Heat Transfer in a Rotating

Disc-Cone Cavity with Axial

Through-flow
Coursework
88486
Table of Contents
Question 1 – Summary of the paper ................................................................................... 3
Question 2 – Show that the average heat flux and average temperature difference
is given by equation (12) and (13) ....................................................................................... 4
Question 3 – Meaning of the symbol β and prove that for an ideal gas, β = 1/T .... 5
Question 4 – Estimating the average heat transfer coefficient for the inside surface
of the compressor using the data provided in Figure 7................................................... 5
Question 5 – Rewriting equation (3) in terms of radius r, the Reynolds numbers and
the buoyancy parameters..................................................................................................... 7
Question 6 – Expected flow patterns inside the cavity for: R0 < 3 and R0 > 3 ....... 8
Question 7 – Physical significance of the group R0/β∆T 0.5 ........................................... 9
Question 8 – Ekman layer ..................................................................................................... 9
References ............................................................................................................................ 10
Figure references...........................................................................................................................10
Question 1 – Summary of the paper
The main purpose of the study reported was to measure the heat transfer in a test
rig representative of a high-pressure compressor internal air system. This test rig
representative was designed to be geometrically similar (approximately 70% of full
size) to contemporary gas turbine aero-engines and aimed at simulating the internal
air system flows within a high-pressure compressor. The rig also had a central
rotating shaft, which could rotate in the same direction as the disc, remain static, or
contra-rotate.

Tests were carried out on a range of flow rates and rotational speeds. The disc speed
ranged from 160-1050 rad/sec and the cooling airflow rate ranged from 0.12-0.85
kg/s. It also had in inlet pressure range of 1.5-3.7 bar and an inlet temperature range
of 306-328k. The outer surface of the cone was heated to a maximum temperature
of 445 k and the disc to 406 k. Although the temperature is different, the method
described in the paper achieves similar temperature distributions on the cone and
disc found in an engine. The data collected for this test were acquired under thermal
steady state conditions and the measurements of the heat transfer were obtained
from a conduction solution method using measured surface temperature as
boundary layers.

Results of the test discussed so far in the paper indicate that the heat transfer from
the inner surface of the cone is affected by two regimes of flow. One dominated by
rotation and the other by the action of through-flow. In the regime dominated by
rotation, the shaft that rotates in the same direction as the disc (co-rotate) gives
higher Nusselt numbers than one that is static or rotates in the opposite direction.
Thus, the heat transfer from the inner surface of the cone is higher for a co-rotating
shaft than for either static or contra-rotating shaft. Unlike the rotationally
dominated regime, heat transfer for the inner surface of the cone shows little
consistent dependence on the direction of shaft rotation for the regimes dominated
by through-flow.

Comparison of this result with the average Nusselt numbers from the inner surface
of the cone supported this hypothesis from similar experiments carried out on a
heated rotating cavity with an axial through-flow of air that disc heat transfer is also
governed either by rotationally induced buoyancy (free convection) or by the axial
through-flow. This report also suggests that for small gap ratios, through-flow effects
tends to be suppressed, so as the gap ratio is reduced, flow in a heated cavity is
dominated by rotationally-induced buoyancy while as the gap ratio increases, the
flow is dominated by through-flow effects.

Overall, the experiment gave an understanding on how heat transfer from the
rotating surfaces inside the compressor of a gas turbine creates a temperature rise
in the air, which needs to be predicted. It also gave an insight on how heat transfer
affects the temperature difference between discs bore and rim creating thermal
stresses. All of these factors also contributed towards the motivation of this study.
Question 2 – Show that the average heat flux and average
temperature difference is given by equation (12) and (13)
𝑞𝑟
𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑚 𝑒𝑞𝑢𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 [10], 𝑁𝑈𝑟 =
∆𝑇 𝑘 sin 𝜃

Also the average heat transfer coefficient is given by

1
ℎ𝑎𝑣 = ∫ ℎ 𝑑𝐴 [1]
𝐴
But
𝑞𝑟 ℎ𝑟
𝑁𝑈𝑟 = =
∆𝑇 𝑘 sin 𝜃 𝑘
This implies that
𝑞
ℎ= [2]
∆𝑇 sin 𝜃
Also
𝐴 = 𝜋𝑏 2 [3]
𝑑𝐴 = 2𝜋𝑟𝑑𝑟 [4]

