Pressure drop and heat transfer characteristics of circular and oblong low aspect ratio pin fins

The pressure drop and heat transfer characteristics of circular and oblong pin fins of height-to-diameter ratio of unity used to augment internal cooling of gas turbine airfoils are presented. Data were obtained for an array of 10 rows of staggered pin fins in a 25:1 aspect ratio channel, with both pins and channel endwalls forming the heat transfer surface. Results show that the array average friction factor increases with increasing blockage caused by different arrangement of pin fin geometries in the channel. The local heat transfer coefficient increases up to the 3rd row of pin fins and decreases thereafter. Oblong pin fins with gamma=90 deg (major axis parallel to the direction of flow) result in higher heat transfer rates and lower friction factor than the circular pin fins. For other orientations, oblong pin fins do not offer any advantage over circular pin fins for Re or = 20,000 (typical of small gas turbine engines).