Additively Manufactured Thermal Shield for Miniature Gas Turbine

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional thermal blankets for miniature gas turbine engines are expensive and labor-intensive to fabricate and install, despite providing effective thermal isolation and fire resistance.

Innovation Solution

An additively manufactured thermally insulating structure comprising a base layer and a fire-resistant layer forming an air gap, with a lattice structure and airflow path, is used to create a lightweight and efficient thermal shield, which can be integrated into the engine components using additive manufacturing techniques.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional thermal blankets with multiple fabric, composite, and metallic material layers are used, then thermal insulation and fire resistance are achieved, but manufacturing complexity and labor intensity increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvethermal insulation and fire resistanceVSAvoidmanufacturing complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple material layers (fabric, composite, and metallic layers) into a single integrated additively manufactured component. The thermal blanket structure is merged with the engine housing or shield, eliminating the need for separate assembly steps and reducing manufacturing complexity while maintaining thermal insulation and fire resistance properties.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The additively manufactured thermal shield serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides thermal insulation, fire resistance, and structural support. The design integrates the thermal blanket functionality directly into the engine housing or shield component, making it a multi-functional element that reduces overall system complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Reliability

If conventional thermal blankets are fabricated and installed, then thermal isolation is provided, but production time and assembly time increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvethermal isolationVSAvoidproduction time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The thermal blanket structure is pre-integrated into the engine housing or shield design during the additive manufacturing process. The thermal isolation functionality is built-in from the outset rather than being added as a separate assembly step, significantly reducing production time while maintaining effective thermal isolation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The thermal blanket and engine housing are merged into a single additively manufactured component, eliminating the need for separate fabrication and assembly operations. This integration drastically reduces production time while preserving the thermal isolation performance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Reliability

If conventional thermal blankets with multiple material layers are used, then fire resistance is achieved, but manufacturing cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefire resistanceVSAvoidmanufacturing cost

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the manufacturing parameter from conventional multi-layer assembly to additive manufacturing. This parameter change enables the production of complex multi-material structures at lower cost by eliminating labor-intensive assembly operations and reducing material waste, while maintaining fire resistance through the integrated design.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The additive manufacturing process creates the thermal blanket structure in a single operation without requiring external assembly operations. The process is self-sufficient, building the complex multi-layer structure directly, which reduces labor costs and overall manufacturing expense while maintaining fire resistance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

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

This solution reduces production costs and assembly time while maintaining high thermal insulation and fire resistance, enhancing the performance and efficiency of miniature gas turbine engines.

Implementation Method 1

An additively manufactured thermally insulating structure according to one disclosed non-limiting embodiment of the present disclosure includes a base layer; and a fire-resistant layer adjacent to the base layer that forms an air gap therebetween

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal insulation: Thermal Insulation

Data Source

PatentUS11199136B2Additively manufactured thermally insulating structure

Publication Date: 2021.12.14 RTX CORP

AI summary

An additively manufactured thermally insulating structure comprising a base layer and a fire-resistant layer adjacent to the base layer that forms an air gap therebetween. A method for assembling a miniature gas turbine engine includes additively manufacturing an additively manufactured thermally insulating structure onto a static structure of the miniature gas turbine engine.