A comprehensive comparison of film cooling characteristics of shaped holes on the leading edge of rotating blade

This study numerically investigates the cooling characteristics and flow features of various hole geometries on the rotating blade leading edge. A comprehensive comparison of cooling effectiveness, heat transfer coefficients, net heat flux reduction, and discharge coefficients is conducted among laidback fan-shaped, fan-shaped, laidback, cone holes, and cylindrical holes with two different diameters. Detailed flow and thermal field analysis reveals the impact of geometry on cooling performance. The blade rotational speed is 600 rpm, with a Reynolds number of 12.4 × 10⁴, blowing ratios from 0.5 to 2.0, and fixed injection and spanwise angles at 90° and 30°. Shaped holes share a uniform hole exit-to-inlet area ratio, and cylindrical holes match their inlet or exit areas. The RANS equations were closed using the SST k-ω turbulence model coupled with the Gamma Theta transition model, and an unstructured grid of 13.0 million cells was employed to attain relatively accurate predictive results. Results show that the lateral expansion on the leading edge significantly enhances cooling performance, with fan-shaped holes outperforming others, especially at high blowing ratios. Additionally, cooling effectiveness and discharge coefficient on the leading edge correlate strongly with hole geometric parameters. Shaped holes with equal area ratios show similar discharge coefficients. Cooling effectiveness at high blowing ratios is proportional to the effective exit width, provided that the coolant flows smoothly without severe lift-off.