SWIRL FLOW INVESTIGATIONS ON THE ENHANCEMENT OF HEAT TRANSFER PROCESSES IN CYCLONE COOLING DUCTS

Cyclone cooling is a promising method to enhance heat-transfer processes in future internal turbine-blade leading-edge cooling-ducts. The basic component of such cooling channels is the swirl generator; which induces a swirling movement of the coolant. The angular momentum generates stable, complex and three-dimensional flow structures of helical shape with alternating axial flow directions. Full three-dimensional and three-component velocity measurements using magnetic resonance velocimetry (3D3C-MRV) were conducted, with the aim to understand the complex structure of pipe flows with strong swirl. In order to mimic the effect of different installation concepts of the cyclone-cooling ducts an idealized bend-duct swirl-tube configuration with variable exit orifices has been investigated. Pronounced helical flow structures and distinct velocity zones could be found in this swirl flow. One substantial result is the identification of stationary helix-shaped streaks of high axial velocity in the direct vicinity of the wall. These findings are in good agreement with mass-transfer measurements that also show helix-shaped structures with increased mass transfer at the inner surface of the tube. According to the Reynolds analogy between heat and mass transfer, augmented heat-transfer processes in these areas are to be expected.