Advances in Gas Turbine Heat Transfer and Cooling Technology

Dear Colleagues,

The advancement in heat transfer and cooling technologies is absolutely paramount to the performance, efficiency, and structural integrity of modern gas turbines, serving as the critical enabler for the increased operating temperatures required for greater thermal efficiency. According to the fundamental principles of thermodynamics, the efficiency of a gas turbine cycle is directly proportional to the turbine inlet temperature (TIT). Over the past decades, TITs have soared far beyond the melting point of the superalloy materials used in turbine blades and vanes. This remarkable feat is achieved not through material strength alone, but through a sophisticated and multi-faceted cooling strategy. These technologies are broadly categorized into internal cooling, which involves passing cooler air through intricate serpentine passages inside blades often enhanced with turbulators and impingement jets, and external cooling, primarily film cooling, which creates a protective layer of cool air over the component's surface. Furthermore, these active cooling methods are synergistically combined with passive thermal barrier coatings (TBCs), which provide an essential insulating layer. Without these advanced cooling schemes, components would rapidly succumb to thermal fatigue, creep, and oxidation, leading to catastrophic failure. The relentless pursuit of more efficient cooling techniques allows manufacturers to push the boundaries of combustion temperatures, thereby extracting more work from the same fuel input, which directly translates to higher power output and significantly reduced specific emissions. Consequently, research in this field is not merely an engineering challenge but a cornerstone in the development of cleaner, more powerful, and more reliable propulsion and energy generation systems, with implications for both aviation and power generation sectors.

Dr. Yuting Jiang
Prof. Dr. Guoqiang Yue
Guest Editors

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