Turbomachine Airfoil Array Contoured Surface
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Solution Overview
Problem
Turbomachine airfoil arrays in gas turbines face inefficiencies due to secondary and cooling air flow losses, which are not adequately addressed by existing designs.
Innovation Solution
The airfoil array features a contoured circumferential surface with an elevation contour line that is depressed relative to a reference surface near the leading edge and merges smoothly into a non-depressed section near the trailing edge, optimizing flow passages between airfoils and improving secondary and cooling air flows.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If conventional airfoil arrays are used, then the structure is simple and manufacturing is easy, but secondary and cooling air flow losses occur due to inadequate flow passage design
Solution Approach 1:
The circumferential surface is designed with different local geometries: a first section with a depression (contoured shape) and a second section that is substantially planar. This local differentiation optimizes flow characteristics in specific regions while maintaining manufacturing simplicity in other areas, thereby reducing energy losses without excessive complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The first section of the circumferential surface features a contoured, curved geometry with a depression rather than a flat surface. This curvature modification optimizes the flow passage boundaries, improving secondary and cooling air flows and reducing energy losses associated with conventional flat-surface designs
2Productivity
If the circumferential surface is fully contoured, then flow passage optimization is maximized, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
Rather than making the entire circumferential surface contoured, only the first section is given a depressed, contoured geometry while the second section remains substantially planar. This localized approach achieves flow optimization where most needed while keeping manufacturing processes simpler and more cost-effective
Solution Approach 2:
The invention applies partial contoured action - the circumferential surface is contoured only in the first section rather than along its entire length. This partial application of the contoured geometry provides sufficient flow passage optimization to improve productivity without requiring the full manufacturing complexity that would result from contouring the entire surface
Data Source
AI summary
An airfoil array for a turbomachine, in particular a turbine or compressor stage of a gas turbine. The airfoil array includes at least two airfoils and at least one contoured circumferential surface which connects a pressure side of one airfoil to a suction side of the other airfoil and includes an upstream first section and a downstream second section which adjoins the first section along an elevation contour line; the first section being depressed relative to a rotationally symmetric reference surface containing this elevation contour line away from the airfoils, and the second section not being depressed relative to this reference surface away from the airfoils; this elevation contour line lying in an axial area which terminates at most 30% of an axial chord length of one of the airfoils downstream of its leading edge; and an axial distance of this elevation contour line increasing toward the pressure side and toward the suction side, starting at a point between the pressure and suction sides that is closest to the leading edge; and the first section extending over at least 90% of the space between the pressure side and the suction side.