Momentum and Thermal Boundary Layer Development on an Internally Cooled Turbine Vane

2012 ◽  
Vol 134 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jason E. Dees ◽  
David G. Bogard ◽  
Gustavo A. Ledezma ◽  
Gregory M. Laskowski ◽  
Anil K. Tolpadi

Recent advances in computing power have made conjugate heat transfer simulations of turbine components increasingly popular; however, limited experimental data exist with which to evaluate these simulations. The primary parameter used to evaluate simulations is often the external surface temperature distribution, or overall effectiveness. In this paper, the overlying momentum and thermal boundary layers at various streamwise positions around a conducting, internally cooled simulated turbine vane were measured under low (Tu = 0.5%) and high (Tu = 20%) freestream turbulence conditions. Furthermore, experimental results were compared to computational predictions. In regions where a favorable pressure gradient existed, the thermal boundary layer was found to be significantly thicker than the accompanying momentum boundary layer. Elevated freestream turbulence had the effect of thickening the thermal boundary layer much more effectively than the momentum boundary layer over the entire vane. These data are valuable in understanding the conjugate heat transfer effects on the vane as well as serving as a tool for computational code evaluation.

Author(s):  
Jason E. Dees ◽  
David G. Bogard ◽  
Gustavo A. Ledezma ◽  
Gregory M. Laskowski ◽  
Anil K. Tolpadi

Recent advances in computing power have made conjugate heat transfer simulations of turbine components increasingly popular; however, limited experimental data exists with which to evaluate these simulations. The primary parameter used to evaluate simulations is often the external surface temperature distribution, or overall effectiveness. In this paper, the overlying momentum and thermal boundary layers at various streamwise positions around a conducting, internally cooled simulated turbine vane were measured under low (Tu = 0.5%) and high (Tu = 20%) freestream turbulence conditions. Furthermore, experimental results were compared to computational predictions. In regions were a favorable pressure gradient existed, the thermal boundary layer was found to be significantly thicker than the accompanying momentum boundary layer. Elevated freestream turbulence had the effect of thickening the thermal boundary layer much more effectively than the momentum boundary layer over the entire vane. This data is valuable in understanding the conjugate heat transfer effects on the vane as well as serving as a tool for computational code evaluation.


Author(s):  
William D. York ◽  
D. Keith Walters ◽  
James H. Leylek

A documented numerical methodology for conjugate heat transfer was employed to predict the metal temperature of an internally-cooled gas turbine vane at realistic operating conditions. The conjugate heat transfer approach involves the simultaneous solution of the flow field (convection) and the conduction within the metal vane, allowing a solution of the complete heat transfer problem in a single simulation. This technique means better accuracy and faster turn-around time than the typical industry practice of multiple, decoupled solutions. In the present simulations, the solid and fluid zones were coupled by energy conservation at the interfaces. In the fluid zones, the Reynoldsaveraged Navier-Stokes equations were closed with a three-equation, eddy-viscosity model, developed in-house and previously documented, with the capability to predict laminar-to-turbulent boundary-layer transition. The single-point model is fully-predictive for transition and requires no problem-dependent user inputs. For comparison, a simulation was also run with a commercially available Realizable k-ε turbulence model. A high-quality, unstructured gird was employed in both cases. Numerical predictions for midspan temperature on the airfoil surface are compared to data from an open-literature experiment with the same geometry and operating conditions. The new model captured transition of the initially laminar boundary layer to a turbulent boundary layer on the suction surface. The results with the new model show excellent agreement with measured data for surface temperature over the majority of the airfoil surface. The new model showed a marked improvement over the Realizable k-ε model in all regions where laminar boundary layers exist, highlighting the importance of accurately modeling transition in turbomachinery heat transfer simulations.


Author(s):  
Jason E. Dees ◽  
David G. Bogard ◽  
Gustavo A. Ledezma ◽  
Gregory M. Laskowski ◽  
Anil K. Tolpadi

An experimental and computational conjugate heat transfer study of an internally cooled, scaled-up simulated turbine vane with internal rib turbulators was performed. The conjugate nature of the model allowed for the effects of the internal ribs to be seen on the external overall effectiveness distribution. The enhanced internal heat transfer coefficient caused by the ribs increased the cooling capacity of the internal cooling circuit, lowering the overall metal temperature. External surface temperatures, internal surface temperatures, and coolant inlet and exit temperatures were measured and compared to data obtained from a non-ribbed model over a range of internal coolant Reynolds numbers. Internal rib turbulators were found to increase the overall effectiveness on the vane external surface by up to 50% relative to the non-ribbed model. Additionally, comparisons between the experimental measurements and computational predictions are presented.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
C.Y. Wang

Abstract The Falkner-Skan flow over a wedge is classic in boundary layer theory. We consider the heat or mass transfer from a source at the vertex of the wedge. The interactions of thermal boundary layer and momentum boundary layer lead to nonlinear similarity equations which are integrated numerically. There exists a mixing index which depends on the Prandtl number and the wedge opening angle. Attention is paid to special cases such as forced convection in Blasius flow past a semi-infinite plate and the Hiemenz stagnation flow normal to a plate.


