Experimental Characterization of Rotor Convective Heat Transfer Coefficients in the Vicinity of a Leaf Seal

Leaf seals are filament seals for use at static to rotating interfaces in the engine secondary air system. They offer reduced leakage rates and better off-design performance over conventional labyrinth seals. If compared with advanced brush seals, leaf seals are more compliant due to their lower stiffness and can withstand higher axial pressure differences. Although leaf seals can exhibit hydrodynamic air-riding, this is not always the case and seal–rotor contact can occur. As a result, friction between the leaf tips and the rotor causes heat generation and wear. To predict the diameter of the rotating shaft and the seal life, the shaft and seal interface temperature needs to be estimated. In the steady state, this is determined by the ratio of convective heat transfer through the seal to that through the shaft. To that end, the convective heat transfer characteristics of the flow over the shaft around the seal are required to build accurate thermal models. In this paper, the convective heat transfer coefficient (HTC) distribution in the close vicinity of a typical leaf seal is investigated in a new test facility. The experimental setup and test method are described in detail, and accuracy considerations are included. The methodology employed to derive HTC is explained with reference to an analogous computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model. The importance of the choice of an appropriate driving gas temperature is demonstrated. Experimental HTC maps are presented for a blow-down seal geometry operating over a range of engine representative pressure ratios. Insight is gained into the flow field characteristics and heat transfer around the seal.