Testing Cooling performance of Turboshaft Engine Gas Generator Turbine Nozzle with Sector Cascade

The cooling performance of high-pressure turbine vanes in the gas generator turbine of a turboshaft engine was investigated through a similarity testing methodology. This approach involved the precise definition of key similarity variables representing the heat transfer characteristics, including convection, conduction, and radiation, within the turbine vane structure. Experimentally tractable test conditions were derived based on engine operating conditions to accurately reproduce relevant similarity parameters. The fidelity of these conditions was verified through a detailed conjugated heat transfer analysis mirroring the experimental setup. Subsequently, an infrared thermography-based experiment was conducted to quantify the cooling performance of the vanes under these derived conditions. The results of this study demonstrate that the cooling characteristics of high-pressure turbine vanes under high-temperature operation can be reliably evaluated within controlled pressure and temperature environments, thus circumventing the complexities of replicating full engine operating conditions.