CFD Analysis and Experimental Validation of the Flow Field in a Rib Roughed Turbine Internal Cooling Channel

Abstract

Advances in thermal science force us to develop more efficient systems. The efficiency of widely-used gas turbine engines, is highly dependent on turbine inlet temperature. However, a high turbine inlet temperature yields material deterioration and long term degradation of turbines. To prevent material deterioration, cooling the hot zones of gas turbine engines, particularly turbine components and blades, is a priority. In this way, long term degradation of the turbine is prevented, while the thermal efficiency of the gas turbine engine is boosted. In the current paper, a flow field within a rib roughed blade internal cooling channel is discussed. Within this scope, a computational fluid dynamics analysis is conducted using a Standard k-omega turbulence model. After this, the same case is experimentally investigated. Experimental results obtained from particle image velocimetry measurements are used to validate the results of the computational fluid dynamics analysis. At the end of the study, the flow field is fully mapped with the recirculation and separation zones being clearly pinpointed.