Additive Gas Turbine Inlet Frame with Integral Manifolds
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional gas turbine engine inlet frames have complex fluid distribution systems and manifolds that require multiple parts, leading to increased assembly costs, decreased reliability, and manufacturing limitations, resulting in inefficient airflow management and potential fluid leaks.
Innovation Solution
An additively manufactured inlet frame with integral wash manifolds, discharge ports, and annular heating plenums, formed using 3D printing techniques, which integrates fluid distribution systems and anti-icing features as a single monolithic component, reducing the number of parts and improving airflow management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional inlet frames use multiple separate parts for fluid distribution systems and manifolds, then the systems can be assembled from standard components, but the assembly complexity increases, manufacturing time increases, costs increase, and reliability decreases due to multiple joints
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates multiple separate fluid distribution components (manifolds, supply conduits, support structures, spray nozzles) into a single monolithic inlet frame component manufactured using additive manufacturing. This merging eliminates the need for multiple joints and connections between separate parts, directly improving reliability by removing potential leak paths while reducing assembly complexity to a single component installation.
Solution Approach 2:
The inlet frame is designed as a multi-functional component that simultaneously serves as the structural inlet frame, fluid distribution manifold, support structure, and spray nozzle housing. This universal design consolidates multiple functions into one component, improving reliability by eliminating interfaces between separate functional elements while maintaining all required fluid distribution capabilities.
2Ease of manufacture
If conventional inlet frames use multiple separate parts for fluid distribution systems, then standard manufacturing methods can be used, but the manufacturing time and costs become very high due to individual positioning, orientation, and connection of each part
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple separately manufactured components into a single additively manufactured inlet frame, transforming the manufacturing process from assembling multiple parts to producing one integrated component. This merging simplifies the manufacturing process by eliminating sequential assembly operations (positioning, orienting, connecting parts) while maintaining all functional requirements, thereby improving ease of manufacture and productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs additive manufacturing technology to produce the inlet frame, representing a fundamental change in the manufacturing parameter from traditional subtractive or formative methods. This parameter change enables the production of complex integrated geometries that would be difficult or impossible to achieve with conventional manufacturing, simplifying the overall manufacturing process and improving efficiency.
3Reliability
If conventional inlet frames use multiple joints to connect manifolds and conduits, then the fluid distribution system can be assembled from modular components, but the likelihood of fluid leaks increases due to the number of joints formed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges all fluid distribution components into a single monolithic structure, completely eliminating joints between separate manifolds and conduits. This merging directly addresses leak prevention by removing the interfaces where leaks typically occur, while the integrated design maintains all necessary fluid distribution functions through internally formed passageways and outlets.
4Adaptability or versatility
If manufacturing restrictions are applied to conventional inlet frames, then standard manufacturing processes can be used, but the number, size, configuration, and position of fluid distribution systems and manifolds are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes additive manufacturing technology, which fundamentally changes the manufacturing parameters from conventional methods. This parameter change removes traditional manufacturing constraints related to the number, size, configuration, and position of fluid distribution features, enabling design flexibility to create optimized geometries that precisely match performance requirements without being limited by traditional manufacturing capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The additive manufacturing process enables local quality variations within the inlet frame, allowing different regions to have optimized geometries, wall thicknesses, and feature densities tailored to specific functional requirements. This local quality capability provides design flexibility to place fluid distribution features exactly where needed with precise dimensional control, unrestricted by conventional manufacturing limitations.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution simplifies manufacturing, reduces assembly time and costs, enhances airflow management, and improves reliability by directly integrating fluid distribution and anti-icing features, minimizing leakage and improving performance.
Implementation Method 1
depositing a layer of additive material on a bed of an additive manufacturing machine and selectively directing energy from an energy source onto the layer of additive material to fuse a portion of the additive material and form the inlet frame
Data Source
AI summary
An inlet frame and a method of additively manufacturing the same are provided. The inlet frame includes a forward annular body spaced apart from a rear annular body to define an inlet passageway in fluid communication with a compressor inlet. The inlet frame may define integral wash manifolds and discharge ports for directing a flow of wash fluid directly through the compressor inlet. In addition, inlet frame may define one or more integral annular heating plenums in fluid communication with a hot air source for heating regions of the inlet frame that are prone to icing conditions.