Tip Clearance Effect on Heat Transfer and Leakage Flows on the Shroud-Wall Surface in an Axial Flow Turbine

An axial flow turbine for a turbocharger is used as a test turbine, and the local heat transfer coefficient on the surface of the shroud is measured under uniform heat flux conditions. The nature of the tip clearance flow on the shroud surface and a flow pattern in the downstream region of the rotor blades are studied, and measurements are obtained by using a hot-wire anemometer in combination with a periodic multi-sampling and an ensemble averaging technique. Data are obtained under on- and off-design conditions. The effects of inlet flow angle, rotational speed and tip clearance on the local heat transfer coefficient are elucidated. The mean heat transfer coefficient is correlated with the tip clearance, and the mean velocity is calculated by the velocity triangle method for approximation. A leakage flow region exists in the downstream direction beyond the middle of the wall surface opposite the rotor blade, and a leakage vortex is recognized at the suction side near the trailing edge.