Thomas Frank Fric

Quantitative Visualization of Full-Coverage Discrete-Hole Film Cooling

Water tunnel experiments were carried out to study full-coverage discrete-hole film cooling for geometries applicable to gas turbine combustor liners. The cooling holes were spaced at a pitch to diameter ratio of 6.5 and had an injection angle of 20° to the cooled surface. The mainstream flow direction was in line with the cooling holes. Blowing ratios from 0.5 to 5.7 were studied, which is a range typical of combustor liners.A unique multiple plane PLIF (planar laser-induced fluorescence) technique was used to measure time-averaged film cooling concentration at various heights above the surface to be cooled. Three-dimensional data sets were generated to quantitatively visualize cooling-jet film coverage, structure, and interaction. Film coverage as close as 0.25 mm (0.010 in.) from the surface was measured, thereby yielding data that approach adiabatic film effectiveness. Two sets of film cooling experiments were conducted. One set used a model with a relatively small array of 2.54 mm (0.100 in.) holes, meant to be a large-scale model of hole sizes encountered in combustor liners. The second set used a large array of 0.51 mm (0.020 in.) nominal diameter laser-drilled holes, manufactured in the same manner as combustor liner cooling holes.The results show that near-wall film coverage is minimum for blowing ratios from 1.7 to 3.3. At blowing ratios less than 1.7 and greater than 3.3, the film coverage was improved. Jet structure and interaction was also observed. In particular, jet separation behavior and coalescence were visualized, and both were generally a function of blowing ratio.Copyright

Vortex Shedding From Struts in an Annular Exhaust Diffuser

Results from scale-model experiments and industrial gas turbine tests show that strut vortex shedding in an annular exhaust diffuser can effectively be modified by adding tapered chord to the struts. The struts are bluff bodies at full-speed, no-load conditions, when inlet swirl is close to 60°. Data from wind tunnel tests show that wake Strouhal number is 0.47, larger than that expected for an isolated cylinder wake. This value of Strouhal number agrees with those measured in full-scale exhaust diffusers. Wind tunnel tests showed that a strut with tapered chord most effectively reduced wake amplitudes and shifted shedding frequency. The tapered strut was also effective in reducing shedding amplitude in a scale-model diffuser. Finally, gas turbine tests employing a tapered strut showed significant reductions in unsteady pressure and noise. A major benefit of strut taper is a reduction of noise by uncoupling of vortex shedding from acoustic resonant response.Copyright