Cooling effectiveness of matrix, pin fin array and hybrid structure: A comparative study

Abstract

In modern gas turbines, the trailing edge of turbine blades must be cooled by compact heat transfer structures. The basic problems in the design of cooling ducts include enhancing heat transfer, reducing pressure loss and obtaining uniform temperature distribution. The purpose is to improve energy efficiency and guarantee the engine lifespan. In this work, both experiment and numerical simulation are employed to study pressure drop and heat transfer of various kinds of cooling configurations. Pin fin array, matrix and hybrid structures are investigated in a comparative study. Thermochromic liquid crystal technique is applied to obtain heat transfer distribution on the channel surface. The results show that matrix creates much stronger heat transfer than pin fin array with increased pressure loss penalty. Performances of matrix structures are quite different due to the configurations (dense or sparse). Hybrid structures are always worse than the baseline matrix in terms of average thermal performance, due to the higher pressure loss, however, heat transfer can be improved. The performance of hybrid structure depends on the arrangement and diameter of the pin fins. Pin fins in central area provide not only larger pressure loss but also stronger heat transfer than pin fins near the bend region. Cases with larger diameter result in the thermal performance degradation. Compared with sparse matrix, the hybrid structures can compensate for the lower heat transfer enhancement. As for the dense hybrid structures, the average heat transfer capacity can be improved with reasonable pin fin arrangement.