Letterbox Trailing Edge Heat Transfer: Effects of Blowing Rate, Reynolds Number, and External Turbulence on Heat Transfer and Film Cooling Effectiveness

Abstract

Heat transfer and film cooling distributions have been acquired for a vane trailing edge with letterbox partitions. Additionally, pressure drop data have been experimentally determined across a pin fin array and a trailing edge slot with letterbox partitions. The pressure drop across the array and letterbox trailing edge arrangement was measurably higher than for the gill slot geometry. Experimental data for the partitions and the inner suction surface region downstream from the slot have been acquired over a four-to-one range in vane exit condition Reynolds number (500,000, 1,000,000, and 2,000,000), with low (0.7%), grid (8.5%), and aerocombustor (13.5%) turbulence conditions. At these conditions, both heat transfer and adiabatic film cooling distributions have been documented over a range of blowing ratios (0.47≤M≤1.9). Heat transfer distributions on the inner suction surface downstream from the slot ejection were found to be dependent on both ejection flow rate and external conditions. Heat transfer on the partition side surfaces correlated with both exit Reynolds number and blowing ratio. Heat transfer on partition top surfaces largely correlated with exit Reynolds number but blowing ratio had a small effect at higher values. Generally, adiabatic film cooling levels on the inner suction surface are high but decrease near the trailing edge and provide some protection for the trailing edge. Adiabatic effectiveness levels on the partitions correlate with blowing ratio. On the partition sides adiabatic effectiveness is highest at low blowing ratios and decreases with increasing flow rate. On the partition tops adiabatic effectiveness increases with increasing blowing ratio but never exceeds the level on the sides. The present paper, together with a companion paper that documents letterbox trailing edge aerodynamics, is intended to provide engineers with the heat transfer and aerodynamic loss information needed to develop and compare competing trailing edge designs.