Effects of Rotation on Blade Surface Heat Transfer: An Experimental Investigation

Measurements of turbine blade surface heat transfer in a transient rotor facility are compared with predictions and equivalent cascade data. The rotating measurements involved both forward and reverse rotation (wake-free) experiments. The use of thin-film gages in the Oxford Rotor Facility provides both time-mean heat transfer levels and the unsteady time history. The time-mean level is not significantly affected by turbulence in the wake; this contrasts with the cascade response to free-stream turbulence and simulated wake passing. Heat transfer predictions show the extent to which such phenomena are successfully modeled by a time-steady code. The accurate prediction of transition is seen to be crucial if useful predictions are to be obtained.