%. Average axial, integral length scale was 1.29 cm, which gave a length scale-to-leading edge diameter ratio of 1.08. The turbulence was found to be nearly isotropic with the average ratio of axial to circumferential fluctuating components of 1.15. Heat transfer augmentation above laminar levels was found to vary from 34 to almost 59% depending on the Reynolds number. No effect of circumferential position was found. The heat transfer augmentation was found to be well predicted by a correlation derived from grid generated turbulence.