Influence of crossflow-induced swirl and impingement on heat transfer in an internal coolant passage of a turbine airfoil

Detailed heat transfer distributions are presented inside a two-pass coolant channel with crossflow-induced swirl and impingement. The impingement and passage crossflow are generated from one coolant passage to the adjoining coolant passage through a series of straight or angled holes along the dividing wall. The holes provide for the flow turning from one passage to another typically achieved in a conventional design by a 180-deg U-bend. The holes direct the flow laterally from one passage to another and generate different secondary flow patterns in the second pass. These secondary flows produce impingement and swirl and lead to higher heat transfer enhancement. Three different lateral hole configurations are tested for three Reynolds numbers (Re=10,000, 25,000, 50,000). The configurations were varied by angle of delivery and location on the divider wall. A transient liquid crystal technique is used to measure the detailed heat transfer coefficient distributions inside the passages. Results with the new crossflow feed system are compared with the results from the traditional 180-deg turn passage. Results show that the crossflow feed configurations produce significantly higher Nusselt numbers on the second pass walls without affecting the first pass heat transfer levels. The heat transfer enhancement is as high as seven to eight times greater than obtained in the second pass for a channel with a 180-deg turn. The increased measured pressure drop (rise in friction factor) caused by flow through the crossflow holes are compensated by the significant heat transfer enhancement obtained by the new configuration.