Session: 13-01: Heat transfer in turbines engine testing

Paper Number: 153178

Heat Transfer Measurements in a Turbine Centre Frame at Realistic Mach Number – Part 1: Baseline Study 

This paper investigates heat transfer in a turbine centre frame (TCF), a transition duct that guides the flow from the high- to the low-pressure turbine. Experimental results were acquired in a high-speed wind tunnel facility at the Institute for Thermal Turbomachinery and Machine Dynamics, Graz University of Technology. The setup was operated at a realistic Mach number and featured a 90˚ sector cascade of an engine-representative TCF geometry equipped with a flow conditioning grid. Heat transfer coefficient (HTC) measurements were conducted using an advanced infrared thermography technique developed at the institute, covering the hub and struts, as well as the challenging shroud surface. This represents a novel addition to the institute’s heat transfer studies and ensures complete surface coverage of a TCF passage for the first time. The HTC distribution on the hub and struts is consistent with the previous findings from similar studies, whereas the shroud exhibits a significant increase in heat transfer around the pronounced convex bend. Heat transfer correlations, both common and adapted, are included in the discussion for additional analytical insight and interpretation. The work presented here contributes to a deeper understanding of thermal management in TCFs and establishes a baseline for the upcoming study that investigates the effects of combustor hot streaks on heat transfer in the turbine centre frame.

Presenting Author: Patrick René Jagerhofer Institute for Thermal Turbomachinery and Machine Dynamics, Graz University of Technology

Presenting Author Biography: Patrick completed his PhD in 2023 at TU Graz, where he is now leading a research group on heat transfer and combustion in turbomachinery. His group currently works on two government-funded research projects that address heat transfer and film cooling in turbine center frames, including the presence of combustor hot streaks. In addition to heat transfer and film cooling measurements, his main interest lies in the development and improvement of innovative thermal measurement techniques.

Authors:

Patrick René Jagerhofer Institute for Thermal Turbomachinery and Machine Dynamics, Graz University of Technology
Ena Badžek Institute for Thermal Turbomachinery and Machine Dynamics, Graz University of Technology
Petar Bulović Institute for Thermal Turbomachinery and Machine Dynamics, Graz University of Technology
Marios Patinios GE Aerospace, Advanced Aviation Technology
Emil Göttlich Institute for Thermal Turbomachinery and Machine Dynamics, Graz University of Technology