Experimental and Numerical Investigations into the Effects of Rim Seal Structure on Endwall Film Cooling and Flow Field Characteristics

Yixuan Lu, Zhao Liu (), Weixin Zhang, Yuqiang Ding and Zhenping Feng
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Yixuan Lu: Shaanxi Engineering Laboratory of Turbomachinery and Power Equipment, Institute of Turbomachinery, School of Energy & Power Engineering, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049, China
Zhao Liu: Shaanxi Engineering Laboratory of Turbomachinery and Power Equipment, Institute of Turbomachinery, School of Energy & Power Engineering, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049, China
Weixin Zhang: Shaanxi Engineering Laboratory of Turbomachinery and Power Equipment, Institute of Turbomachinery, School of Energy & Power Engineering, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049, China
Yuqiang Ding: Shaanxi Engineering Laboratory of Turbomachinery and Power Equipment, Institute of Turbomachinery, School of Energy & Power Engineering, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049, China
Zhenping Feng: Shaanxi Engineering Laboratory of Turbomachinery and Power Equipment, Institute of Turbomachinery, School of Energy & Power Engineering, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049, China

Energies, 2023, vol. 16, issue 24, 1-19

Abstract: During the practical operation of gas turbines, relatively cooled air from the compressor and the rim seal is applied in order to prevent mainstream ingestion into the space between the rotor and stator disc cavities, which can prolong the service life of hot components. On the one hand, the purge flow from the rim seal will inevitably interact with the mainstream and result in secondary flow on the endwall. On the other hand, it can also provide an additional cooling effect. In this paper, four rim seal structures, including an original single-tooth seal (ORI), a double-tooth seal (DS), a single-tooth seal with an adverse direction of the coolant purge flow and mainstream (AS) and a double-tooth seal with an adverse direction of the coolant purge flow and mainstream (ASDS), are experimentally and numerically investigated with mass flow ratios of 0.5%, 1.0% and 1.5%. The flow orientation of the coolant from the rim seal is considered as one of the main factors. The pressure-sensitive paint technique is used to experimentally measure the film cooling effectiveness on the endwall, and flow field analysis is conducted via numerical simulations. The results show that the cooling effect decreases in the cases of DS and ASDS. AS and ASDS can achieve a better film cooling performance, especially under a higher mass flow ratio. Furthermore, the structural changes in the rim seal have little impact on the aerodynamic performance. AS and ASDS can both achieve a better aerodynamic and film cooling performance.

Keywords: rim seal; purge flow; film cooling effectiveness; endwall (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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