Equating for [2] and [4] in [1] and bringing all the constants outside the integral, we
have
𝑏
2𝜋
ℎ𝑎𝑣 = ∫ 𝑞𝑟𝑑𝑟 [5]
Δ𝑇𝐴 sin 𝜃
𝑟𝑖
And using the relationship where ∆𝑇 is constant and equals to ∆𝑇𝑎𝑣 , we have

𝑞𝑎𝑣 = ℎ𝑎𝑣 × ∆𝑇𝑎𝑣

𝒃
𝟐𝝅
𝒒𝒂𝒗 = ∫ 𝒒𝒓𝒅𝒓 [𝟔]
𝑨 𝐬𝐢𝐧 𝜽
𝒓𝒊
Also we know that
𝑞 = ℎ∆𝑇 [7]
And
𝑞𝑎𝑣 = ℎ𝑎𝑣 ∆𝑇𝑎𝑣 [8]

Thus, Equating for [7] and [8] in [6], we have

𝑏
2𝜋
ℎ𝑎𝑣 ∆𝑇𝑎𝑣 = ∫ ℎ∆𝑇𝑟𝑑𝑟 [9]
𝐴 sin 𝜃
𝑟𝑖
Therefore treating h as a constant,
ℎ = ℎ𝑎𝑣 [10]
Thus,

𝒃
𝟐𝝅
∆𝑻𝒂𝒗 = ∫ ∆𝑻𝒓𝒅𝒓 [𝟏𝟏]
𝑨 𝐬𝐢𝐧 𝜽
𝒓𝒊
Question 3 – Meaning of the symbol β and prove that for an
ideal gas, 𝜷 = 𝟏⁄𝑻

β is the volume expansion coefficient of the system.

1 𝜕𝑃
𝛽= − ( ) [1]
𝜌 𝜕𝑇 𝑝
For a gas,

𝑃
𝜌= [2]
𝑅𝑇
This implies that

𝜕𝑃 𝑃
( )= − 2 [3]
𝜕𝑇 𝑅𝑇

Therefore, equating for [2] and [3] in [1], we have

1 𝜕𝑃 𝑅𝑇 𝑃
− ( ) = −( ) ×
𝜌 𝜕𝑇 𝑃 𝑅𝑇 2

𝟏
𝜷=
𝑻

Question 4 – Estimating the average heat transfer coefficient

for the inside surface of the compressor using the data
provided in Figure 7
Given Parameters:
 Inner radius = 0.05m
 Outer radius = 0.15m
 m = 1hg/s
 P = 4bar
 Ts,av = 600k
 Tin = 500k
 ds = 0.08m
 rs = 0.04m and Ω = 1570.8rad/s

For air at 4bar and 500k we have: [1]

 Cp = 1033J/kg k
 µ = 2.71×10-5 kg/ms
 K = 0.039W/mk
 ρ = 2.801kg/m3
 Pr = 0.705
 Ѵ = 9.68 × 10-6m2/s

[1] http://www.peacesoftware.de/einigewerte/luft_e.html [online resource]

1st thing to calculate is
𝑅0
[1]
𝛽∆𝑇 0.5
But
𝑊
𝑅0 = [2]
𝛺𝑎
And
𝑚 1
𝑊= = = 126.3𝑚/𝑠 2 [3]
𝜌𝐴 2.801 × 𝜋(𝑎2 − 𝑟𝑠2 )

Now Equating for [3] in [2] we have

126.3
𝑅0 = = 1.6 [4]
1570.8 × 0.05

Equating for [4] in [1] we have

𝑅0 1.6
= 0.5 =4 [5]
𝛽∆𝑇 0.5 1
( × 100)
500
𝑁𝑢
𝑅0 ⁄𝑅𝑒 1.3
𝑧
From figure 7, since 𝛽∆𝑇 0.5 = 4, then =6
104

This implies that

𝑁𝑢
= 6 × 104 [6]
𝑅𝑒𝑧1.3

Thus, the average heat transfer coefficient is given as:

𝑁𝑢 = 6 × 104 × 𝑅𝑒𝑧1.3 [𝟕]

And

1.3
2𝑊(𝑎 − 𝑟𝑠 )
𝑅𝑒𝑧1.3 = [( )]
Ѵ

1.3
2 × 126.3(0.05 − 0.04)
𝑅𝑒𝑧1.3 = [( )] = 11 × 106 [8]
9.68 × 10−6

Finally equating for [8] in [7] we have

𝑁𝑢 = 6 × 104 × 11 × 106

𝑵𝒖 = 𝟔. 𝟔 × 𝟏𝟎𝟏𝟏 𝑾/𝒎𝟐 𝒌
Question 5 – Rewriting equation (3) in terms of radius r, the
Reynolds numbers and the buoyancy parameters
Equation (3) is given as:

