Magnetic Resonance Imaging Studies of Flow and Mixing for Single-Hole Film Cooling

Abstract

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) measurement techniques are used to reveal the coupled 3D velocity and coolant concentration fields for a single film cooling hole with L/D of 4, ejection angle of 60°, and blowing ratios of 0.5 and 1. The jet exits into a boundary layer with momentum thickness of 0.1D. Magnetic resonance velocimetry (MRV) measures 3 component mean velocity everywhere within the channel, cooling hole, and feed plenum. Magnetic resonance concentration (MRC) provides the coolant concentration distribution which is directly analogous to film cooling effectiveness. The coupled velocity and concentration show that high velocity ratios lead to a detached jet which lowers effectiveness. Vorticity from the feed hole creates a streamwise oriented counter rotating vortex pair which lifts the coolant stream from the surface and sweeps in main channel flow inducing a kidney-shape to the coolant jet cross-section. Without the need for optical access, MRV allows study of the flow inside the feed hole including the entrance separation and secondary flows. Cross-stream feeding of the cooling hole shows added spanwise asymmetry at the hole entrance, but this asymmetry is significantly reduced moving up the hole.