Heat-Flux Measurements for a Realistic Cooling Hole Pattern With Multiple Flow Conditions

Abstract

Predicting cooling flow migration and its impact on surface heat flux for a turbine operating at design-corrected conditions is a challenging task. While recent data sets have provided a baseline for comparison, they have also raised many questions about comparison methods and the proper implementation of boundary conditions. Simplified experiments are helpful for bridging the gap between the experimental and computational worlds to develop the best procedures for generating predictions and correctly comparing them to experiments. To this end, a flat-plate configuration has been developed that replicates the cooling hole pattern of the pressure side of a high-pressure turbine blade. The heat transfer for this configuration is investigated for a range of flow properties of current interest to the industry using a medium-duration blowdown facility. Heat-flux measurements are obtained using double-sided Kapton heat-flux gauges arrayed in two rows in the axial direction along the centerline of the hole pattern. Gauges are located upstream of the holes, in between rows of holes, and extending far downstream of the last row of holes. New parameters are proposed for analyzing the data including a corrected Stanton number and the length-corrected heat flux reduction parameter. These parameters are used for exploring the influence of Reynolds number and blowing ratio on local heat transfer. In addition, the temperatures of the main flow and the test section walls were varied to determine the effect of cooling on the local adiabatic wall temperature and to enable comparisons using the adiabatic cooling effectiveness.