Effect of a rotor wake on the local heat transfer on the forward half of a circular cylinder

Abstract

Turbine rotor-stator wake dynamics was simulated by a spoked wheel rotating in annular flow, generating rotor wakes. Spanwise averaged circumferentially local heat transfer in the circular cylindrical leading edge region of a turbine airfoil was obtained. Reynolds numbers ranged from 35,000 to 175,000. Strouhal numbers ranged from 0.63 to 2.50. Wakes were generated by 2 sets of circular cylindrical bars, 1.59 and 3.18 mm in diameter. The rotor could be rotated either clockwise or counterclockwise. Grid turbulence was introduced upstream yielding freestream turbulence of 1.0 to 2.5% at the stator. Data represented an extensive body of local heat transfer coefficients, which can be used to model the leading edge region of a turbine airfoil. In the presence of rotor wakes, an asymmetry from the leeward to windward side was noted. Windward side levels were 30 to 40% higher than the corresponding leeward side