Is this project an undergraduate, graduate, or faculty project?
Graduate
group
What campus are you from?
Daytona Beach
Authors' Class Standing
Guhan Vijayakumar, Graduate Student Wen Wu, Graduate Student
Lead Presenter's Name
Wen Wu
Faculty Mentor Name
Birce Dikici
Abstract
Film cooling is a key heat transfer technique that protects gas turbine blades from extreme temperatures, allowing higher turbine inlet temperatures and greater thermal efficiency. It works by ejecting a thin layer of cooler air from the compressor through small holes onto the hot surface, creating a protective film layer that lowers surface temperature and reduces thermal stress on blades. This process is vital in power generation and propulsion systems that operate near material limits. With growing emphasis on sustainability, film cooling has gained new importance in hydrogen-fueled gas turbines. Hydrogen combustion creates water vaper and low-density exhaust gases, which change thermophysical properties, increase specific heat capacity, and weaken cooling effectiveness. These effects challenge traditional cooling designs developed for natural gas turbines systems. This project explores how film cooling helps protect gas turbine blades in hydrogen-fueled engines. It focuses on concepts such as shaped and anti-vortex holes, combined internal and external cooling, and advanced thermal barrier coatings. The study explains how these methods improve cooling and material protection under hydrogen-rich and high-temperature conditions. Enhancing film cooling efficiency is essential for extending component life, improving overall turbine performance, and providing hydrogen turbines to deliver clean, high-efficiency energy that supports the transition to sustainable and environmental power generation.
Did this research project receive funding support from the Office of Undergraduate Research.
No
Conceptual Exploration of Film Cooling Techniques in Hydrogen Gas Turbines
Film cooling is a key heat transfer technique that protects gas turbine blades from extreme temperatures, allowing higher turbine inlet temperatures and greater thermal efficiency. It works by ejecting a thin layer of cooler air from the compressor through small holes onto the hot surface, creating a protective film layer that lowers surface temperature and reduces thermal stress on blades. This process is vital in power generation and propulsion systems that operate near material limits. With growing emphasis on sustainability, film cooling has gained new importance in hydrogen-fueled gas turbines. Hydrogen combustion creates water vaper and low-density exhaust gases, which change thermophysical properties, increase specific heat capacity, and weaken cooling effectiveness. These effects challenge traditional cooling designs developed for natural gas turbines systems. This project explores how film cooling helps protect gas turbine blades in hydrogen-fueled engines. It focuses on concepts such as shaped and anti-vortex holes, combined internal and external cooling, and advanced thermal barrier coatings. The study explains how these methods improve cooling and material protection under hydrogen-rich and high-temperature conditions. Enhancing film cooling efficiency is essential for extending component life, improving overall turbine performance, and providing hydrogen turbines to deliver clean, high-efficiency energy that supports the transition to sustainable and environmental power generation.