Conjugate heat transfer analysis of a high pressure turbine vane with radial internal cooling passages

In order to accurately predict aerodynamics and heat transfer between external hot gas and internal cooling passages as well as conduction within metal blade, numerical analysis using conjugate heat transfer methodology for the MarkII transonic turbine guide vane, which was cooled internally by air flowing through 10 radial round pipes, was carried out. The results show that the flow inside boundary layer is very complex, which includes laminar flow, transition process and turbulent flow. The prediction with M-L (Menter and Langtry) transition model provides the closest agreement with the actual flow conditions inside boundary layer, and the distributions of vane temperature and heat transfer coefficient predicted by this model agree well with the measured experimental data whereas the results with other turbulence models over-predict. However, all turbulence models can well predict aerodynamics of gas outside boundary layer.