Conjugate Flow and Heat Transfer Investigation of a Turbo Charger: Part II — Experimental Results

Abstract

In this paper the results of experimental investigations are presented that were performed at the institute’s turbo charger test stand to determine the heat flux between the turbine and the compressor of a passenger car turbo charger. A parametric study has been performed varying the turbine inlet temperature and the mass flow rate. The aim of the analysis is to provide a relation of the Reynolds number at the compressor inlet and the heat flux from the turbine to the compressor with the turbine inlet temperature as the parameter. Thereto, the analysis of the local heat fluxes is necessary which is performed in a numerical conjugate heat transfer and flow analysis which is presented in part I of the paper. Beyond the measurements necessary to determine the operating point of compressor and turbine, the surface temperature of the casings were measured by resistance thermometers at different positions and by thermography. All measurement results were used as boundary conditions for the numerical simulation, i.e. the inlet and outlet flow conditions for compressor and turbine, the rotational speed, the oil temperatures and the temperature distribution on the outer casing surface of the turbo charger. The experimental results show that the total heat flux from turbine to compressor is mainly influenced by the turbine inlet temperature. The increase of the mass flow rate leads to a higher pressure ratio in the compressor so that the compressor casing temperature is increased. Due to the turbo charger’s geometry heat radiation has a small influence on the total heat flux.