A numerical representation of three dimensional turbulent flow within cooling ducts located in turbine blades and heat transfer into such ducts is effected using the finite element method. The importance of a coupled solid/fluid numerical model, when investigating heat transfer, is demonstrated by comparing numerical results with experimentally determined values relating to smooth, cylindrical rotating passages. Having verified the numerical model, the technique is then used to evaluate heat transfer into a multi-ribbed rotating cylindrical duct. The enhancement of heat transfer, due to Coriolis induced secondary motion and the incorporation of ribs, is predicted and compared with experimental measure ments.

Presented at the International Gas Turbine and Aeroengine Congress and Exposition, Houston, Texas - June 5-8, 1995.

A computational study has been performed to predict the distribution of convective heat transfer coefficient on a simulated blade tip with cooling holes. The purpose of the examination was to assess the ability of a three-dimensional Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes solver to predict the rate of tip heat transfer and the distribution of cooling effectiveness. To this end, the simulation of tip clearance flow with blowing of Kim and Metzger was used. The agreement of the computed effectiveness with the data was quite good. The agreement with the heat transfer coefficient was not as good but improved away from the cooling holes. Numerical flow visualization showed that the uniformity of wetting of the surface by the film cooling jet is helped by the reverse flow due to edge separation of the main flow. Ameri, A. A. and Rigby, D. L. Glenn Research Center NASA/CR-1999-209165, NAS 1.26:209165, E-11756