A Comparative Numerical Study of Aerodynamics and Heat Transfer on Transitional Flow Around a Highly Loaded Turbine Blade with Flow Separation Using RANS, URANS and LES

The paper numerically and experimentally investigates the behavior of the boundary layer development and heat transfer along the suction and pressure surfaces of a highly loaded turbine blade with separation. To evaluate and compare the predictive capability of different numerical methods, Reynolds Averaged Navier-Stokes based solvers (RANS), Unsteady Reynolds Averaged Navier Stokes equation (URANS) as well as Large Eddy Simulation (LES) are used. The results of each individual numerical method are compared with the measurements. For this purpose, extensive boundary layer and heat transfer measurements were performed in the unsteady boundary layer cascade facility of the Turbomachinery Performance and Flow Research Laboratory (TPFL) of Texas A&M University. Aerodynamics experiments include measuring the onset of the boundary, its transition, separation and re-attachment using miniature hot wire probes. Heat transfer measurements along the suction and pressure surfaces were conducted utilizing a specially designed heat transfer blade that was instrumented with liquid crystal coating. Comparisons of the experimental and numerical results detail differences in predictive capabilities of the RANS based solvers and LES.