The effects of leading edge and downstream film cooling on turbine vane heat transfer

The progress under contract NAS3-24619 toward the goal of establishing a relevant data base for use in improving the predictive design capabilities for external heat transfer to turbine vanes, including the effect of downstream film cooling with and without leading edge showerhead film cooling. Experimental measurements were made in a two-dimensional cascade previously used to obtain vane surface heat transfer distributions on nonfilm cooled airfoils under contract NAS3-22761 and leading edge showerhead film cooled airfoils under contract NAS3-23695. The principal independent parameters (Mach number, Reynolds number, turbulence, wall-to-gas temperature ratio, coolant-to-gas temperature ratio, and coolant-to-gas pressure ratio) were maintained over ranges consistent with actual engine conditions and the test matrix was structured to provide an assessment of the independent influence of parameters of interest, namely, exit Mach number, exit Reynolds number, coolant-to-gas temperature ratio, and coolant-to-gas pressure ratio. Data provide a data base for downstream film cooled turbine vanes and extends the data bases generated in the two previous studies. The vane external heat transfer obtained indicate that considerable cooling benefits can be achieved by utilizing downstream film cooling. The data obtained and presented illustrate the interaction of the variables and should provide the airfoil designer and computational analyst the information required to improve heat transfer design capabilities for film cooled turbine airfoils.