Uncoupling Coriolis Force and Rotating Buoyancy Effects on Full-Field Heat Transfer Properties of a Rotating Channel

Summary

Here, we present an experimental method for decoupling the interdependent Coriolis-force and rotating-buoyancy effects on full-field heat transfer distributions of a rotating channel.

Abstract

An experimental method for exploring the heat transfer characteristics of an axially rotating channel is proposed. The governing flow parameters that characterize the transport phenomena in a rotating channel are identified via the parametric analysis of the momentum and energy equations referring to a rotating frame of reference. Based on these dimensionless flow equations, an experimental strategy that links the design of the test module, the experimental program and the data analysis is formulated with the attempt to reveal the isolated Coriolis-force and buoyancy effects on heat transfer performances. The effects of Coriolis force and rotating buoyancy are illustrated using the selective results measured from rotating channels with various geometries. While the Coriolis-force and rotating-buoyancy impacts share several common features among the various rotating channels, the unique heat transfer signatures are found in association with the flow direction, the channel shape and the arrangement of heat transfer enhancement devices. Regardless of the flow configurations of the rotating channels, the presented experimental method enables the development of physically consistent heat transfer correlations that permit the evaluation of isolated and interdependent Coriolis-force and rotating-buoyancy effects on the heat transfer properties of rotating channels.

Introduction

While thermodynamic laws dictate the improved specific power and thermal efficiency of a gas turbine engine by elevating the turbine entry temperature, several hot engine components, such as turbine blades, are prone to thermal damage. Internal cooling of a gas turbine rotor blade permits a turbine entry temperature in excess of the temperature limits of the creep resistance of the blade material. However, the configurations of the internal cooling channels must comply with the blade profile. In particular, the coolant rotates within the rotor blade. With such harsh thermal conditions for a running gas turbine rotor blade, an effective blade cooling scheme is crucial ....

Protocol

NOTE: The details of rotating test facilities, data acquisition, data processing and the heat transfer test module emulating an internal cooling channel of a gas turbine rotor blade are in our previous works^29,30,31,32.

1. Preparation of Heat Transfer Tests

1. Formulate the experimental conditions in terms of Re, Ro and Bu from the targeted operation conditions of a gas turbine rotor blade.
2. Determine the N, P, d, R, and T_w

Results

Realistic operating conditions for the internal coolant flows inside a rotating gas turbine blade in terms of Re, Ro and Bu are compared with the emulated laboratory conditions in Figure 1. The data points fall in the realistic engine conditions using the present experimental method summarized in the protocols^11,14,17,20,

Discussion

While the endwall temperatures of a rotating channel are detected by an infrared thermography system, the fluid temperatures are measured by thermocouples. As the alternative magnetic field of an AC motor that drives a rotating rig induces electrical potential to interfere the thermocouple measurements, the DC motor must be adopted to drive a rotating test rig.

The fluid temperature distribution over the exit plane of a heated channel is not uniform. At least five thermocouples on the existing.......

Materials

List of materials used in this article

Name	Company	Catalog Number	Comments
Rotating test rig	In-house made		Design by this research group
Heat transfer test module	In-house made		Design by this research group
Mass flow meter	Eldride Product, Inc.	3100301-01-01 359-1007
Infrared thermography system	NEC P384A-8	3100401-04 3127A-4
Instrumentation slip ring	Michigan Scientific SR36M	3100506-62 3553-372