Experimental and numerical investigation of heat transfer inside two-pass rib roughened duct (AR = 1:2) under rotating and stationary conditions

Heat transfer enhancement inside ribbed channels for turbine blades is a critical phenomenon that impacts overall performance and life of the gas turbine. Present study investigates heat and fluid flow in a rectangular duct with heat transfer enhancement features, under rotating and stationary conditions. The heat transfer data obtained experimentally has been explained using numerical prediction of flow features. Detailed heat transfer coefficients have been measured on the walls of two-pass rectangular duct (AR = 1:2) featuring V-shaped rib turbulators, using transient liquid crystal thermography (TLCT). The first pass and second pass featured nine V-shaped ribs each and the bend featured a 90° rib connecting the blade tip underside and the two-pass divider wall. The flow in the first pass was developing in nature. The rib-pitch to rib-height ratio (p/e) was 9.625 and the rib-height to channel hydraulic diameter (e/d_h) was 0.125. The baseline case for the rib roughened duct was geometrically identical smooth duct (with no heat transfer enhancement features). Stationary experiments were carried out for Reynolds numbers ranging from 25000 to 75000. The rotation experiments were carried out at 400 RPM (Ro = 0.036) and 700 RPM (Ro = 0.063), at Reynolds number of 25000 (Ro=Ωd_h/V,Re=Vd_h/ν). Also, numerical simulations were performed for a similar test model under similar flow conditions, using realizable k-∊ turbulence model. Detailed discussion on rib induced secondary flows and rotational effects on heat transfer in smooth and rib roughened duct are presented in this paper using results obtained from detailed heat transfer measurements from experiments and fluid dynamics predictions from numerical simulations.