Turbine Airfoil Trough Vortex Bow Wave Suppression
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Turbine engines face challenges in reducing the forward broadcast of bow waves from airfoil lead edges, which can lead to ingestion of hot gases into temperature-sensitive cavities, resulting in inefficiencies and potential damage.
Innovation Solution
A trough is placed around the leading edge of airfoils in turbine engines, creating a controlled vortex that suppresses the bow wave, reducing its upstream extent and preventing hot gas ingestion into cavities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If the spacing between vanes and blades is increased to prevent bow wave ingestion, then hot gas ingestion is prevented, but the axial length and engine size increase
Solution Approach 1:
The harmful bow wave is extracted and redirected into the trough region, separating it from the main flow path. The trough acts as a dedicated containment zone that captures and isolates the bow wave, preventing it from penetrating into temperature-sensitive cavities while maintaining compact spacing between components
Solution Approach 2:
The trough serves as an intermediary structure between the leading edge and the cavity region. It mediates the bow wave's path by providing a controlled interface that redirects the wave away from sensitive areas, enabling closer component spacing without direct exposure to hot gases
2Weight of moving object
If the axial length is reduced for compactness, then weight and frictional losses decrease, but bow wave ingestion into cavities increases
Solution Approach 1:
The bow wave is extracted from the main flow path and confined to the trough region. This extraction allows the cavity to be positioned closer to the leading edge without direct exposure to the bow wave, enabling reduced axial length while preventing hot gas ingestion
Solution Approach 2:
The harmful bow wave is converted into a controlled feature by directing it into the trough. The trough transforms the potentially damaging bow wave into a contained flow pattern that can coexist with reduced spacing, turning the harmful effect into an acceptable design characteristic
3Object-affected harmful factors
If a vortex is formed at the leading edge, then the bow wave is suppressed and upstream extent is limited, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The vortex is generated locally at the leading edge trough region rather than requiring system-wide modifications. This localized vortex generation provides targeted bow wave suppression exactly where needed, maintaining simplicity in other parts of the airfoil structure
Solution Approach 2:
The trough geometry utilizes curved surfaces to generate the vortex flow pattern. The curved leading edge trough naturally induces rotation in the flow, creating the vortex effect through geometric curvature rather than requiring additional mechanical vortex-generating components
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 reduces bow wave ingestion, allowing for shorter axial lengths, weight savings, lower frictional losses, and improved engine efficiency by limiting the bow wave's impact on temperature-sensitive materials.
Implementation Method 1
forming a vortex at a leading edge of the airfoil extending along at least a portion of a root of the airfoil
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosure relates to a gas turbine engine and a method of controlling an upstream extent of a bow wave from an airfoil having a pressure side and a suction side in the turbine engine. In one aspect, the method includes forming a vortex at a leading edge of the airfoil.