Abstract
This paper reviews the current position of five major problem areas in gas turbine secondary air system design. Although the problems are of primary interest to the designer of the coolant flow paths, since they directly affect the temperature, the stresses and thus the life of the major rotating components, three of the problems interact with the main gas path and are thus also the concern of the mainstream aerodynamicist. The five problems reviewed are: prediction of the flow distribution and heat transfer in the high pressure compressor drive cone cavity from the turbine to the rim of the HP compressor running underneath the combustion chamber; the flow penetration and heat transfer in the multiple rotating cavities formed by the multiple discs of the high pressure compressor with a rotating shaft running through the bores; the control of ingestion of hot turbine mainstream gas into the rotor-stator wheelspaces through the rim-seals; the problem of compressor and turbine stator-well heating, particularly compressor stator-wells in which excessive temperatures have been occasionally measured and finally, the pre-swirl coolant system which has to take the blade cooling air across from the stationary casing to the rotating turbine disc in the most advantageous manner.