Conjugate heat transfer simulations of a radially cooled gas turbine blade leading edge using a vortex-based fluidic oscillator for sweeping jet impingement.

This article investigates the cooling performance of a vortex-based fluidic oscillator for sweeping jet impingement applied to the leading edge of a C3X high-pressure gas turbine blade. Using a three-dimensional conjugate heat transfer (CHT) numerical model based on unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (URANS) equations with the shear stress transport (SST k–ω) turbulence model, the study compares the vortex-based oscillator’s cooling effectiveness against steady and conventional sweeping jets. Results show that the vortex-based fluidic oscillator achieves up to a 24.3% temperature reduction at the blade leading edge, outperforming steady jets by enhancing fluid mixing and covering a larger impingement area, with the aspect ratio of 1.0 providing the best overall cooling performance. The study also highlights that the vortex-based oscillator maintains higher momentum and lower pressure drop than conventional oscillators, indicating its potential as an efficient cooling solution for turbine blade leading edges.