Simulations of Multiphase Particle Deposition on a Showerhead With Staggered Film-Cooling Holes

The demand for cleaner, more efficient energy has driven the motivation for improving the performance standards for gas turbines. Increasing the combustion temperature is one way to get the best possible performance from a gas turbine. One problem associated with increased combustion temperatures is that particles ingested in the fuel and air become more prone to deposition with an increase in turbine inlet temperature. Deposition on aero-engine turbine components caused by sand particle ingestion can impair turbine cooling methods and lead to reduced component life. It is necessary to understand the extent to which particle deposition affects turbine cooling in the leading edge region of the nozzle guide vane where intricate showerhead cooling geometries are utilized. For the current study, wax was used to dynamically simulate multiphase particle deposition on a large scale showerhead cooling geometry. The effects of deposition development, coolant blowing ratio, and particle temperature were tested. Infrared thermography was used to quantify the effects of deposition on cooling effectiveness. Although deposition decreased with an increase in coolant blowing ratio, results showed that reductions in cooling effectiveness caused by deposition increased with an increase in blowing ratio. Results also showed that effectiveness reduction increased with an increase in particle temperature. Reductions in cooling effectiveness reached as high as 36% at M = 1.0.