Upstream and Passage Endwall Film Cooling of a Transonic Turbine Vane

Adiabatic film cooling effectiveness was measured on the endwall of a turbine vane under transonic flow conditions using binary pressure-sensitive paint. The combined effect of upstream and passage film cooling holes was evaluated. The experiments used a five-vane annular cascade in a blowdown wind tunnel. The mainstream velocity was set to exit isentropic Mach numbers of 0.7 and 0.9. The total coolant-to-mainstream mass flow ratio (MFR) was varied from 0.75 to 2.50%. Coolant-to-mainstream density ratios (DRs) of 1.0 and 2.0 were investigated. The first row was located upstream of the vanes, and the second and third rows were located in the passage between the vanes. Coolant was supplied by a divided plenum, allowing independent control of the MFR to the upstream and the passage holes. The coolant MFR was evenly split between the upstream and passage holes. Generally, increasing the MFR, the DR, and the Mach number increased the film cooling effectiveness. However, increasing the DR at MFRs of 0.625% and below decreased the laterally averaged film cooling effectiveness by as much as 60%, largely because mainstream flow was ingested through the second row. Upstream coolant provided some protection through the passage, with effectiveness as high as 0.2 at the second row.

Automated summary

Adiabatic film cooling effectiveness on the endwall of a turbine vane under transonic flow conditions was measured using binary pressure-sensitive paint. The study found that increasing the mass flow ratio, density ratio, and Mach number can improve the film cooling effectiveness.