Effect of Jet Pulsing on Film Cooling: Part 1— Effectiveness and Flowfield Temperature Results

Pulsed film cooling was studied experimentally to determine its effect on film cooling effectiveness. The film cooling jets were pulsed using solenoid valves in the supply air line. Cases with a single row of cylindrical film cooling holes inclined at 35 degrees to the surface of a flat plate were considered at blowing ratios of 0.25, 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 for a variety of pulsing frequencies and duty cycles. Temperature measurements were made using an infrared camera, thermocouples, and cold wire anemometry. Hot wire anemometry was used for velocity measurements. The local film cooling effectiveness was calculated based on the measured temperatures and the results were compared to baseline cases with continuous blowing. Phase locked flow temperature fields were determined from cold wire surveys. Pulsing at high frequencies helped to improve film cooling effectiveness in some cases by reducing overall jet liftoff. At lower frequencies, pulsing tended to have the opposite effect. With the present geometry and a steady mainflow, pulsing did not provide an overall benefit. The highest overall effectiveness was achieved with continuous jets and a blowing ratio of 0.5. The present results may prove useful for understanding film cooling behavior in engines, where mainflow unsteadiness causes film cooling jet pulsation.