Numerical flow and experimental heat transfer of S-shaped two-pass square channel with cooling applications to gas turbine blade

Abstract

This study experimentally detected the endwall Nusselt numbers (Nu) distributions, Fanning friction factors (f) and thermal performance factors (TPF) for a stationary S-shaped two-pass square channel with the associated turbulent flow fields analyzed by ANSYS Fluent code to disclose the flow mechanisms responsive to the measured thermal performances. The full-field Nu distributions over the endwalls of present S-shaped inlet/outlet legs and 180° sharp bend at Reynolds numbers (Re) of 5000, 7500, 10,000, 12,500, 15,000, 20,000 and 30,000 were measured using the steady-state infrared thermography method; while the validated RNG k-ε turbulence model was adopted to reveal the fields of time-mean fluid velocity, turbulent kinetic energy and cross-plane secondary flow. Acting by sectional vortices induced along the inlet/outlet S-pathways and 180° sharp bend, the core-to-wall momentum/heat exchanges are boosted to elevate both Nu and f values. Accompanying with the f augmentations from 10.19–8.27 times of Balssius f∞ levels, the area-averaged Nusselt numbers (Nu‾A) over the entire S-shaped endwall were elevated to 3.21–3.09 times of Dittus-Boelter Nusselt number (Nu∞) values at 5000⩽Re⩽30,000, resulting in the TPF between 1.4 and 1.44. To assist relevant engineering applications, two sets of empirical correlations evaluating the regionally averaged endwall Nusselt numbers and f factors are devised.