Effects of High Intensity, Large-Scale Freestream Combustor Turbulence on Heat Transfer in Transonic Turbine Blades

Abstract

Abstract : The influence of freestream turbulence representative of the flow downstream of a modem gas turbine combustor and the first stage vane on turbine blade heat transfer has been measured and analytically modeled in a linear, transonic turbine cascade. Measurements were performed on a high turning, transonic turbine blade. The facility is capable of heated flow with inlet total temperature of 120 degrees C and inlet total pressure of 10 psig. The Reynolds number based on blade chord and exit conditions (5x10(exp 6)) and the inlet and exit Mach numbers (0.4 and 1.2, respectively) are representative of conditions in a modem gas turbine engine. High intensity, large length-scale freestream turbulence was generated using a passive turbulence-generating grid to simulate the turbulence generated in modem combustors after it has passed through the first stage vane row. The grid produced freestream turbulence with intensity of approximately 10-12% and an integral length scale of 2 cm near the entrance of the cascade passages, which is believed to be representative of the core flow entering a first stage gas turbine rotor blade row. Mean heat transfer results showed an increase in heat transfer coefficient of approximately 8% on the suction surface of the blade, with increases on the pressure surface on the order of two times higher than on the suction surface (approximately 17%). This corresponds to increases in blade surface temperature of 5- 10%, which can significantly reduce the life of a turbine blade. The heat transfer data were compared with correlations from published literature with good agreement.