Aerodynamics of a Letterbox Trailing Edge: Effects of Blowing Rate, Reynolds Number, and External Turbulence on Aerodynamic Losses and Pressure Distribution

A letterbox trailing edge configuration is formed by adding flow partitions to a gill slot or pressure side cutback. Letterbox partitions are a common trailing edge configuration for vanes and blades, and the aerodynamics of these configurations are consequently of interest. Exit surveys detailing total pressure loss, turning angle, and secondary velocities have been acquired for a vane with letterbox partitions in a large-scale low speed cascade facility. These measurements are compared with exit surveys of both the base (solid) and gill slot vane configurations. Exit surveys have been taken over a four to one range in chord Reynolds numbers (500,000, 1,000,000, and 2,000,000) based on exit conditions and for low (0.7%), grid (8.5%), and aerocombustor (13.5%) turbulence conditions with varying blowing rate (50%, 100%, 150%, and 200% design flow). Exit loss, angle, and secondary velocity measurements were acquired in the facility using a five-hole cone probe at a measuring station representing an axial chord spacing of 0.25 from the vane trailing edge plane. Differences between losses with the base vane, gill slot vane, and letterbox vane for a given turbulence condition and Reynolds number are compared providing evidence of coolant ejection losses, and losses due to the separation off the exit slot lip and partitions. Additionally, differences in the level of losses, distribution of losses, and secondary flow vectors are presented for the different turbulence conditions at the different Reynolds numbers. The letterbox configuration has been found to have slightly reduced losses at a given flow rate compared with the gill slot. However, the letterbox requires an increased pressure drop for the same ejection flow. The present paper together with a related paper (2008, “Letterbox Trailing Edge Heat Transfer—Effects of Blowing Rate, Reynolds Number, and External Turbulence on Heat Transfer and Film Cooling Effectiveness,” ASME, Paper No. GT2008-50474), which documents letterbox heat transfer, is intended to provide designers with aerodynamic loss and heat transfer information needed for design evaluation and comparison with competing trailing edge designs.