Aero-Thermal Performance of a Two-Dimensional Highly Loaded Transonic Turbine Nozzle Guide Vane: A Test Case for Inviscid and Viscous Flow Computations

Abstract

This contribution deals with an experimental aero-thermal investigation around a highly loaded transonic turbine nozzle guide vane mounted in a linear cascade arrangement. The measurements were performed in the von Karman Institute short duration Isentropic Light Piston Compression Tube facility allowing a correct simulation of Mach and Reynolds numbers as well as of the gas to wall temperature ratio compared to the values currently observed in modern aero engines. The experimental program consisted of flow periodicity checks by means of wall static pressure measurements and Schlieren flow visualizations, blade velocity distribution measurements by means of static pressure tappings, blade convective heat transfer measurements by means of platinum thin films, downstream loss coefficient and exit flow angle determinations by using a new fast traversing mechanism, and free-stream turbulence intensity and spectrum measurements. These different measurements were performed for several combinations of the free-stream flow parameters looking at the relative effects on the aerodynamic blade performance and blade convective heat transfer of Mach number, Reynolds number, and free-stream turbulence intensity.