Computational Flow Analysis of a Blade Wedge Duct

Abstract

The paper presents a computational analysis of solid wedge duct of the trailing edge of the turbine blade for flow and convective heat transfer coefficient characteristics for elliptical in-line pin fins. The k-e turbulent model coupled with the Reynolds-averaged Naiver–Stokes equation is considered and hence analyzed. Low Reynolds numbers (Re) of 10,000, 20,000, 30,000, 40,000, and 50,000 were considered in order to attain the variation of flow parameter on pressure drop and rate of convective heat transfer. Scrutiny study for circular and elliptical inline pinfin variation at the end wall and area averaged Nusselt number with the variation in the Reynolds numbers was obtained and validated with the experimental data. The equivalence in results shows an elliptical pin fins with the case, where air coolant at 26 K temperature deviation agrees well the experimental results and a better rate of convective heat transfer coefficient than that of temperature difference of 50 K. Area-averaged Nusselt numbers at the end wall for case (1) of air coolant increase with different Reynolds numbers. Conclusively, compared with two cases of coolants for two different pin fin shapes, case (2) of elliptical pin fins gives a lower friction coefficient and higher thermal performance factor, significantly improving the rate of heat transfer of pin–fins arrayed in solid wedge duct.