A Systematic Computational Methodology Applied to a Three–Dimensional Film–Cooling Flowfield

Author(s):  
Dibbon K. Walters ◽  
James H. Leylek

Numerical results are presented for a three–dimensional discrete–jet in crossflow problem typical of a realistic film–cooling application in gas turbines. Key aspects of the study include: (1) Application of a systematic computational methodology that stresses accurate computational model of the physical problem, including simultaneous, fully–elliptic solution of the crossflow, film–hole, and plenum regions; high quality 3–D unstructured grid generation techniques which have yet to be documented for this class of problems; the use of a high order discretization scheme to significantly reduce numerical errors; and effective turbulence modelling; (2) A three–way comparison of results to both code validation quality experimental data and a previously documented structured grid simulation; and (3) Identification of sources of discrepancy between predicted and measured results, as well as recommendations to alleviate these discrepancies. Solutions were obtained with a multi–block, unstructured/adaptive grid, fully explicit, time–marching, Reynolds averaged Navier–Stokes code with multi-grid, local time stepping, and residual smoothing type acceleration techniques. The computational methodology was applied to the validation test case of a row of discrete jets on a flat plate with a streamwise injection angle of 35°, and two film–hole length–to–diameter ratios of 3.5 and 1.75. The density ratio for all cases was 2.0, blowing ratio was varied from 0.5 to 2.0, and free–stream turbulence intensity was 2%. The results demonstrate that the prescribed computational methodology yields consistently more accurate solutions for this class of problems than previous attempts published in the open literature. Sources of disagreement between measured and computed results have been identified, and recommendations made for future prediction of this class of problems.

1997 ◽  
Vol 119 (4) ◽  
pp. 777-785 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. K. Walters ◽  
J. H. Leylek

Numerical results are presented for a three-dimensional discrete-jet in crossflow problem typical of a realistic film-cooling application in gas turbines. Key aspects of the study include: (1) application of a systematic computational methodology that stresses accurate computational model of the physical problem, including simultaneous, fully elliptic solution of the crossflow, film-hole, and plenum regions; high-quality three-dimensional unstructured grid generation techniques, which have yet to be documented for this class of problems; the use of a high-order discretization scheme to reduce numerical errors significantly; and effective turbulence modeling; (2) a three-way comparison of results to both code validation quality experimental data and a previously documented structured grid simulation; and (3) identification of sources of discrepancy between predicted and measured results, as well as recommendations to alleviate these discrepancies. Solutions were obtained with a multiblock, unstructured/adaptive grid, fully explicit, time-marching, Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes code with multigrid, local time stepping, and residual smoothing type acceleration techniques. The computational methodology was applied to the validation test case of a row of discrete jets on a flat plate with a streamwise injection angle of 35 deg, and two film-hole length-to-diameter ratios of 3.5 and 1.75. The density ratio for all cases was 2.0, blowing ratio was varied from 0.5 to 2.0, and free-stream turbulence intensity was 2 percent. The results demonstrate that the prescribed computational methodology yields consistently more accurate solutions for this class of problems than previous attempts published in the open literature. Sources of disagreement between measured and computed results have been identified, and recommendations made for future prediction of film-cooling problems.


Author(s):  
P. Adami ◽  
F. Martelli ◽  
K. S. Chana ◽  
F. Montomoli

Film-cooling is commonly used in modern gas turbines to increase inlet temperatures without compromising the mechanical strength of the hot components. The main objective of the study reported here is the critical evaluation of the capability of CFD, to predict film-cooling on three-dimensional engine realistic turbine aerofoil geometries. To achieve this aim two different film-cooling systems for NGV aerofoils are predicted and compared against experiments. The application concerns the following turbine vanes: • the AGTB-B1 blade investigated by the “Institut fur Strahlantriebe of the Universitat der Bundeswehr Munchen (Germany)”; • the MT1 HP NGV investigated by QinetiQ (ex DERA, UK). In the first test case the application mainly focuses on the interaction between the main flow and the coolant jets on the leading edge of the cooled aerofoil. In the second case, vane heat transfer rate is predicted with the film-cooling system made of six rows of cylindrical holes in single and staggered configuration.


1994 ◽  
Vol 116 (3) ◽  
pp. 358-368 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. H. Leylek ◽  
R. D. Zerkle

Large-scale computational analyses have been conducted and results compared with experiments to understand coolant jet and crossflow interaction in discrete-jet film cooling. Detailed three-dimensional elliptic Navier–Stokes solutions, with high-order turbuence modeling, are presented for film cooling using a new model enabling simultaneous solution of fully coupled flow in plenum, film-hole, and cross-stream regions. Computations are carried out for the following range of film cooling parameters typically found in gas turbine airfoil applications: single row of jets with a film-hole length-to-diameter ratio of 1.75 and 3.5; blowing ratio from 0.5 up to 2; coolant-to-crossflow density ratio of 2; streamwise injection angle of 35 deg; and pitch-to-diameter ratio of 3. Comparison of computational solutions with experimental data give good agreement. Moreover, the current results complement experiments and support previous interpretations of measured data and flow visualization. The results also explain important aspects of film cooling, such as the development of complex flow within the film-hole in addition to the well-known counterrotating vortex structure in the cross-stream.


