Tip gap effects on film cooling performance of a transonic turbine blade with a distinctive coolant supply arrangement

Considered are the influences of tip gap on film cooling performance variations near to and along the tip or end of a turbine blade with a squealer rim contained within a linear cascade with five airfoils. The film coolant is supplied by two plenums which are positioned at forward and aft locations within the blade. The aft blowing ratio varies between 0.88 and 1.48, the forward blowing ratio is set to be approximately constant in the vicinity of 2.75 to 3.0, and a value of about 1.3 is utilized for the ratio of coolant density relative to the main flow density. Measured results include linearly-averaged and spatially-resolved variations of adiabatic effectiveness, which are presented both for the top portion of the pressure surface and end surface of the blade with the squealer rim. Local effectiveness variations along the top pressure side of the blade show significant effectiveness values downstream of aft pressure side hole outlet locations mostly because film lift-off downstream of these holes is less substantial than observed downstream of the forward holes. Spatially-resolved effectiveness data for the end of the blade with a squealer rim show that the largest values of effectiveness are evident near to and immediately downstream of dusting hole outlet locations. Associated linearly-averaged effectiveness data for the tip of the blade recess region with the 1.2 mm tip gap are as much as about two times higher than values for the 2.0 mm tip gap when compared at each surface location. Local and linearly-averaged surface effectiveness variations for the downstream edge region of the blade squealer tip are most strongly influenced by the film cooling holes which are aft and by the dusting hole which is positioned along the tip of the blade rim near the downstream edge. Here, effectiveness magnitudes are also often higher along the downstream edge rim region with the 1.2 mm tip gap, compared to data associated with the 2.0 mm tip gap.