Increasing the combustion temperatures in a gas turbine engine to achieve higher efficiency and power output also results in high heat loads to turbine components downstream of the combustor. The challenge of adequately cooling the nozzle guide vane directly downstream of the combustor is compounded by a complex vortical secondary flow at the junction of the endwall and the airfoil. This flow tends to increase local heat transfer rates and sweep coolant away from component surfaces, as well as decrease the turbine aerodynamic efficiency. Past research has shown that a large fillet at the endwall-airfoil junction can reduce or eliminate the secondary flow. Also, leakage flow from the interface gap between the combustor and the turbine can provide some cooling to the endwall. This study examines the individual and combined effects of a large fillet and realistic combustor-turbine interface gap leakage flow for a nozzle guide vane. The first study focuses on the effect of leakage flow from the interface gap on the endwall upstream of the vane. The second study addresses the influence of large fillets at the endwall-airfoil junction, with and without upstream leakage flow. Both studies were performed in a large low-speed wind tunnel with the same vane geometry. Endwall shear stress measurements were obtained for various endwall-airfoil junction geometries without upstream leakage flow. Endwall heat transfer and cooling effectiveness were measured for various leakage flow rates and leakage gap widths, with a variety of endwall-airfoil junction geometries.

Results from these studies indicate that the secondary flow has a large influence on the coverage area of the leakage coolant. Increased leakage flow rates resulted in better cooling effectiveness and coverage, but also higher heat transfer rates. The two fillet geometries tested affected coolant coverage by displacing coolant around the base of the fillet, which could result in undesirably high gradients in endwall temperature. The addition of a large fillet to the endwall-airfoil junction, however, reduced heat transfer, even when upstream leakage flow was present.