Determination of optimal row spacing for a staggered cross-pin array in a turbine blade cooling passage

Crosspin configurations are of interest in turbine blade design due to the enhanced cooling they provide. In addition, crosspins which extend from the walls of hollow blades provide structural integrity and stiffness to the b lade itself. Numerous crosspin shapes and arrangements are possible, but on ly certain combinations offer high heat transfer capability while maintaini ng low overall total pressure loss. This study presents results from 2-D nu merical simulations of coolant airflow through a turbine blade internal coo ling passage. The simulations model viscous ROM. and heat transfer over cir cular pins in a staggered arrangement of varying pin spacing. Preliminary a nalysis over a wide range of Reynolds numbers indicates existence of an opt imal spacing for which maximum heat transfer and minimum total pressure dro p occurs. Pareto plots, which graphically identify the optimum data points with multiple optimization parameters, were obtained for a range of Reynold s numbers and streamwise spacings in a staggered crosspin arrangement. Ther e is a steady increase in crosspin heat transfer up to a certain number of rows, then a gradual decrease in heat transfer in subsequent rows. Knowledg e obtained from such findings can be used to determine the number of crossp ins used. as well as time ultimate pin arrangement.