𝑁𝑢𝑦 = 0.0054𝑅𝑒𝑧0.3 𝐺𝑟𝑦0.25 [1]

Now

ℎ𝑦
𝑁𝑢𝑦 = [2]
𝑘
And

𝑦=𝑏−𝑟 [3]
Equating [3] in [2] we get

ℎ(𝑏 − 𝑟)
𝑁𝑢𝑦 =
𝑘

𝒉𝒓
𝑵𝒖𝒚 = ( ) (𝒃⁄𝒓 − 𝟏) [4]
𝒌
Now for Gry we have

𝜌2 (𝛺 2 𝑟)𝛽∆𝑇𝑦 3
𝐺𝑟𝑦 = [5]
𝜇2

Equating [3] in [5] we get

𝜌2 (𝛺 2 𝑟)𝛽∆𝑇(𝑏 − 𝑟)3
𝐺𝑟𝑦 = [6]
𝜇2
This implies that

3
𝑏
𝜌2 𝛺 2 𝑟𝛽∆𝑇𝑟 3 ( 𝑟 − 1)
𝐺𝑟𝑦 =
𝜇2

𝜌2 𝛺 2 𝑟 2 3
𝐺𝑟𝑦 = 2
× 𝛽∆𝑇 × [𝑏⁄𝑟 − 1]
𝜇

𝟑
𝑮𝒓𝒚 = 𝑹𝒆𝟐𝝋 × 𝜷∆𝑻 × [𝒃⁄𝒓 − 𝟏] [7]

Therefore equating for [4] and [7] in [1] we have

𝒉𝒓 𝟑 𝟎.𝟐𝟓
( ) (𝒃⁄𝒓 − 𝟏) = 𝟎. 𝟎𝟎𝟓𝟒𝑹𝒆𝟎.𝟑
𝒛 [𝑹𝒆 𝟐
𝝋 × 𝜷∆𝑻 × ( 𝒃⁄ − 𝟏) ]
𝒓
𝒌
Question 6 – Expected flow patterns inside the cavity for:
𝑹𝟎 < 𝟑 and 𝑹𝟎 > 𝟑
 𝑹𝟎
Question 7 – Physical significance of the group
𝜷∆𝑻𝟎.𝟓

𝑹𝟎
Gives an indication of the through-flow effects to those caused by centrifugal
𝜷∆𝑻𝟎.𝟓
𝑹
buoyancy. For 𝜷∆𝑻𝟎𝟎.𝟓 < 8, the average Nusselt number increases as the shaft speed
𝑹
approaches that of the discs while for 𝜷∆𝑻𝟎𝟎.𝟓 > 8, there is a tendency for contra-
rotation for the inner shaft to promote the highest heat transfer.

Question 8 – Ekman layer

The Ekman boundary layer is a boundary layer is a boundary layer, which occurs as a
result of its system rotation. It is the layer in a fluid where the flow is the result of a
balance between pressure gradient, coriolis, and turbulent drag forces. Thus, it is
three-dimensional in nature. [2]

In conventional boundary layer, which normally occurs in non-rotating systems, the

boundary layer has no thickness in particular and grows with time (see Figure 1)
whereas in the Ekman boundary layer, the boundary layer in characterized by a fixed
thickness (see Figure 2). [3]

Two examples of flows where one may expect to find an Ekman layer are:
 Flow at the bottom of the atmosphere and
 Flow at the bottom of the ocean

Figure 1- Conventional Boundary layer of a uniform flow along a flat surface

Figure 2 -Ekman layers in a spin tank

References
[1] http://www.peacesoftware.de/einigewerte/luft_e.html [online resource]

[2] Katsuhiro Miyashita, Kaoru Iwamoto and Hiroshi Kawamura, 2006. Direct
Numerical Simulation of the Neutrally Stratified
Turbulent Ekman Boundary Layer. Journal of the Earth Simulator, 6, p. 3-15.

[3] http://muenchow.cms.udel.edu/html/classes/gfd/book/IntroGFDChapt5.pdf

Figure references

[Figure 1]
http://www.aml.engineering.columbia.edu/ntm/level2/ch03/images/convection.gif

[Figure 2]
http://einstein.atmos.colostate.edu/~mcnoldy/spintank/ekman_schem.jpg