City Research Online

Abstract

This paper presents a detailed numerical investigation of the effect of hub-mounted riblets on the thermal and aerodynamic performance of a radial turbine rotor. While prior studies have shown that riblets reduce wall shear stress and improve aerodynamic efficiency, their influence on heat transfer and thermal losses remains underexplored. Using numerical simulations, this study examines the heat transfer characteristics within the rotor passage, comparing ribbed and smooth hub configurations under the same operating conditions. Results reveal that although riblets reduce frictional drag, they also enhance convective heat transfer—leading to a 6% increase in the heat transfer coefficient at the hub and 2.8% at the blade surfaces. This intensification of heat transfer results in a 4.3% rise in overall thermal losses, counteracting some of the aerodynamic gains. The findings provide new insights into the thermofluidic implications of surface modifications in turbomachinery and emphasise the importance of considering surface finish not only for aerodynamic optimisation but also for thermal efficiency. These results can inform future turbine design and manufacturing practices aimed at controlling surface roughness to minimise heat loss.

Publication Type:	Article
Additional Information:	© 2025 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Publisher Keywords:	riblets; radial turbine; heat transfer; shear stress reduction; micro gas turbines
Subjects:	T Technology > TA Engineering (General). Civil engineering (General)
Departments:	School of Science & Technology School of Science & Technology > Department of Engineering
SWORD Depositor:	Symplectic Administrator

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