Author(s):  
Satish Undapalli ◽  
James H. Leylek

Computations are performed in conjunction with code validation quality experiments found in the open literature to specifically address the usage of popular two-equation eddy viscosity models in day-to-day gas turbine applications. In such simulations many features such as pressure gradients, curvature effects are present. The present work is focused on testing a popular turbulence model to resolve film cooling on curved surfaces. A systematic computational methodology has been employed in order to minimize numerical errors and evaluate the performance of a popular turbulence model. The test cases were examined for a single row of holes, blowing rates ranging from 1 to 2.5, isolated effects of convex and concave curvature on film cooling, density ratio close to 2, and an injection angle of 35°. Key aspects of the study include: (1) extremely dense, high quality, multi-block, multi-topology grid involving over 3 million finite volumes; (2) higher order discretization; (3) turbulence model with two-layer near-wall treatment; (4) strict convergence criteria; and (5) grid independence. A fully-implicit, pressure-correction Navier-Stokes solver is used to obtain all the solutions. Results for adiabatic cooling effectiveness are compared with measurements in order to document the: (1) Range of applicability of the present modeling capability; and (2) Possible reasons for discrepancies. The data shows that the computations predicted the effects of curvature on mean flow, however effect on turbulence field is not captured. A clear set of recommendations is provided for future treatments of this class of problems.


Author(s):  
William D. York ◽  
James H. Leylek

A systematic, computational methodology was employed to study film cooling on a turbine airfoil leading edge. In this paper, numerical predictions are compared with surface effectiveness measurements from a code-validation quality experiment in the open literature, and a detailed discussion of the physical mechanisms involved in leading edge film cooling is presented. The leading edge model was elliptic in shape to accurately simulate a rotor airfoil, and other geometric parameters were in the range of current design practice for aviation gas turbines. Three laterally-staggered rows of cylindrical film-cooling holes were investigated. One row of holes was centered on the stagnation line, and the other rows were located 3.5 hole-diameters downstream, mirrored about the stagnation line. All holes had an injection angle of 20° with the surface, and a 90° compound angle (radial injection). The average blowing ratio was varied from 1.0 to 2.5, and the coolant-to-mainstream density ratio was 1.8 in all simulations. Converged and grid independent solutions were obtained using a high-quality, multi-topology grid with 3.6 million cells and a fully-implicit, pressure correction-based Navier-Stokes solver. Turbulence closure was obtained with a realizable k-ε model, which has been demonstrated to be especially effective in controlling spurious production of turbulent kinetic energy in regions of rapid, irrotational strain. The predictions of laterally averaged effectiveness agreed well with the experimental data, especially at low-range blowing ratios. Highly nonuniform coolant coverage was seen to exist downstream of the second row of holes, caused mainly by interaction between the two rows of jets and by a strong vortex that reduced the spread of coolant from the downstream row. The results of the present study demonstrate that computational methods can accurately model the highly-complex film-cooling flowfield in the stagnation region.


1999 ◽  
Vol 122 (1) ◽  
pp. 178-183 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. W. Kaszeta ◽  
T. W. Simon

Measurement of mean velocity and turbulent shear stress are presented for the mixing region of a film cooling situation in which the coolant is streamwise injected with an injection angle of 35 deg. Measurements are performed using triple-sensor anemometry so that all three instantaneous velocity components are documented. The free-stream turbulence intensity level is 12 percent, the ratio of the integral length scale to injection hole diameter is 4.0, the coolant-to-mainstream momentum flux ratio is 1.0, and the density ratio is unity. From these measurements, values for the eddy diffusivities of momentum in the lateral and wall-normal directions are calculated. Additionally, calculated values of the ratio of eddy diffusivity in the spanwise direction to eddy diffusivity in the wall-normal direction are presented, which provide documentation of the anisotropy of turbulent transport in this film cooling flow. [S0889-504X(00)02001-8]


Author(s):  
William D. York ◽  
James H. Leylek

A documented, systematic, computational methodology is applied to singularly investigate the effects of mainstream pressure gradients on film cooling over a flat surface for realistic gas turbine parameters. Key aspects of the study include: (1) validation of the ability of computational fluid dynamics to simulate film cooling in regions of mainstream pressure gradients, accomplished through the isolation of this parameter and the careful modeling of a published experimental study; (2) documentation of the effects of the applied pressure gradient on film cooling adiabatic effectiveness, as compared to the zero-pressure gradient case; and (3) detailed discussion of the pertinent physical mechanisms involved, with appropriate flowfield results. The imposed pressure gradient is typical of the suction surface of a gas turbine airfoil, with a strong favorable pressure gradient (the acceleration parameter was K = 1.5×10−6 at injection) transitioning to a mild adverse pressure gradient region beyond 30 diameters downstream. A single row of cylindrical film-cooling holes had an injection angle of 35°, with hole length-to-diameter ratio of 4.0 and a lateral spacing of 3.0 diameters. The simulated mass flux ratios were M = 0.6, 1.0, and 1.5, and the density ratio was held constant at 1.6. Solutions were obtained using a multi-block, multi-topology grid and a pressure-correction based, fully-implicit Navier-Stokes solver. A “realizeable” k-ε turbulence model, which eliminates the documented unrealistic turbulence production of the standard k-ε model in regions of large flow strain, was employed to obtain practical results economically. The applied pressure gradient resulted in a small advantage in center-line effectiveness, while laterally averaged effectiveness was slightly lower as compared to the zero-pressure gradient reference case. The results of this study demonstrate the ability of the applied computational methodology to accurately model film cooling in the presence of mainstream pressure gradients and resolve one of the key fundamental issues in turbine airfoil film cooling.


