Angled Cooling Interface Passage for Gas Turbine Combustor Liner
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Solution Overview
Problem
The combustor section of gas turbine engines faces challenges with durability and aerodynamics due to steps between panels, dead regions, and cooling inefficiencies at transition areas where forward and aft panels merge, leading to adverse local aerodynamics.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates angled rails on liner panels and support shells to create an angled interface passage, optimizing the combustor geometry and enhancing film cooling attachment, which directs leakage flow at an angle to improve film cooling effectiveness and durability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If straight-edged quadrilateral panels are used to form the combustor liner, then manufacturing and assembly are simplified, but dead regions and steps form at panel interfaces leading to poor cooling and adverse aerodynamics
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies asymmetry by transitioning from traditional straight-edged quadrilateral panels to panels with curved or angled edges. Specifically, the downstream edge of each panel is configured with a curve or angle rather than a straight line, creating an asymmetric geometry that eliminates dead regions at panel interfaces while maintaining manufacturing feasibility. This asymmetric design allows cooling airflow to follow the contour smoothly without creating stagnant zones.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements curvature by replacing straight panel edges with curved contours. The downstream edge of each liner panel features a curved profile that allows cooling airflow to adhere to the surface and follow the contour smoothly. This curvature eliminates sharp corners and straight-edged interfaces that create dead regions, thereby improving both cooling effectiveness and aerodynamic flow characteristics.
2Ease of operation
If traditional straight-edged panel interfaces are used, then assembly is straightforward, but cooling efficiency deteriorates due to dead regions and steps at interfaces
Solution Approach 1:
The asymmetric panel geometry with curved downstream edges eliminates the symmetric straight-edged configuration that creates mismatched interfaces. The curved profile ensures that panels align smoothly without forming steps or dead regions at interfaces, thereby maintaining cooling effectiveness while keeping assembly relatively straightforward.
Solution Approach 2:
The curved downstream edge profile allows cooling airflow to follow the panel contour smoothly through the interface region. This curvature prevents the formation of dead regions where cooling flow would stagnate, ensuring continuous effective cooling across panel boundaries while maintaining a relatively simple assembly process.
3Device complexity
If conventional panel geometries are used, then structural simplicity is maintained, but adverse local aerodynamics reduce combustor performance
Solution Approach 1:
The asymmetric panel design with curved downstream edges replaces conventional symmetric quadrilateral geometries. This asymmetry is specifically targeted at the downstream edge where panel interfaces occur, creating a geometry that promotes smooth airflow transition and eliminates adverse aerodynamic effects without requiring complete redesign of all panel features.
Solution Approach 2:
The curved downstream edge profile improves local aerodynamics by allowing airflow to follow the contour smoothly rather than encountering sharp edges or steps. This curvature eliminates flow separation and adverse pressure gradients at panel interfaces, thereby enhancing combustor performance with a relatively simple geometric modification.
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 enhances combustor durability and performance by eliminating dead regions, improving cooling efficiency, and extending the time between maintenance by promoting effective film cooling attachment and reducing adverse aerodynamic effects.
Implementation Method 1
enhancing film cooling attachment, which directs leakage flow at an angle to improve film cooling effectiveness
Data Source
AI summary
A combustor for a gas turbine engine includes a support shell with an angled shell interface; a first liner panel mounted to the support shell via a multiple of studs, the first liner panel including a first rail that extends from a cold side of the first liner panel adjacent to the angled shell interface; and a second liner panel mounted to the support shell via a multiple of studs, the second liner panel including a second rail that extends from a cold side of the second liner panel adjacent to said first rail, the second rail adjacent to the angled shell interface.