Additive Manufactured Manifold for Gas Turbine Clearance Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing gas turbine engines face performance issues due to non-uniform thermal expansion and contraction of rotor and stator assemblies, leading to increased radial clearances and potential rubbing, which can cause premature failure of rotor blades, and current active clearance control systems are limited by the thickness and shape of sheet metal manifolds used.
Innovation Solution
A manifold with a housing and integrally formed nozzle portion, including nozzle projections with impingement openings, is designed to reduce the distance between the nozzle and the engine casing and enhance the Venturi effect, using additive manufacturing to achieve complex shapes without increasing weight or thickness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If sheet metal manifold with roll forming process is used, then manufacturing ease is improved, but manufacturing precision and final shape capability are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the manufacturing method from traditional roll forming to additive manufacturing, enabling complex three-dimensional shapes and precise nozzle geometries that were previously unachievable with sheet metal processes. This parameter change in manufacturing technology resolves the contradiction by providing both manufacturing capability and high precision simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs additive manufacturing technology to create manifolds with complex internal structures and integrated features that combine multiple functions into a single component. This approach allows for precise control of material deposition and structural geometry, achieving high manufacturing precision while maintaining ease of manufacture through automated additive processes.
2Weight of moving object
If sheet metal thickness is reduced to reduce weight, then weight is improved, but manufacturing precision and shape capability are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from subtractive sheet metal forming to additive manufacturing, allowing for optimized wall thicknesses and complex geometries that maintain structural integrity and precision without requiring excessive material. This enables weight reduction while simultaneously achieving high manufacturing precision through layer-by-layer material deposition control.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent moves from two-dimensional sheet metal manipulation to three-dimensional additive manufacturing, enabling complex spatial geometries and integrated features that cannot be achieved with traditional sheet metal processes. This dimensional transition allows for precise control of manifold shape and nozzle geometry while minimizing material usage and weight.
3Use of energy by moving object
If manifold distance to engine casing is reduced, then cooling efficiency is improved, but risk of rubbing increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates thermal expansion compensation features in the additive manufactured manifold design, allowing the structure to dynamically adjust to thermal conditions. This enables the manifold to maintain optimal proximity to the engine casing for efficient cooling while automatically accommodating thermal growth to prevent rubbing, thus resolving the contradiction between cooling efficiency and reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent explicitly addresses thermal expansion effects in the manifold design, incorporating features that accommodate differential thermal growth between the manifold and engine casing. By designing for thermal expansion, the system can operate at closer distances for improved cooling efficiency while preventing contact and rubbing through controlled clearance design that accounts for thermal effects.
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 effectively reduces the distance between the nozzle and the engine casing, increases cooling efficiency, and improves the Venturi effect, thereby enhancing engine performance and preventing premature rotor blade failure.
Implementation Method 1
The nozzle portion extends between adjacent walls of the plurality of walls and includes at least one nozzle projection having a plurality of impingement openings defined therein. The at least one nozzle projection extends from the adjacent walls in an outward direction relative to the interior of the housing.
Data Source
AI summary
A manifold for use in a clearance control system is provided. The clearance control system includes a housing including a plurality of walls that at least partially define an interior of the housing, and a nozzle portion integrally formed with the housing. The nozzle portion extends between adjacent walls of the plurality of walls and including at least one nozzle projection having a plurality of impingement openings defined therethrough. The at least one nozzle projection extends from the adjacent walls in an outward direction relative to the interior of the housing.