Recent Developments in the Aerodynamic Heat Transfer and Cooling Technology of Gas Turbines Endwalls

Abstract

With an increased inlet gas temperature and the homogenization of the combustion chamber outlet temperature, the endwalls of gas turbines are exposed to extremely high heat loads. The complex flow structure of turbine endwalls makes it difficult to cool some regions of the endwalls, which can easily cause endwall ablation, reducing turbine aerodynamic performance and threatening the turbine’s safe operation. In order to improve the cooling and aerodynamic performance of gas turbines, the flow structure, heat transfer and film cooling characteristics of endwalls are analyzed in depth in this paper. This paper summarizes and analyzes the development of the aerodynamic heat transfer and film cooling of gas turbine endwalls in terms of geometric structures and flow boundary conditions and also presents new research directions. Based on the literature, the development and challenge of turbine endwall film cooling are also discussed.