Detailed Boundary Layer Measurements on a Transonic Turbine Cascade

The boundary layers of a transonic turbine blade have been measured in detail. The full velocity profiles have been measured at a number of stations on both the suction and pressure surfaces, at conditions representative of engine operation, using a Pitot traverse technique and a large-scale (300 mm chord) linear cascade. This information has made it possible to follow the development of the boundary layers, initially laminar, through a region of natural transition to a fully developed turbulent layer. Comparisons with other, less detailed, measurements on the same profile using Pitot traverse and surface-mounted thin films confirm the essential features of the boundary layers.