This thesis summarizes the results of an experimental study on transonic turbine blades in the presence of ejection of coolant in the direction of the flow from slots near the trailing edge. I t presents the effect of the trailing edge coolant ejection on the turbine blade aerodynamic efficiency.¹ The objective of this work is to contribute to the design of new turbine blades by giving loss data for cooled blades.

Data were taken in the Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University wind tunnel, which includes a two-dimensional transonic turbine cascade. The tunnel simulates supersonic discharge flows of turbine rotor blading in a linear cascade with trailing edges designed for ejection of cooling flow. Two blade designs, named Baseline and ULTRE, were tested. Experiments were performed on a transonic turbine cascade designed for a deflection of approximately 68 degrees and outlet Mach number of 1.14 for the Baseline blade and 1.2 for the ULTRE blade. Tests were carried out with CO₂ as coolant in order to ensure the proper simulation of the density ratio between coolant flow and main flow.

Data were obtained for both the Baseline and ULTRE cascades with a good periodicity. The content of this thesis is limited to the aerodynamic aspects of coolant ejection. Heat transfer aspects are mentioned but not developed. The first part of this thesis reports on the theoretical considerations necessary for the understanding of the work done and describes the arrangement, instrumentation, and data acquisition system of the wind tunneL The second part of the thesis presents experimental results from tests carried out on both Baseline and ULTRE blades. The cascade tests cover an exit isentropic Mach number range of M2,it = 0.72 to 1.34 and four different ejection rates.

1 The efficiency being characterized by the total pressure loss in this work