Development of low-cost test techniques for advancing film cooling technology

A program for studying advanced film hole geometries that will provide improved film effectiveness levels relative to those reported in the literature is described. A planar wind tunnel was used to conduct flow visualization studies on different film hole shapes, followed by film effectiveness measurements. The most promising geometries were then tested in a two-dimensional cascade to define the film effectiveness distributions, while duplicating a turbine airfoil curvature, Mach number, and acceleration characteristics. The test techniques are assessed and typical results are presented. It was shown that smoke flow visualization is an excellent low-cost technique for observing film coolant-to-mainstream characteristics and that reusable liquid crystal sheets provide an accurate low-cost technique for measuring near-hole film effectiveness contours. Cascade airfoils constructed using specially developed precision fabrication techniques provided high-quality film effectiveness data.