Airflow Deflector for Gas Turbine Liner Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
In gas turbine engines, transferring cooling air through uniform apertures can create non-uniform temperature profiles in adjacent regions, leading to thermal distortion and inefficient airflow, limiting retrofit capabilities.
Innovation Solution
The introduction of an airflow deflector assembly with a deflector panel and legs that attach to a liner, allowing for customized airflow control by varying aperture diameters and configurations, including the use of metering panels to optimize airflow distribution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If uniform diameter cooling apertures are used in the liner, then manufacturing is simplified, but airflow uniformity and cooling effectiveness deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by varying the diameter of cooling apertures based on their specific location and function. Different aperture sizes are used to optimize cooling effectiveness in different regions, with larger apertures for primary cooling needs and smaller apertures for secondary cooling, thereby achieving uniform airflow distribution while maintaining manufacturing feasibility through standardized aperture patterns.
2Productivity
If high pressure difference is used to drive cooling air through the liner, then cooling air transfer is enhanced, but thermal distortion increases due to non-uniform temperature profiles
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses local quality by implementing different aperture diameters in different regions of the liner to distribute cooling airflow more uniformly. This prevents localized over-cooling that would cause thermal distortion while maintaining adequate cooling air transfer rates. The varied aperture sizes ensure that high pressure difference drives air through multiple paths rather than concentrating flow through a few large apertures.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the cooling air transfer system into multiple independent aperture channels with different diameters. This segmentation allows the high pressure difference to be distributed across numerous flow paths, preventing any single stream from creating excessive localized cooling and thermal distortion while maintaining overall cooling effectiveness.
3Ease of manufacture
If standard uniform aperture configuration is used, then manufacturing is easier, but retrofit capability and airflow customization are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by incorporating aperture deflectors at specific locations within the liner to modify airflow characteristics in targeted regions. This allows retrofitting of existing liners with uniform apertures by adding localized flow control elements, thereby achieving customized airflow patterns without remanufacturing the entire liner, thus improving adaptability while maintaining manufacturing simplicity.
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 enhances airflow uniformity, reduces thermal distortion, and facilitates retrofitting by allowing for improved airflow customization and control within gas turbine engines.
Implementation Method 1
the airflow deflector deflects the streams of cooling air laterally as the streams of cooling air pass from the first region through the liner to the second region
Implementation Method 2
the cooler air is transferred through a plurality of apertures disposed in the wall, motivated by the difference in air pressure between the two regions
Data Source
Figure 1~3
Figure 4~5
Figure 6~7
AI summary
An airflow deflector (62) is provided that includes at least one liner attachment flange (66), a deflector panel (68), and at least one deflector leg (164A, 164B). The at least one liner attachment flange (66) has a liner side surface (170A, 170B) and an opposing outer surface (172A, 172B). The at least one deflector leg (164A, 164B) extends between and is attached to the at least one liner attachment flange (66). The at least one deflector leg (164A, 164B) extends a distance between the deflector panel (68) and the liner attachment flange (66) to maintain the deflector panel (68) a separation distance from the liner attachment flange (66). The airflow deflector (62) is configured for insertion of the at least one deflector leg (164A, 164B) and the deflector panel (68) within a liner aperture.