Flow Characteristics in Two-Leg Internal Coolant Passages of Gas Turbine Airfoils With Film-Cooling Hole Ejection

Abstract

A study of flow in two stationary models of two-pass internal coolant passages is presented, which focuses on the flow characteristics in the 180-deg bend region, and downstream of the bend, where the flow is redeveloping. A stereoscopic digital PIV system measured all three velocity components simultaneously to obtain mean velocity, and turbulence quantities of the flow field. The coolant passage model consisted of two square passages, each having a 20 hydraulic diameter length, separated by a rounded-tip web of 0.2 passage widths, and connected by a sharp 180-deg bend with a rectangular outer wall. Ribs were mounted on the bottom and top walls of both legs, with a staggered arrangement, and at 45 deg to the flow. The rib height and spacing were 0.1 and 1.0 passage heights, respectively. The measurements were obtained for a flow condition, with a Reynolds number of 50,000. The geometries are similar in both sections except for one, which is equipped with extraction holes to simulate holes for film cooling. Two series of holes are placed solely in the bottom wall, four holes are located in the bend, and 12 in the downstream leg. The global extraction through the holes was set to 50% of the inlet massflow. This paper presents new measurements of the flow in the straight legs, as well as in the bend of the passage equipped with holes, detailed comparison of the flow upstream, inside and downstream of the bend region between both configurations, and the effects of extraction inside the cooling channels.