2009 ◽  
Vol 131 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Shakeel Nasir ◽  
Jeffrey S. Carullo ◽  
Wing-Fai Ng ◽  
Karen A. Thole ◽  
Hong Wu ◽  
...  

This paper experimentally and numerically investigates the effects of large scale high freestream turbulence intensity and exit Reynolds number on the surface heat transfer distribution of a turbine vane in a 2D linear cascade at realistic engine Mach numbers. A passive turbulence grid was used to generate a freestream turbulence level of 16% and integral length scale normalized by the vane pitch of 0.23 at the cascade inlet. The base line turbulence level and integral length scale normalized by the vane pitch at the cascade inlet were measured to be 2% and 0.05, respectively. Surface heat transfer measurements were made at the midspan of the vane using thin film gauges. Experiments were performed at exit Mach numbers of 0.55, 0.75, and 1.01, which represent flow conditions below, near, and above nominal conditions. The exit Mach numbers tested correspond to exit Reynolds numbers of 9×105, 1.05×106, and 1.5×106 based on a vane chord. The experimental results showed that the large scale high freestream turbulence augmented the heat transfer on both the pressure and suction sides of the vane as compared to the low freestream turbulence case and promoted a slightly earlier boundary layer transition on the suction surface for exit Mach 0.55 and 0.75. At nominal conditions, exit Mach 0.75, average heat transfer augmentations of 52% and 25% were observed on the pressure and suction sides of the vane, respectively. An increased Reynolds number was found to induce an earlier boundary layer transition on the vane suction surface and to increase heat transfer levels on the suction and pressure surfaces. On the suction side, the boundary layer transition length was also found to be affected by increase changes in Reynolds number. The experimental results also compared well with analytical correlations and computational fluid dynamics predictions.


Author(s):  
William D. York ◽  
James H. Leylek

A conjugate numerical methodology was employed to predict the metal temperature of a three-dimensional gas turbine vane at two different engine-realistic operating conditions. The vane was cooled internally by air flowing through ten round, radially-oriented channels. The conjugate heat transfer approach allows the simultaneous solution of the external flow, internal convection, and conduction within the metal vane, eliminating the need for multiple, decoupled solutions, which are time-consuming and inherently less accurate when combined. Boundary conditions were specified only for the inlet and exit of the vane passage and the coolant channels, while the solid and fluid zones were coupled by energy conservation at the interfaces, a condition that was maintained throughout the iterative solution process. Validation of the methodology was accomplished through the comparison of the predicted aerodynamic loading curves and the midspan temperature distribution on the vane external surface with data from a linear cascade experiment in the literature. The superblock, unstructured numerical grid consisted of nearly seven million finite-volumes to allow accurate resolution of flowfield features and temperature gradients within the metal. Two models for turbulence closure were used for comparison: the standard k-ε model and a realizable version of the k-ε model. The predictions with the realizable k-ε model exhibited the best agreement with the experimental data, with maximum differences in normalized temperature of less than ten percent in each case. The present study shows that the conjugate heat transfer simulation is a viable tool in gas turbine design, and it serves as a platform on which to base future work with more complex geometries and cooling schemes.


2012 ◽  
Vol 134 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jason E. Dees ◽  
David G. Bogard ◽  
Gustavo A. Ledezma ◽  
Gregory M. Laskowski ◽  
Anil K. Tolpadi

An experimental and computational conjugate heat transfer study of an internally cooled, scaled-up simulated turbine vane with internal rib turbulators was performed. The conjugate nature of the model allowed for the effects of the internal ribs to be seen on the external overall effectiveness distribution. The enhanced internal heat transfer coefficient caused by the ribs increased the cooling capacity of the internal cooling circuit, lowering the overall metal temperature. External surface temperatures, internal surface temperatures, and coolant inlet and exit temperatures were measured and compared to data obtained from a non-ribbed model over a range of internal coolant Reynolds numbers. Internal rib turbulators were found to increase the overall effectiveness on the vane external surface by up to 50% relative to the non-ribbed model. Additionally, comparisons between the experimental measurements and computational predictions are presented.


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