Conjugate Heat Transfer Analysis of the Aero-Thermal Impact of Different Feeding Geometries for Internal Cooling in Lifetime Extension Processes for Heavy-Duty Gas Turbines

Regulations from the European Union move towards a constant reduction of pollutant emissions to match single-digit goal by 2050. Original equipment manufacturers propose newly designed components for lifetime extension ofgGas turbines that both reduce and allow increasing thermodynamic performance redesigning turbine cooling geometries optimizing secondary air systems. The optimal design internal allows reducing blade metal temperature coolant mass-flow rates. In present study, four different region upstream blade’s channels are investigated using computational fluid dynamics with conjugate heat transfer approach. baseline configuration is compared solutions include turbulators, vanes, diffuser-like shapes. impact each solution on thoroughly analysed. more uniform distribution may 30% in central part blade. There also regions where increases up 15%, thus requiring specific thermal fatigue analysis. Eventually, non-negligible flow purged tip clearance generation leakage vortex described.