Heat transfer enhancement of wedge-shaped channels by replacing pin fins with Kagome lattice structures

This study introduces Kagome lattice structures to replace pin fins or ribs in a wedge-shaped channel, which represents a turbine-blade trailing edge, for heat transfer enhancement. Present simulation methods are verified against available experimental data. The local and overall thermo-fluidic characteristics of the four designed channels, at five Reynolds numbers and a given porosity, are investigated numerically and compared. The results reveal that the proposed structures exhibit 6–71% higher overall Nusselt numbers relative to the original structure but with similar pressure loss. The heat transfer enhancement is attributed to the fact that the first array of Kagome cores separates more high momentum fluid to the tip region, which results in the reduction of recirculation and increases convective heat transfer.