Cross-section of a transonic turbine engine with winglet tips highlighted.

Turbine Winglet Design: How Advanced Tips Can Boost Engine Efficiency

Jordan Keane in Tech & Innovation September 2025 • 4 min read.

"Unlock the secrets of heat transfer in transonic turbines and discover how innovative winglet tips can revolutionize engine performance and reliability."

In the relentless pursuit of more efficient and reliable engines, engineers are constantly seeking innovative solutions to optimize performance. One critical area of focus is the design of turbine blades, particularly the winglet tips that play a crucial role in managing airflow and heat transfer within the engine.

Winglet tips, small extensions added to the ends of turbine blades, have emerged as a promising technology for enhancing engine efficiency and reducing energy loss. By carefully shaping these tips, engineers can manipulate the complex flow patterns within the turbine, minimizing leakage and improving overall performance. Understanding how heat is transferred in these components is crucial for keeping the engine operating safely.

Recent research has shed light on the intricate heat transfer dynamics of various winglet tip designs in transonic turbines. This knowledge is invaluable for developing more efficient engines. Transonic turbines, which operate with airflow reaching the speed of sound, present unique challenges for heat management due to the complex flow patterns that arise.

What Makes Winglet Tips So Important for Turbine Efficiency?

Cross-section of a transonic turbine engine with winglet tips highlighted.

Winglet tips are not just about reducing energy loss; they also play a vital role in managing heat transfer within the turbine. High temperatures can cause materials to degrade quickly. By carefully designing winglet tips, engineers can control the distribution of heat across the blade surface, preventing localized hot spots and extending the lifespan of the turbine.

The study focuses on the heat transfer performance of three distinct winglet-cavity tip designs within a transonic turbine cascade. A cascade simulates the arrangement of blades in a turbine. These designs include a baseline cavity tip, a tip with a suction side winglet (SSW), a tip with a larger suction side winglet (SFW), and a tip with both suction and pressure side winglets (PSW). All tests were conducted at conditions representative of those found in real engines.

Baseline Cavity Tip: A standard design used for comparison.
Suction Side Winglet (SSW): A small winglet on the suction side of the blade.
Larger Suction Side Winglet (SFW): An enlarged version of the SSW design.
Pressure and Suction Side Winglets (PSW): Winglets on both sides of the blade.

To analyze the heat transfer characteristics of each design, the researchers employed transient infrared thermography. The experimental data was validated with computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations, offering a detailed understanding of the flow physics influencing heat transfer. Understanding the effect that each winglet has on heat transfer is very useful for designers.

Optimizing Winglet Design for Enhanced Engine Performance

The research highlights the crucial role of winglet tips in optimizing heat transfer and enhancing engine efficiency. By understanding the complex flow physics associated with different winglet designs, engineers can develop more efficient turbines. These findings provide valuable insights for future designs to improve the reliability and efficiency of high-pressure turbine engines. The study also showed that endwall movement has an effect on how the winglets perform in heat transfer.

About this Article -

This article was crafted using a human-AI hybrid and collaborative approach. AI assisted our team with initial drafting, research insights, identifying key questions, and image generation. Our human editors guided topic selection, defined the angle, structured the content, ensured factual accuracy and relevance, refined the tone, and conducted thorough editing to deliver helpful, high-quality information.See our About page for more information.

This article is based on research published under:

DOI-LINK: 10.1115/gt2016-56804, Alternate LINK

Title: Heat Transfer Of Winglet Tips In A Transonic Turbine Cascade

Journal: Volume 5A: Heat Transfer

Publisher: American Society of Mechanical Engineers

Authors: Fangpan Zhong, Chao Zhou, H. Ma, Q. Zhang

Published: 2016-06-13

Everything You Need To Know

Why are winglet tips so important for managing heat in turbines?

Winglet tips are vital for managing heat transfer and reducing energy loss. High temperatures degrade materials, so winglet tips control heat distribution across the blade, preventing hot spots and extending the turbine's lifespan. Different designs like the Suction Side Winglet (SSW), Larger Suction Side Winglet (SFW), and Pressure and Suction Side Winglets (PSW) each affect heat transfer differently.

How was the heat transfer analyzed in the research?

Transient infrared thermography analyzes heat transfer characteristics, while computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations validate experimental data. CFD offers a detailed understanding of the flow physics influencing heat transfer. Validating the experimental data helps engineers understand how each winglet design will perform in real world conditions.

What specific winglet tip designs were analyzed in the study, and what are their key differences?

The study analyzed four distinct winglet tip designs: the Baseline Cavity Tip (a standard for comparison), a tip with a Suction Side Winglet (SSW), a tip with a Larger Suction Side Winglet (SFW), and a tip with both Pressure and Suction Side Winglets (PSW). Each design manipulates airflow differently, affecting heat transfer and overall engine performance.

What are the primary benefits of using winglet tips in turbine design?

Winglet tips optimize heat transfer, minimize energy loss, and enhance the efficiency of high-pressure engines. They manipulate flow patterns to minimize leakage, control heat distribution, prevent hot spots, and extend the lifespan of the turbine. Understanding the effect of endwall movement on winglet performance is also crucial for designing the turbines.

Why are winglet tips important in transonic turbines, and what unique challenges do these turbines present?

Transonic turbines operate with airflow reaching the speed of sound, presenting unique heat management challenges due to complex flow patterns. Engineers use winglet tips to control heat distribution, prevent localized hot spots, and extend the turbine's lifespan. Different designs such as Suction Side Winglet (SSW) or Pressure and Suction Side Winglets (PSW) must be carefully considered to optimize performance.