EXPLORING THE EFFECTS OF PIN-FINS IN A GAS TURBINE BLADE INTERNAL COOLING CHANNEL

The internal cooling passage of turbine blades is a critical region within gas turbine systems due to the extreme operating temperatures. Pin-fins enhance cooling efficiency in these passages by significantly increasing the heat-transfer coefficient and providing structural support to the blade's thin metallic surfaces. This study focuses on optimizing pin-fin design to achieve an optimal balance between heat-transfer enhancement and pressure drop, addressing the trade-offs inherent in pin-fin configurations. Two distinct designs-partial spherical and dome-shaped pin-fins-were experimentally and computationally evaluated under varying Reynolds numbers (9000 to 50,000) and rotation numbers (0 to 0.13). Using the Large Eddy Simulation (LES) technique and experimental setups, the evaluation criteria included the heat-transfer coefficient, friction factor, and overall thermal performance. Results revealed that the dome-shaped pin-fins in a 14 × 2 array configuration enhanced thermal performance by 93% under stationary conditions (Ro = 0) and 98% under rotational conditions (Ro = 0.13) compared to conventional smooth channels. These findings underscore the significant potential for improving gas turbine blade cooling efficiency through refined pin-fin geometries and configurations.