Airfoil Cooling Circuit Through Platforms
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current gas turbine engine airfoil cooling systems face inefficiencies due to the isolation of investment casting cores, which complicates the interconnection of cooling passages and reduces manufacturability, while using bleed air for cooling penalizes engine efficiency.
Innovation Solution
The airfoil features an interconnected cooling passage circuit that winds through multiple platforms, formed by combining investment casting cores and machining operations, allowing for a continuous flow path that enhances bleed air usage and cooling efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If investment casting cores are used for cooling passages, then cooling capability is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases due to isolation of cores
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple isolated investment casting cores into a single integrated core structure that forms interconnected cooling passages. This merging approach maintains the cooling capability provided by multiple cores while eliminating the manufacturing complexity of isolating and assembling separate cores. The integrated core allows cooling air to flow continuously through interconnected passages formed within the single core structure.
2Temperature
If bleed air is used for cooling, then airfoil cooling is improved, but engine efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the parameters of the cooling system by designing the interconnected passage geometry, flow distribution, and thermal characteristics to maximize cooling effectiveness. By carefully controlling parameters such as passage cross-sectional area, length, and routing, the system achieves improved airfoil cooling with reduced bleed air extraction, thereby minimizing the impact on engine efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The interconnected cooling passages enable continuous flow of cooling air through the airfoil structure, ensuring consistent cooling throughout the airfoil. This continuous action allows for more efficient heat removal compared to isolated passages, reducing the total amount of bleed air required to achieve the same cooling effect.
3Productivity
If cooling passages are interconnected through multiple platforms, then cooling efficiency is improved, but manufacturing difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the manufacturing process for interconnected cooling passages across multiple platforms into a single integrated investment casting operation. By combining what would traditionally require separate manufacturing steps and assemblies into one monolithic core structure, the system achieves complex interconnected cooling geometry while simplifying the manufacturing process and reducing assembly operations.
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 design improves the efficiency of bleed air usage for cooling, maintaining airfoil durability while simplifying manufacturing by creating a serial flow path for cooling air through the airfoil, thus enhancing overall engine efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a cooling passage circuit through the airfoil and platforms, which provides a serial flow path for cooling air through the airfoil
Data Source
Figure 1
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Figure 4
AI summary
An airfoil (60) includes a cooling passage circuit (76) that has a first plenum (78), a skincore passage (82), a first connector passage (80), a second plenum (86), and a second connector passage (84). The first plenum (78) is in a first platform (62) and extends adjacent a first side (68c), a trailing end (68b), and a second side (68d) of an airfoil section (66). The skincore passage (82) is embedded in the first side (68c) of the airfoil section (66) and extends longitudinally. The first connector passage (80) is longitudinally spaced from an internal core cavity (70) in the airfoil section (66) so as to extend around the cavity (70). The first connector passage (80) connects the first plenum (78) with the skincore passage (82). The second plenum (86) is in the second platform (64) and extends adjacent the first side (68c), the trailing end (68b), and the second side (68d) of the airfoil section (66). The second connector passage (84) connects the skincore passage (82) with the second plenum (86).