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Experimental and numerical investigation on the flow and heat transfer characteristics in a tree-like branching microchannel

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Abstract

A T-shaped tree-like branching microchannel is designed for gas turbine blade cooling. The conjugate heat transfer characteristics of air coolant are investigated experimentally. To compare the flow and thermal performance of steam and air coolant numerically, the SSG turbulence model is adopted. The results reveal that the heat transfer coefficient is gradually increased through the whole branching microchannel. The conjugate heat transfer effects lead to a heat transfer suppression in the entrance region but an enhancement in the channel terminal region. The flow and heat transfer trend of steam and air are similar, however, compare to air, steam has a 49.2 % higher average Nusselt number and 31.8 % lower friction factor under the same inlet mass flow rate. Under a low mass flow rate condition, the steam cooling shows a smaller maximum temperature difference and better uniform cooling performance.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Lab of NC Machine Tools and Integrated Manufacturing Equipment of the Education Ministry & Key Lab of Manufacturing Equipment of Shaanxi Province, Xi’an University of Technology, Xi’an, 710048, China

    Linqi Shui, Bo Huang, Feng Gao & Hongbin Rui

Authors
  1. Linqi Shui
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  2. Bo Huang
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  3. Feng Gao
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  4. Hongbin Rui
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Correspondence to Linqi Shui.

Additional information

Recommended by Associate Editor Youngsuk Nam

Lin-qi Shui is a Lecturer in Xi’an University of Technology. She received her Ph.D. degree from Xi’an Jiaotong University, China, in 2013. Her research interests include the advanced cooling technology of high temperature components of gas turbine.

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Shui, L., Huang, B., Gao, F. et al. Experimental and numerical investigation on the flow and heat transfer characteristics in a tree-like branching microchannel. J Mech Sci Technol 32, 937–946 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12206-018-0144-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12206-018-0144-y

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