Turbine Airfoil Tip Cooling Passages With Diffusion Slots
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Solution Overview
Problem
Turbine engines face challenges in effectively cooling high-temperature components like the high-pressure turbine, where existing cooling methods are insufficient to manage temperatures exceeding 1000°C to 2000°C, leading to potential damage and reduced efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A set of cooling passages with diffusion slots terminating on the outer surface of airfoil components, designed to exhaust cooling fluid efficiently, forming a wider and slower cooling film to protect the tip and rail surfaces, utilizing additive manufacturing for complex geometries.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If conventional cooling circuits are used to cool turbine components, then cooling capability is provided, but cooling effectiveness is insufficient for temperatures exceeding 1000°C to 2000°C
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is divided into multiple independent cooling passages (first cooling passage, second cooling passage, third cooling passage) that can be separately optimized and controlled, allowing targeted cooling of different regions of the turbine component
Solution Approach 2:
Different cooling passages are designed with different characteristics (e.g., first cooling passage with higher flow rate for high-heat zones, second cooling passage with lower flow rate for moderate-heat zones) to match local thermal requirements, improving overall cooling effectiveness
2Area of stationary object
If more cooling passages are added to improve cooling coverage, then cooling area increases, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple cooling passages are integrated into a unified system sharing common inlet/outlet structures and control mechanisms, allowing increased cooling coverage while managing system complexity through standardized design elements
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling passages are designed to serve multiple functions: primary cooling of turbine surfaces, secondary protection against thermal shock, and potential integration with other engine systems, maximizing the utility of each added passage
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
Enhances cooling effectiveness, increases hot gas path durability, reduces service costs, and improves specific fuel consumption by effectively protecting the airfoil tip and rail surfaces.
Implementation Method 1
cooling is accomplished by ducting cooler air from the high and/or low pressure compressors to the engine components that require cooling
Implementation Method 2
expanding the cooling fluid flow in a direction perpendicular to the radial direction within the diffusion slot
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus and method for an engine component for a turbine engine. The engine component having an outer wall defining an interior and extending between a root and a tip to define a radial direction, a tip wall spanning the first side and second sides to close the interior at the tip. A tip rail extending from the tip wall and having an inner tip rail surface, an outer tip rail surface extending from at least one of the first or the second side, and radially terminating in an upper tip rail surface connecting the inner tip rail surface and the outer tip rail surface. A tip rim formed in at least one of the outer surface or the inner tip rail surface and spaced from the upper tip rail surface in the radial direction, and multiple cooling passages formed in the outer wall and fluidly coupling the at least one cooling conduit to the tip rim at corresponding passage outlets.