THERMAL DETAILS IN A ROTOR-STATOR CAVITY AT ENGINE CONDITIONS WITH A MAINSTREAM

This investigation involves a numerical study of enclosed rotor-stator cavities of gas turbine engines. The complete elliptic form of the 2-D, axisymmetric Navier-Stokes equations for compressible turbulent flow were solved. Included are the complete fluid and thermal effects of the hot mainstream gas interacting with the cooling cavity purge flow at actual engine flow conditions for generalized geometries. Additional flow conditions above and below those for engine nominal conditions are also considered. The relationships among the important flow parameters are investigated by examining the entire set of computations. The predictions reveal that a small recirculation zone in the stator shroud axial gap region is the primary mechanism for the considerable thermal transport from the mainstream to the turbine blade root/retainer region of the rotor.