Date of Award
12-2015
Access Type
Thesis - Open Access
Degree Name
Master of Science in Aerospace Engineering
Department
Graduate Studies
Committee Chair
Dr. Mark Ricklick
First Committee Member
Dr. Magdy Attia
Second Committee Member
Dr. Sathya Gangadharan
Abstract
This study focuses on the computational benchmarking as well as validation against experimental results of a rib roughed surface in an internal channel of a stationary turbine blade. STAR-CCM+ was utilized to replace a model from a published article, and to analyze the CFD conjugate heat transfer by determining the turbulence model that best matched the published experimental values. Using those computational conditions and CFD results, an in house experimental rig was validated by comparing convective heat transfer coefficients and pressure profiles. This cooling method, when compared to a smooth channel, enhances turbulent mixing my separating and reattaching the boundary layer which increases the heat transfer. The overall goal is to analyze an effective cooling method, studying the flow physics and effective heat transfer rates as well as minimizing the pressure drop across the channel. V²f turbulence model resulted in matching closest to the experimental results, but doe to its unstable nature at high Reynolds number, the EBk-E model was used for preliminary testing. Results for EBk-E showed shorter reattachment lengths giving higher Nusselt number values between ribs. The heat transfer as well as friction factors match within the uncertainty of 6.8% and 6.6% respectively of the published results. Benchmarked computational results will help validate the experimental setup for further optimization and testing different configurations in rib arrangements.
Scholarly Commons Citation
Mehta, Yash T., "Experimental and Computational Investigation of Ribbed Channels for Gas Turbine Thermal Management" (2015). Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses. 227.
https://commons.erau.edu/edt/227
