Effect of Squealer Geometry Arrangement on a Gas Turbine Blade Tip Heat Transfer

Abstract

This study investigates the effect of a squealer tip geometry arrangement on heat transfer coefficient and static pressure distributions on a gas turbine blade tip in a five-bladed stationary linear cascade. A transient liquid crystal technique is used to obtain detailed heat transfer coefficient distribution. The test blade is a linear model of a tip section of the GE E3 high-pressure turbine first stage rotor blade. Six tip geometry cases are studied: (1) squealer on pressure side, (2) squealer on mid camber line, (3) squealer on suction side, (4) squealer on pressure and suction sides, (5) squealer on pressure side plus mid camber line, and (6) squealer on suction side plus mid camber line. The flow condition during the blowdown tests corresponds to an overall pressure ratio of 1.32 and exit Reynolds number based on axial chord of 1.1×106. Results show that squealer geometry arrangement can change the leakage flow and results in different heat transfer coefficients to the blade tip. A squealer on suction side provides a better benefit compared to that on pressure side or mid camber line. A squealer on mid camber line performs better than that on a pressure side.