Blade-to-coolant heat-transfer results and operating data from a natural-convection water-cooled single-stage turbine

Blade-to-coolant heat-transfer data and operating data were obtained with a natural-convection water-cooled turbine over range of turbine speeds and inlet-gas temperatures. The convective coefficients were correlated by the general relation for natural-convection heat transfer. The turbine data were displaced from a theoretical equation for natural convection heat transfer in the turbulent region and from natural-convection data obtained with vertical cylinders and plates; possible disruption of natural convection circulation within the blade coolant passages was thus indicated. Comparison of non dimensional temperature-ratio parameters for the blade leading edge, midchord, and trailing edge indicated that the blade cooling effectiveness is greatest at the midchord and least at the trailing edge

Exploratory Investigation of Advanced-Temperature Nickel-Base Alloys

An investigation was conducted to provide an advanced-temperature nickel-base alloy with properties suitable for aircraft turbine blades as well as for possible space vehicle applications. An entire series of alloys that do not require vacuum melting techniques and that generally provide good stress-rupture and impact properties was evolved. The basic-alloy composition of 79 percent nickel, 8 percent molybdenum, 6 percent chromium, 6 percent aluminum, and 1 percent zirconium was modified by a series of element additions such as carbon, titanium, and boron, with the nickel content adjusted to account for the additives. Stress-rupture, impact, and swage tests were made with all the alloys. The strongest composition (basic alloy plus 1.5 percent titanium plus 0.125 percent carbon) displayed 384- and 574-hour stress-rupture lives at 1800 F and 15,000 psi in the as-cast and homogenized conditions, respectively. All the alloys investigated demonstrated good impact resistance. Several could not be broken in a low-capacity Izod impact tester and, on this basis, all compared favorably with several high-strength high-temperature alloys. Swaging cracks were encountered with all the alloys. In several cases, however, these cracks were slight and could be detected only by zyglo examination. Some of these compositions may become amenable to hot working on further development. On the basis of the properties indicated, it appears that several of the alloys evolved, particularly the 1.5 percent titanium plus 0.125 percent carbon basic-alloy modification, could be used for advanced- temperature turbine blades, as well as for possible space vehicle applications