Numerical Investigation on the Modified Bend Geometry of a Rotating Multipass Internal Cooling Passage in a Gas Turbine Blade

Abstract

The present work is aimed to investigate whether the modification to the bend geometry of a multipass internal cooling passage in a gas turbine blade can enhance heat transfer and reduce pressure drop. The two-pass channel and the four-pass channel are modified at the bend from the U shape to the bulb and bow shape. The first objective of the work is to investigate whether the modified design will still improve heat transfer with reduced pressure drop in a four-pass channel as in the case of a two-pass channel. It is found out that, unlike the two-pass channel, the heat transfer is not improved but the pressure drop is still reduced for the four-pass channel. The second objective is to investigate the rotating effect on heat transfer and pressure drop in the cases of two-pass and four-pass channels for both original and modified designs. It is found out that heat transfer is improved with reduced pressure drop for all cases. However, the modified design results in the less improvement on heat transfer and lower reduced pressure drop as the rotation number increases. It can be concluded from the present work that the modification can solve the problem of pressure drop without causing the degradation of heat transfer for all cases. The two-pass channel with modified bend results in the highest heat transfer and the lowest pressure drop for rotating cases.