Author(s):  
J. H. Leylek ◽  
R. D. Zerkle

Large scale computational analyses have been conducted and results compared with experiments to understand coolant jet and crossflow interaction in discrete–jet film cooling. Detailed three–dimensional elliptic Navier–Stokes solutions, with high order turbulence modeling, are presented for film cooling using a new model enabling simultaneous solution of fully coupled flow in plenum, film–hole, and cross–stream regions. Computations are carried out for the following range of film cooling parameters typically found in gas turbine airfoil applications: single row of jets with a film–hole length–to–diameter ratio of 1.75 and 3.5; blowing ratio from 0.5 up to 2; coolant–to–crossflow density ratio of 2; streamwise injection angle of 35 degrees; and pitch–to–diameter ratio of 3. Comparison of computational solutions with experimental data are in good agreement Moreover, the current results complement experiments and support previous interpretations of measured data and flow visualization. The results also explain important aspects of film cooling, such as the development of complex flow within the film–hole in addition to the well known counterrotating vortex structure in the cross–stream.


Author(s):  
M. Ghorab ◽  
S. I. Kim ◽  
I. Hassan

Cooling techniques play a key role in improving efficiency and power output of modern gas turbines. The conjugate technique of film and impingement cooling schemes is considered in this study. The Multi-Stage Cooling Scheme (MSCS) involves coolant passing from inside to outside turbine blade through two stages. The first stage; the coolant passes through first hole to internal gap where the impinging jet cools the external layer of the blade. Finally, the coolant passes through the internal gap to the second hole which has specific designed geometry for external film cooling. The effect of design parameters, such as, offset distance between two-stage holes, gap height, and inclination angle of the first hole, on upstream conjugate heat transfer rate and downstream film cooling effectiveness performance are investigated computationally. An Inconel 617 alloy with variable properties is selected for the solid material. The conjugate heat transfer and film cooling characteristics of MSCS are analyzed across blowing ratios of Br = 1 and 2 for density ratio, 2. This study presents upstream wall temperature distributions due to conjugate heat transfer for different gap design parameters. The maximum film cooling effectiveness with upstream conjugate heat transfer is less than adiabatic film cooling effectiveness by 24–34%. However, the full coverage of cooling effectiveness in spanwise direction can be obtained using internal cooling with conjugate heat transfer, whereas adiabatic film cooling effectiveness has narrow distribution.


Author(s):  
Lesley M. Wright ◽  
Stephen T. McClain ◽  
Charles P. Brown ◽  
Weston V. Harmon

A novel, double hole film cooling configuration is investigated as an alternative to traditional cylindrical and fanshaped, laidback holes. This experimental investigation utilizes a Stereo-Particle Image Velocimetry (S-PIV) to quantitatively assess the ability of the proposed, double hole geometry to weaken or mitigate the counter-rotating vortices formed within the jet structure. The three-dimensional flow field measurements are combined with surface film cooling effectiveness measurements obtained using Pressure Sensitive Paint (PSP). The double hole geometry consists of two compound angle holes. The inclination of each hole is θ = 35°, and the compound angle of the holes is β = ± 45° (with the holes angled toward one another). The simple angle cylindrical and shaped holes both have an inclination angle of θ = 35°. The blowing ratio is varied from M = 0.5 to 1.5 for all three film cooling geometries while the density ratio is maintained at DR = 1.0. Time averaged velocity distributions are obtained for both the mainstream and coolant flows at five streamwise planes across the fluid domain (x/d = −4, 0, 1, 5, and 10). These transverse velocity distributions are combined with the detailed film cooling effectiveness distributions on the surface to evaluate the proposed double hole configuration (compared to the traditional hole designs). The fanshaped, laidback geometry effectively reduces the strength of the kidney-shaped vortices within the structure of the jet (over the entire range of blowing ratios considered). The three-dimensional velocity field measurements indicate the secondary flows formed from the double hole geometry strengthen in the plane perpendicular to the mainstream flow. At the exit of the double hole geometry, the streamwise momentum of the jets is reduced (compared to the single, cylindrical hole), and the geometry offers improved film cooling coverage. However, moving downstream in the steamwise direction, the two jets form a single jet, and the counter-rotating vortices are comparable to those formed within the jet from a single, cylindrical hole. These strong secondary flows lift the coolant off the surface, and the film cooling coverage offered by the double hole geometry is reduced.


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