Airfoil Baffle Flange Ring Cooling Distribution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current gas turbine engines face challenges in efficiently cooling turbine airfoils, particularly in distributing cooling air effectively to maintain optimal performance and reduce thermal stress.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a baffle system within the airfoil's internal core cavity, featuring a tube and attachment portion connected by a weld joint, with a flange ring affixed to the platform, facilitating the distribution of cooling air through impingement orifices and providing a continuous, airtight seal to enhance cooling efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a baffle system is installed within the airfoil's internal core cavity to distribute cooling air, then cooling efficiency is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The baffle system is segmented into multiple functional components: a tube for cooling air intake, a flange ring for secure attachment to the platform, and impingement orifices for targeted cooling distribution. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently while maintaining overall cooling efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The baffle system is nested within the airfoil's internal core cavity, utilizing the existing internal space without requiring external modifications. The tube, flange ring, and impingement orifices are integrated in a nested configuration that maximizes cooling effectiveness while minimizing additional complexity.
2Reliability
If a flange ring is affixed to the platform to secure the baffle, then sealing and attachment reliability are improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The flange ring combines multiple functions into a single component: it provides structural attachment to the platform, creates a sealed interface to prevent cooling air leakage, and serves as a mounting surface for the tube. This merging reduces the number of separate parts while improving attachment reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The flange ring acts as an intermediary element between the baffle system and the airfoil platform, providing a dedicated attachment interface that simplifies installation while ensuring reliable sealing and positioning.
3Reliability
If impingement orifices are used to distribute cooling air, then cooling effectiveness is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The impingement orifices provide localized, targeted cooling at specific points within the airfoil's internal core cavity. By concentrating cooling air flow at precise locations where thermal stress is highest, the system achieves high cooling effectiveness while the orifices themselves can be manufactured using standard precision techniques.
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 configuration effectively distributes cooling air to cool the airfoil, reducing thermal stress and improving the overall performance and efficiency of the gas turbine engine by maintaining a consistent and efficient cooling mechanism.
Implementation Method 1
The tube and the attachment portion are connected to each other at a weld joint
Implementation Method 2
The tube extends in the internal core cavity and the attachment portion has a flange ring affixed to the platform at the land region
Data Source
AI summary
An airfoil includes an airfoil section that has an airfoil wall that defines leading and trailing ends and first and second sides that join the leading and trailing ends. The first and second sides span in a longitudinal direction between first and second ends. The airfoil wall circumscribes an internal core cavity. A platform is attached with the first end of the airfoil wall. The platform includes an opening that opens into the internal core cavity and a land region that circumscribes the opening. A baffle is formed of a tube and an attachment portion. The tube extends in the internal core cavity and the attachment portion has a flange ring that is affixed to the platform at the land region.